Hey guys,

You have to machine buff it with buffing compound


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Disclaimer opinions of others will vary depending on what they are selling

Yeh hand polishing gelcoat is almost an impossible task, given its abrasion resistance. You really need a machine to do a great job. 

Thanks guys.  Well looks like I had a pinhole pop up and I'm all out of gel coat.  Think I'm gonna just make the part and sand down the entire part and clear coat it to get the gloss.  So I guess it's ok to have a dull finish on the mold since I have to clear it anyway

That's why I said ALMOST impossible. I know it can be done, I do it on a daily basis with moulds that are too small and tight or complex for the machine polisher, but it's a lot of work and it does take a bit of practice to get a good result. I never bother trying to polish 1200 either, if I'm machine polishing then I go to 2000 and if I'm hand polishing I go to 3000, otherwise I'm there all day and I loath hand polishing. 

Rubbing compounds vary greatly in their grit, it's probably fairly course and most will give a very haizy finish.  Need to follow it up with at least a polish, you can stop there or follow that up with a machine glaze to yield a brilliant finish. Would probably do sanding discs on a foam interface 2000 grit wet, 3000 trizact or light cut rubbing compound, polish, glaze.