Go for it, its one job I hate and I'm sure I'm not alone.
Stl said
03:29 PM Apr 5, 2015
Looks good, did you do it by hand or use a buffer.
Len 😀
frangipani said
03:35 PM Apr 5, 2015
Stl wrote:
Looks good, did you do it by hand or use a buffer. Len 😀
I do have a buffer, just not confident ATM in using it., I did it by hand.,
Phil C said
04:05 PM Apr 5, 2015
Fran, you got the job of doing my van whenever you are over here. Brilliant job for a by hand buff.
frangipani said
05:20 PM Apr 5, 2015
Thnx PhilC
Peter1059 said
09:04 PM Apr 5, 2015
Hey guys, I brought a Freewind 18 months ago and found some polish to both clean the body and the polish it. I also borrowed a Makita polisher and although it took 2 days it came up a treat. I was quoted $1000 to have done professionally but it ended costing me approx $100 for cleaner, polish & pads etc.
I couldn't move my arms or legs for a few days but it was worth the effort!!!😆
frangipani said
09:10 PM Apr 5, 2015
Peter1059 wrote:
Hey guys, I brought a Freewind 18 months ago and found some polish to both clean the body and the polish it. I also borrowed a Makita polisher and although it took 2 days it came up a treat. I was quoted $1000 to have done professionally but it ended costing me approx $100 for cleaner, polish & pads etc.
I couldn't move my arms or legs for a few days but it was worth the effort!!!😆
WOW, a fellow freewinder howdie, $1000.00 you say, thats a cut n polish, doing it yourself saved heaps.., I polished by hand, my arms very sore, but hey I'm wrapped, one more thing to cross off my to do list b4 I take off up the middle.,
-- Edited by frangipani on Sunday 5th of April 2015 09:12:32 PM
Philw said
08:07 AM Apr 6, 2015
Hey Fran. Looks great. Did you use the turtle wax on both the fibreglass and the metal body of the cab?
frangipani said
08:35 AM Apr 6, 2015
Philw wrote:
Hey Fran. Looks great. Did you use the turtle wax on both the fibreglass and the metal body of the cab?
Thanx Philw, Yep, both metal n fibreglass, even the windows, washed her first, then with a damp piece of old towel, spread the polish, then went back with a clean piece of old towel and polished her up.,
I'm off to the shops for some, I think its called armoural, for all the black bits.
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 08:36:51 AM
patrolst said
08:59 AM Apr 6, 2015
Try Mothers "Natural Black" it lasts a lot longer than Armoral and seems to get into and preserve the external vinyl, I have had good success with it on my Nissan Patrol black Guard flare's.
Cupie said
09:08 AM Apr 6, 2015
I too am a fan of 'Mothers' products.
frangipani said
09:22 AM Apr 6, 2015
patrolst wrote:
Try Mothers "Natural Black" it lasts a lot longer than Armoral and seems to get into and preserve the external vinyl, I have had good success with it on my Nissan Patrol black Guard flare's.
thnx, i'll look into it.
Thnx cupie
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 09:25:26 AM
Peter1059 said
12:17 PM Apr 6, 2015
Yes, we Freewinders are few and far between. The only place I could find was a Marine Cleaning company and although they quoted 4hrs and I have no doubt they would have done a better job I couldn't justify $1000.
-- Edited by Peter1059 on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:17:35 PM
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:19:57 PM
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:22:53 PM
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:23:15 PM
Aus-Kiwi said
05:18 PM Apr 6, 2015
It's ongoing keeping paint nice
gandk said
07:32 AM Apr 10, 2015
Hi Peter would the clean n polish work on our 2007 fibreglass ext Sterling c/van. Since buying it in 2013 the front has always been dull and weathered. I have tried marine gentle cutting polish but still didn't come up real good. Probable was let go without polishing before we bought it?
Peter1059 said
02:00 PM Apr 11, 2015
Hi Guys
I don't know about individual brands but I did a lot of Youtubing and settled on whatever they do for fibreglass boats would have to be correct for a fibreglass motorhome/caravan. I used a product from BOATCARE (BCF), the first product is "Fibreglass Buffing Compound" and then I used "Fibreglass Restorer & Wax" (Approx $25ea). I think the secret to my success was the buffing machine I used. It was an older type Makita Variable speed, bloody heavy after 2 days but after a while I got used to it and I increased the speed to 1100 rpm and this made it a lot easier. There are two types of foam buffing pads you will need, Pink one for the buffing and a black one for the polishing (Supercheap approx $20), I was warned of the Lambswool as they are quite aggressive if you don't know what you are doing and I certainly didn't.
Be warned... that if you use a Buffing machine like this DO NOT keep it in the one area and make sure it is only lightly touching the surface and never stops moving back and forth. It may burn through your Gel Coat, also; I have found that some auto polishes are not very good when used on a Gel Coat Surface as it reacts with the Gel Coat and will start to yellow the surface which I believe is irreversible.
The only other cost I had was some microfibre cloths (Bunnings) and a half decent bottle of red so I could look at the finished job and brag to the other half.... so get stuck in and enjoy the pain it is supposed to be good for you.
Looks great, can you come and do mine?
Just might go into business for myself hehehe...,
Go for it, its one job I hate and I'm sure I'm not alone.
Len 😀
I do have a buffer, just not confident ATM in using it., I did it by hand.,
Fran, you got the job of doing my van whenever you are over here.
Brilliant job for a by hand buff.
I couldn't move my arms or legs for a few days but it was worth the effort!!!😆
WOW, a fellow freewinder howdie, $1000.00 you say, thats a cut n polish, doing it yourself saved heaps.., I polished by hand, my arms very sore, but hey I'm wrapped, one more thing to cross off my to do list b4 I take off up the middle.,
-- Edited by frangipani on Sunday 5th of April 2015 09:12:32 PM
Thanx Philw, Yep, both metal n fibreglass, even the windows, washed her first, then with a damp piece of old towel, spread the polish, then went back with a clean piece of old towel and polished her up.,
I'm off to the shops for some, I think its called armoural, for all the black bits.
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 08:36:51 AM
Try Mothers "Natural Black" it lasts a lot longer than Armoral and seems to get into and preserve the external vinyl, I have had good success with it on my Nissan Patrol black Guard flare's.
I too am a fan of 'Mothers' products.
thnx, i'll look into it.
Thnx cupie
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 09:25:26 AM
Yes, we Freewinders are few and far between. The only place I could find was a Marine Cleaning company and although they quoted 4hrs and I have no doubt they would have done a better job I couldn't justify $1000.
-- Edited by Peter1059 on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:17:35 PM
Peter1059 -Just sent you a msg
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:19:57 PM
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:22:53 PM
-- Edited by frangipani on Monday 6th of April 2015 12:23:15 PM
It's ongoing keeping paint nice
Hi Peter would the clean n polish work on our 2007 fibreglass ext Sterling c/van. Since buying it in 2013 the front has always been dull and weathered. I have tried marine gentle cutting polish but still didn't come up real good. Probable was let go without polishing before we bought it?
Hi Guys
I don't know about individual brands but I did a lot of Youtubing and settled on whatever they do for fibreglass boats would have to be correct for a fibreglass motorhome/caravan. I used a product from BOATCARE (BCF), the first product is "Fibreglass Buffing Compound" and then I used "Fibreglass Restorer & Wax" (Approx $25ea). I think the secret to my success was the buffing machine I used. It was an older type Makita Variable speed, bloody heavy after 2 days but after a while I got used to it and I increased the speed to 1100 rpm and this made it a lot easier. There are two types of foam buffing pads you will need, Pink one for the buffing and a black one for the polishing (Supercheap approx $20), I was warned of the Lambswool as they are quite aggressive if you don't know what you are doing and I certainly didn't.
Be warned... that if you use a Buffing machine like this DO NOT keep it in the one area and make sure it is only lightly touching the surface and never stops moving back and forth. It may burn through your Gel Coat, also; I have found that some auto polishes are not very good when used on a Gel Coat Surface as it reacts with the Gel Coat and will start to yellow the surface which I believe is irreversible.
The only other cost I had was some microfibre cloths (Bunnings) and a half decent bottle of red so I could look at the finished job and brag to the other half.... so get stuck in and enjoy the pain it is supposed to be good for you.