Diamond brite treatment and GRP

[ianthebuilder]

Ok here we go!

Helga is a 99 plate hymer S650, what should I use on the roof and body to keep it lovely?
Front of Helga seems like a different finish, so what can I use on that?
Bumper I’d fibreglass, I think, so what can I use on that ?

I do clean her regularly but only use basic wash/ wax mix!

 

[Charlie123]

Ok here we go!

Helga is a 99 plate hymer S650, what should I use on the roof and body to keep it lovely?
Front of Helga seems like a different finish, so what can I use on that?
Bumper I’d fibreglass, I think, so what can I use on that ?

I do clean her regularly but only use basic wash/ wax mix!

My advice remains the same .. For all surfaces because we cannot have a close inspection.

A low cut polish first. Menzerna Po85 would be ideal. If that does the trick but it may be something with more cut is needed. You won’t know till you try.

For wax well a good long lasting is Collinite 476S..

Both are obtainable on Ebay ..

 

[CazPaul]

Ok here we go!

Helga is a 99 plate hymer S650, what should I use on the roof and body to keep it lovely?
Front of Helga seems like a different finish, so what can I use on that?
Bumper I’d fibreglass, I think, so what can I use on that ?

I do clean her regularly but only use basic wash/ wax mix!

Front section is GRP Ian and the rest will be aluminium, be careful what you use on the GRP section especially.

 

[funflair]

I looked at a Fleurette A class motorhome, advertised as all polyester whatever that means, the important thing is that there was plenty of cracks in it.

Polyester is the resin system that is normally used for GRP, it’s cheap

Cracking and crazing is in the Gelcoat and happens when the panel flexes and is worse the thicker the gel is.

Martin

 

[cornish boy]

I think that some panels are possibly a thermoplastic rather than traditional thermoset polyester, I am thinking here about the roof skins on the N+B vans and also the floor panels we saw at Phoenix, OK neither of these really need polishing, at Vario-Mobil they were using a glass fibre sheet from a roll that definitely didn't have a gelcoat on but all their vans are painted, I think some side panels look like they have quite thin gelcoat as you can see the fibre printing through.

When we manufactured parts in Epoxy/carbon they were without gelcoat as it is just excess weight for no structural gain but these part were high performance for cars and bikes.

Martin

I can understand carbon prepreg and vac infusion moldings for performance products not having gelcoats but we are talking a very specialised part of the market and in the main they are epoxy rather than polyester or vinylester.

I am surprised about lack of Gel at Vario-Mobil due to the risk of wicking from stray fibre ends but then they are painting post sandwich construction.

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[cornish boy]

My trade and business has been Roofing for 47 years 38 of which I ran my own business .

We did hundreds of fibreglass roofs over many years so I completely understand the properties and values of Gel coats resins hardners and colours.

Gel coat especially late stuff can be very thin... That is why I advise caution. Otherwise people with little or no knowledge could come unstuck.

I will say though my experience of polishing Gel coats is a little limited. Jet Skis and boats mostly. The Jetskis were Yamaha which used a gel along with a very complex laminate and the gel was really very thin.

I use a DeFelsko Positector PTG which as you will know allows the measurement of individual layers on all surfaces including laminates and steel and aluminium body panels. A very expensive tool but when seriously into the Detailing and Concourse sceen something I really felt I needed to have.

Again I feel you will know the soft paint on cars like Aston’s and RRs by its inherrant nature is very soft.

 

[Northernraider]

Ok here we go!

Helga is a 99 plate hymer S650, what should I use on the roof and body to keep it lovely?
Front of Helga seems like a different finish, so what can I use on that?
Bumper I’d fibreglass, I think, so what can I use on that ?

I do clean her regularly but only use basic wash/ wax mix!

Yours is the same as mine Ian
Aluminium roof , sides and rear panel and grp front.

I used on the front grp restorer from @jezport . And the sides roof and back I used t cut , autoglym super resin polish and then farecla wax on all of it to finish it of
It went from this

To this

All done by hand


3 months later water still beads and runs of it and it's not been washed since

 

[ianthebuilder]

Yours is the same as mine Ian
Aluminium roof , sides and rear panel and grp front.

I used on the front grp restorer from @jezport . And the sides roof and back I used t cut , autoglym super resin polish and then farecla wax on all of it to finish it of
It went from this
View attachment 275946 View attachment 275947

To this

View attachment 275948 View attachment 275949 View attachment 275950 View attachment 275951

All done by hand


3 months later water still beads and runs of it and it's not been washed since

Wow,, she/he looks great! ( did you see what I did there? No one can accuse me of being gender racist!) Is jezport a dealer of that stuff tam? Do I just message ? And where can I get all the other stuff? Xxxx.

 

[Northernraider]

Wow,, she/he looks great! ( did you see what I did there? No one can accuse me of being gender racist!) Is jezport a dealer of that stuff tam? Do I just message ? And where can I get all the other stuff? Xxxx.

EBay Ian...@jezport sells the grp restorer and wax on there. And you will get the rest on there too.


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/271491331058

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/162189395397

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/201517566842

 

[Simon Select]

I have followed your link and then followed that on again to another website and in both cases it clearly indicates this is just a sealer. Do you have some information on the level of UV protection this product offers as in my experience sealers provide beading enhancement, but in doing so also cause white GRP to yellow very quickly in direct UV.

Hi Cornish Boy,
So the Williams Product is independantly tested by the CSIRO and Williams has been proven to increase the hardness level by 6 points so its over 8H.
The hardness test used pencil hardness, scratch resistance, thickness and checmical resistance tests to determine the ability to resist penetration. A Wax or a coating simply wouldn't do that.

Most other products need an enchancer over time. Williams does not which is why they give it a lifetime guarantee as well. If there are problems in certain areas e.g. it was applied to thinly for instance then the supplying dealer (Howards) will reapply the area at no cost. If a bumper had been smart repaired or involved in a crash then it would need to be redone.

Williams also guarantees against bird lime which is a killer for vehicles!

We charge £500 on a new van which I don't think is unreasonable to be honest.

Simon

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[Jagtazman]

My advice remains the same .. For all surfaces because we cannot have a close inspection.

A low cut polish first. Menzerna Po85 would be ideal. If that does the trick but it may be something with more cut is needed. You won’t know till you try.

For wax well a good long lasting is Collinite 476S..

Both are obtainable on Ebay ..

Charlie
Is this best done by hand or cannot be done using a machine polisher?

Also can a machine polisher be used on all surfaces/Motorhomes

We have a 2009 Rapido A Class not got a polisher yet bit thinking of getting one however not sure if it can be used or should only be used on metal?

 

[Northernraider]

Charlie
Is this best done by hand or cannot be done using a machine polisher?

Also can a machine polisher be used on all surfaces/Motorhomes

We have a 2009 Rapido A Class not got a polisher yet bit thinking of getting one however not sure if it can be used or should only be used on metal?

A machine polished in unskilled hands can be expensive mistakes...It's very easy to burn the paint or burn through it.

Besides if yeve never watched the karate kid wax on wax off is very good for ye

 

[Charlie123]

Charlie
Is this best done by hand or cannot be done using a machine polisher?

Also can a machine polisher be used on all surfaces/Motorhomes

We have a 2009 Rapido A Class not got a polisher yet bit thinking of getting one however not sure if it can be used or should only be used on metal?

I do every polishing task by machine. I use a Rotary .. If you feel competent / confident use the same or perhaps a random orbital machine.

As I keep saying do a test area out of sight. Use low cut polishes to start and go up in cut if needed. Always set your machine speeds very low. Low speed is safer. Go up in speed as your confidence in the pad/ polish combination grows. Use soft pads and again move up to a slightly harder one if required.

There are as I’ve said so many different surfaces it’s impossible for me or anyone to say exactly what polishes pads or machines to use. It’s a case of trial and hopefully with caution no error.

@FJ Mike might be able to input more on specific surfaces than me as his field is in Motorhome valeting/Detaling.