In Need Of Surface Polishing Tips Please

[rekced33569]

Howdy,

I was wet polishing a 2210 hole I had just fabbed and my 50 pad grazed the top and cut into the stones top near the hole.

I don't surface polish much because I always stay off the top but I want to learn more about matching the factory shine and repairing scratches on the surface when mistakes occur.

I don't want to settle for covering the scratch with wax either because it is a temporary fix and the scratch is too shallow for the black light uv chip kit the installer use.

I watched this fella's video... Ill list the short version of what does below....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o41XMf710PI

1-Polishes 100 to 3000 (6 step) wet
2-Polishes 800 to 3000 (3 step) dry
3-Polishes w/ Tin Oxide poweder to paste w/ felt pad
4-Then to match factory shine he says he uses a "2 Part Penetrating Epoxy" to which he won't reveal the name of...

A-He applies the epoxy (it looks like transparent flowing polyester adhesive but I wonder if he adds hardner???) to area
B-He allows 10 minutes for it to set up
C-He wipes it off thouroughly with a paper towel
D-He spray lemon Pledge and hand buffs w/ 0000 steel wool.
E-Then he hand buffs again with only steel wool.

Does anybody have any input or advice for me on the quickest to get the most quality?

Again when these mistakes occur I'll take as much time as needed to get a long lasting quality shine!

Thanks in advance,

Dave Decker
Majestic Marble and Granite
Plant City, Fl.

[Alex V.]

When I surface polish I go 100-3000 wet and rigid discs or pads and then use MB-20 polishing paste for the final shine. The only time I use epoxy is on something to deep to polish out without putting a ripple in the surface. Using pledge gives a shine similar to wax because of the silicon oil in the product but like wax it eventually wears off. Hope this helps.

[Ken Lago]

You're serious?

[ChrisGraham]

Look to regent stone products. There is a top polishing kit you can buy and a video on how to use it on there site.

[Kowboy]

Dave:

That video is laughable. He may as well eat a peanut butter sandwich and do a chant for all that epoxy nonsense. I could have pulled the faucet, re-profiled the sink edge, eliminated the chip, polished the sink edge, and reinstalled the faucet in the time he took. Plus the customer would have a more rounded edge that would be less likely to chip.

For a really speedy repair, use the FillaChip system.

If I scuffed a top with a 50 in a home, I'd hit it with a three-step pad system and follow with some MB20 on a white pad. Maybe 10 minutes on a tough stone.

[rekced33569]

You're serious?

I know right?

It seems excessive but I thought I'd ask... lol.

[rekced33569]

Look to regent stone products. There is a top polishing kit you can buy and a video on how to use it on there site.

I'll check it out... Thanks

[rekced33569]

Dave:

That video is laughable. He may as well eat a peanut butter sandwich and do a chant for all that epoxy nonsense. I could have pulled the faucet, re-profiled the sink edge, eliminated the chip, polished the sink edge, and reinstalled the faucet in the time he took. Plus the customer would have a more rounded edge that would be less likely to chip.

For a really speedy repair, use the FillaChip system.

If I scuffed a top with a 50 in a home, I'd hit it with a three-step pad system and follow with some MB20 on a white pad. Maybe 10 minutes on a tough stone.

Thanks, I use Dia-glo in the shop. I've never used MB 20. How does it compare?

[Kowboy]

Thanks, I use Dia-glo in the shop. I've never used MB 20. How does it compare?

I've only used Dia-glo to buff the gelcoat on a cultured marble top from which I'd removed super-glued on glitter. The MB20 did nothing for the gelcoat, but it will make solid surfaces like Corian scream.

Cameron D. would know the answer better than I.

[Mark Meriaux]

Here's is Cam's video on polishing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYrDTIGjZ_s

It's widely accepted as the "standard" by many here, plus you can buy all the necessary gear from Cameron.
http://www.easystonecare.com/default.asp

I'd recommend the FillaChip kit if the scratch is deep enough for adhesive to grab, SL3 top polishing backer, discs, and pads, and MB-20 to final polish.

FillaChip
http://www.easystonecare.com/FillaChip- ... /filla.htm

SL3 Top Polishing Kit
http://www.easystonecare.com/Granite-To ... /tpkit.htm

MB20 Polishing Cream
http://www.easystonecare.com/MB-20-Gran ... /mb-20.htm

[Voges23]

Dave,
Just call me and I'll help you. I'm in Winter Garden. I work with Scott at Majestic a lot, he knows me. That video is ridiculous.

Eric
407-925-3796

[Voges23]

Thanks, I use Dia-glo in the shop. I've never used MB 20. How does it compare?

I've only used Dia-glo to buff the gelcoat on a cultured marble top from which I'd removed super-glued on glitter. The MB20 did nothing for the gelcoat, but it will make solid surfaces like Corian scream.

Cameron D. would know the answer better than I.

Dude,
i hammered out some cultred marble scratch repairs using my Festool set for Corian. All day every day. Polish out a 10sqft vanity in 15 minutes up to 4k Abrlaon pad. easy peasy.

[Kowboy]

Dude,
i hammered out some cultred marble scratch repairs using my Festool set for Corian. All day every day. Polish out a 10sqft vanity in 15 minutes up to 4k Abrlaon pad. easy peasy.

Thanks. I've got some of the 4K Abralon. I'm always terrified of abrading through the gel coat. Now they've went from a problem created by a tenant or child to a problem created by you. Seems like lotsa risk for a small reward.

[markplaza]

Dave, watch Cam's video. Get some MB20. Practice a little. Join the SFA and you'll never fear top polishing again.

Mark Plaza
Sjstoneworks@aol.com

[Clyde Kingry]

Anyone know MaineGraniteGuy?

he could really benefit from the SFA but apparently wont share his epoxy names so he may not fit in.

[ageless]

Get you some of the Lam Loc epoxy from Defusco. This stuff is great and they are sponsors! They also have a fast cure but I have not tried it. To be honest, that sink chip could have been repaired in less than a minute with Filachip.

[Stone Dude]

I have watched the video from this guy, Maine Granite Guy. I get dumber every time. I honestly don't know what the hell he is doing.

I am not saying I am the best, but I get consistent results, without all these ridiculous steps. The Regent kit is great, because they made a list of what I was using at the demos in Vegas and turned it into a kit. I like Regent, if you like buying from them, then buy the kit from them. The video the guys posted is the video I made for Regent for the kit.

MOST of the time, you don't need more than 5 steps, including the final polish, sometimes only 4.

Unless the epoxy cures and is cut down TO the stone, to become flush, it does nothing to contribute to the finish. The Pledge is bullshit.

We have a product that is a spray polish, that provides a temporary shine and smudge-resistant surface, but I would never use it in a video to present a final finish.

Here is the basic kit I sell for this, 3 NSI turbo steps, NSI Adapter, NSI 4" hook and loop backer, Alpha Ceramica, MB-20 and hogs hair pads

http://www.easystonecare.com/Granite-To ... /tpkit.htm

The 300 grit turbo should be just fine for cutting out a scratch. The key is to go further out everytime you run the pad. Rule of thumb, the further down you go to remove damage, the further out you must go to keep it flat.

After the 300, run the 500 and 1000, then the Alpha Ceramica wet to dry. Then the MB-20.

[Kowboy]

I have watched the video from this guy, Maine Granite Guy. I get dumber every time. I honestly don't know what the hell he is doing.

[Brian Briggs]

Scott is currently using the Fill-a-chip kit in Orlando. Tell Terry he needs to get some MB20 and Fill-a-Chip on order for you guys! The fill-a-chip kit works great. As for top polishing, forget the video you watched. There are much easier ways to achieve a proper polish.

[BellaTerra]

Step 1- Join SFA
Step 2- Read posts and watch videos till your brain hurts
Step 3- Top polish stone like Michel-freaking-angelo (or Cameron Demille)
Step 4- Look back at all your previous attempts at top polishing as a complete joke and waste of time
Step 5- Tell everyone else about this great group of fabricators called the SFA who all want to Share, Learn and Prosper together.

[Stone Dude]

This one of the worst seams I have ever done. The pictures honestly don't show how bad it was, over 1/16 high, probably about 3/32.

I took the entire thing down with a 300 NSI Turbo. Yes, I could have used 150, but I like using the 300. It takes longer, but you have a lot more time to adjust and feel it out on the fly to make sure it's perfectly flat.











Not a ripple

[Stone Dude]

Since the video you posted was about fixing a chip and face polishing, this might be a little more relevant. This is in the sam kitchen a the other pictures.

The original installers knocked a chunk out of this counter, then tried to polish it out. They left a huge dip.



Look how distorted the reflection of the light bulb is in the repaired area. It should be perfectly round like the one on the right


Before starting


First cut, also with the NSI 300. Notice the area that didn't get hit? That's the low spot. You find and work UP TO IT, not through it. Work around it and slowly close in on it. If you go through it in the beginning, you'll end up with more waves around it.


That little spot ended up requiring all this diamond work. Remember when I said the farther down you go to remove the damage, the farther out you need to go to keep it flat?




All gone




All these were done with 300, 500, 1000 grit turbos, 1000 grit alpha ceramica and MB-20. That's it. 5 steps. No smearing epoxy bullshit all over, no pledge, no steel wool.

[BellaTerra]

Cameron did you ever collect on the guys "kingdom" who challenged you on how flat you can get a top? He probably could have made you a nickellionaire.

[Stone Dude]

Cameron did you ever collect on the guys "kingdom" who challenged you on how flat you can get a top? He probably could have made you a nickellionaire.

haha, I forgot about that guy.

[BellaTerra]

Cameron did you ever collect on the guys "kingdom" who challenged you on how flat you can get a top? He probably could have made you a nickellionaire.

haha, I forgot about that guy.

I'm sure you're not the first nor the last to say that about him.

Where does the shutter start and stop on that photo?!?! Great job Cam! Put me down for a case of that easy oxy when you send that other nifty new kit you'll be sending.