Start slow. Take your time. And stay away from edges. Do them by hand using
paste and an orbital polisher.

By the way, even though it's called "hard wax," you are not waxing. You are
applying polish to produce a mirror glaze. You will need a means of holding
the bar on end to apply the polish to the buffing pad. As on the sailplane,
go slow. Impatience will prove all the nay sayers right! As with any power
tool, there is a potential for harm, so think through what you're doing
first. If the cynics make you uncertain, just remember that M&H pays Harris
Hill juniors (high schoolers) to polish gliders with the same equipment.

Wear a mask and protect your eyes. The abrasive gets everywhere... in very
fine particles. Choose a small section of the sailplane to work to
completion so you can see how much effort is needed. Vertical fin (not the
rudder) is a good place to learn to handle the polishing wheel. I think
you'll be surprised (and very pleased) with the results. I find it handy to
have 800/1000/1500 grit sand paper at hand to work areas that are especially
rough. Wet sand, rinse, and dry before polishing.

You may want to seal your handiwork afterwards. I recommend Mother's natural
carnuba (no silicone). You don't need to slather... just a little will do
the trick.


"Tuno" wrote in message
...
I've never used hard wax before, but since the factory recommends it
on the gelcoat, I'm going to give it a try. I just have no clue how to
go about it. (My Google search results are great -- for hair removal!)

I have a Makita 0-3000rpm variable speed polisher, a brick of hard
wax, and a mandrel and other accessories I got from the dealer. Is
there a technique writeup on the web somewhere?

~ted/2NO