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Old 11-03-2019, 06:02 PM   #1
LHaven
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Surface finishing?

I'm currently in the process of getting 6,500 miles of bugs and three weeks of New England campground pine sap off my new Cougar after our first trip. (I've given up on getting the sap off the rubber roof, I'm just going to let it sublimate.) Today I spent all my time on the hardest part, which is the front cap.

The sap more or less responds to Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover, used as directed (which is to spray it on directly and let it sit 60 seconds before applying way more elbow grease than you ever expected, the main reason I gave up on doing the roof), although the long drips seem to leave some sort of ghosting behind. Some of the blobs required assistance from a credit card before the lumps departed.

The one thing I haven't been able to get off the front cap looks like some sort of scuff. I have no idea how it got there, and it isn't the right height for a shopping cart, a tree branch, or anything else I can think of (way too low, at 3'). From the pattern, it obviously all happened at the same time.

It doesn't respond to car shampoo, bug and tar remover, or mineral spirits. There's no tangible deformation of the smooth surface, just a visible scuff that doesn't come off with anything I've tried.

My first reaction (established long ago) would be to try auto compound, but I've never dealt with fiberglass (or whatever this precise material is) before. I wouldn't dare try acetone on this finish unless someone guaranteed me it wouldn't hurt.

I know somebody here is going to know way more than I do about refinishing this stuff.
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Old 11-03-2019, 06:16 PM   #2
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Lots of folks use lots of different things for various stuff with varying results...

The finish on the outside of the trailer (assuming Filon?/fiberglass) is, to me, pretty fragile. I wouldn't just go at it with a harsh abrasive compound at all. I've got a couple of scratches (scuffs?) that just haven't come out and I'm not willing to go crazy to "do anything" to remove them; they can hardly be seen anyway - something to consider.

I've had success with Maguiars 50 cleaner/wax. Not too abrasive and leaves a nice shine. I apply with a buffer. Depending on what kind of scuff you have it may or may not help.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Meguiar-s...SABEgJeWvD_BwE
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Old 11-03-2019, 06:27 PM   #3
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For the sap, bug guts and other stuff that sticks to the surface a clay bar is effective and the least amount of effort.

I use Lusso product for the autos. Their polish should work well in getting out that scuff and be fiberglass safe. I do a full exterior detail of the van and truck twice a year. Clay bar, Lusso polish and Lusso wax. I used to live in an apartment right next to the airport. Directly inline with the runway so lots of fallout from the planes. Car I had at the time had a showroom shine when I sold it when it was about 10 years old. Not a single swirl
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Old 11-03-2019, 06:41 PM   #4
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I would try some naphtha. Naphtha generally will remove scuffs and finish with some Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish which is the best product for removing the odd stain and does great refinishing a fiberglass finish.
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Old 11-03-2019, 06:50 PM   #5
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I would try some naphtha. Naphtha generally will remove scuffs and finish with some Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish which is the best product for removing the odd stain and does great refinishing a fiberglass finish.
Where are you getting Honda spray cleaner? Thought they had to quit making it cause it was toxic or something. I still have a couple cans but they are at least 10 years old.
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Old 11-03-2019, 07:14 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Brantlyj View Post
For the sap, bug guts and other stuff that sticks to the surface a clay bar is effective and the least amount of effort.
Never used a clay bar, but I've been bar-curious for a few years now, so maybe it's time I learned from one of my neighbors (hopefully the one who does refinishing professionally!)
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Old 11-03-2019, 07:18 PM   #7
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Never used a clay bar, but I've been bar-curious for a few years now, so maybe it's time I learned from one of my neighbors (hopefully the one who does refinishing professionally!)
Ha! Just buy the Meguiers kit. Comes with the clay and some detailer spray. Tear off some clay, spray a little solution on the area you want to work and just rub the clay over the area. Reapply spray if it starts to dry out. Easy as that.

If you run out of detainers spray just fill the bottle with water. Works just as well. Really just need something to act as a lubricant.
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Old 11-03-2019, 07:46 PM   #8
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Smile

https://www.target.com/p/mr-clean-ma...B&gclsrc=aw.ds

I have had great luck with these... without damage to the fiberglass. And doesn't take a lot of effort! And like "they" say try it on an inconspicuous area first.
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Old 11-03-2019, 07:58 PM   #9
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Lot's of good suggestions. Having owned several fiberglass boats before jumping into camping I can tell you that most marinas used acetone to remove scuff marks and if that didn't work than wet sand with fine sandpaper (800 grit or more).

I would not recommend using the aforementioned methods for a novice. Whatever you use you need to apply wax afterwards as any degreaser or abrasive will remove the wax.
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Old 11-04-2019, 02:54 AM   #10
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Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish is readily available from various sources. Here it is on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/HONDA-08732-S...s%2C177&sr=8-4
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Old 11-04-2019, 09:07 AM   #11
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I wouldn't dare try acetone on this finish unless someone guaranteed me it wouldn't hurt.
I’m with you on that. I had acetone on my fingers once when I answered a landline phone. It destroyed the plastic. I know there are all sorts of plastics, but who wants to experiment!
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Old 11-04-2019, 09:14 AM   #12
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Well now I see that Flybouy indicated that others have used acetone on fiberglass. Use with caution!
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Old 11-04-2019, 09:17 AM   #13
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I’m with you on that. I had acetone on my fingers once when I answered a landline phone. It destroyed the plastic. I know there are all sorts of plastics, but who wants to experiment!
Fiberglass and plastic are different substances but I'd recommend wearing gloves while using any chemicals. Some chemicals can penetrate the barrier of the skin and enter the bloodstream. That's something I wouldn't want to experiment with.
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Old 11-04-2019, 05:48 PM   #14
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Acetone is a major ingredient in most (many) fingernail polish remover products. If you walk past the "nail salon" in any WalMart, you can get nauseated smelling the acetone. I wonder how the employees can breath that stuff all day/every day and have functional lungs at age 50 ????

As for gloves, yes, a good idea, but most "HF rubber gloves" won't last 2 seconds with many solvents. They aren't latex, but a form of nitrile/vinyl and many will "dissolve" or fall apart with acetone and many other solvents, so finding gloves to protect your skin from many cleaners is easier said than done.

We used MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone), trichloroethane/trichloroethelyne, "elephant snot" (paint remover) and many other types of solvents that wouldn't harm fiberglass but would completely dissolve the surface coating (gelcoat or paint), so careful what you use !!!!!

We had a couple of solvent compounds that we used regularly (before the days of OSHA/AFOSH) that a drop on the back of a "giant grasshopper" would cause it to shrivel and turn to "goo".... Needless to say, we wore leather gloves, rubber overliner gloves, a latex apron and a face shield with respirator to use that stuff.....

I wouldn't think much that's available in ACE hardware of from Amazon would be that dangerous, but danger to you and destroying the "shiny finish" on FILON do not necessarily require the same strength solvents......
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Old 11-04-2019, 05:51 PM   #15
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No big deal! Put a little Meguires M105 on your DA Buffer when it's gone use a couple of drops of Meguires M205 to shine it back up! Done in less than 4 minutes! The only problem your going to have is you are going to want to do your whole rig! lol Then use Meguires synthetic sealer 2.0 and you won't have to worry about waxing for another year!
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Old 11-10-2019, 10:02 AM   #16
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Old 11-10-2019, 12:48 PM   #17
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I use WD40 on the car to get tar off. I don't know how the filon or the FG front cap would respond, but it's pretty benign on car paint, and it disolves the tar in seconds. Not too sure about using for bug guts and tree sap, but may be worth a try in a small section.
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Old 11-10-2019, 03:22 PM   #18
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For bugs and tar I use a wet drier sheet keep it wet with water and rinse with clean water. I rinse it off after with a hose. It works like magic. Try it you will love it.
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Old 11-10-2019, 05:16 PM   #19
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Did my whole trailer.

I had a 2011 Outback with a dull gel coat and decided to give a try at restoring the finish. It went very well. It looked like new when I was done. I bought the Maguire products for fiberglass restoration. I also bought a low speed 7 inch buffer from DeWalt and several lambs wool pads.

The key is to use a low speed on the buffer when applying the fiberglass restoration compound; too fast and you will burn through the finish. I started out about 600 rpm on the buffer and eventually learned to handle 1000 rpm. Work on small areas and take your time. The buffer I used was a monster. I was quite tired out when I was done.

After buffing the fiberglass restoration compound, you get to start again with a good coat of wax. You have to wax because the restoration compound removes everything and there is no protection.

This project was labor intensive, but quite satisfying upon completion. The camper looked almost new again. The cost to have it done professionally was estimated to be over $800. I did have to buy the proper tools and pads, but it was still cheaper, and now that I have the tools, the next time I have to do this work I will be way ahead.
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Old 11-10-2019, 05:50 PM   #20
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Originally Posted by ckittila View Post
I had a 2011 Outback with a dull gel coat and decided to give a try at restoring the finish. It went very well. It looked like new when I was done. I bought the Maguire products for fiberglass restoration. I also bought a low speed 7 inch buffer from DeWalt and several lambs wool pads.

The key is to use a low speed on the buffer when applying the fiberglass restoration compound; too fast and you will burn through the finish. I started out about 600 rpm on the buffer and eventually learned to handle 1000 rpm. Work on small areas and take your time. The buffer I used was a monster. I was quite tired out when I was done.

After buffing the fiberglass restoration compound, you get to start again with a good coat of wax. You have to wax because the restoration compound removes everything and there is no protection.

This project was labor intensive, but quite satisfying upon completion. The camper looked almost new again. The cost to have it done professionally was estimated to be over $800. I did have to buy the proper tools and pads, but it was still cheaper, and now that I have the tools, the next time I have to do this work I will be way ahead.
Just wondering, did you consider spraying it with clear coat with hardener?
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