Best polisher for GRP

[cgf10]

I've become slightly OCD about my fiberglass looking nice. I'm considering a cordless polisher - does anyone have a view on a particular type or brand that's a combination of affordable and effective ? Best size ?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by cgf10

I've become slightly OCD about my fiberglass looking nice. I'm considering a cordless polisher - does anyone have a view on a particular type or brand that's a combination of affordable and effective ? Best size ?

Careful or you won't have any gel coat left[emoji6]

[paintman]

I use one professionally on car paint - for compounding after flatting back following repainting.
Mine is heavy, not random orbit & corded - a battery powered one would be of no use for my purposes.
You MUST keep it moving & follow the instructions on the polish/compound you are using. Water is often used as a lubricant & a hand spray of the B&Q bottle type for misting plants works well.
If you stay too long in one spot heat build-up due to friction is rapid & a lot of damage can happen very quickly - guess how I found that one out.
Bear in mind that compounds and most polishes are abrasive - compounds are available in several grades of cut - so each time you use it you are removing material & the firmer the mop the more it will remove.
Compounding & polishing mops are most commonly available in 150mm (6") diameter & I prefer those that come with a plastic backer glued on. Thread size M14.

To do the hull of my boat I use Farecla G10 on a medium mop for cleaning & a wax polish for final shine by hand with microfibre cloths
You might find this of interest: Ask an Expert | farecla

[diver 1]

After I removed the antifoul on my boat (gel hadn't been keyed thankfully) I found a cheap Silverline polisher with a lambswool bonnet, Faracela G3 paste and lots of water spray did a good job followed by sponging off all the mess and polishing with autoglym super resin polish on a sponge head and buffing off with a dry cloth.

Bit of effort and the silverline polisher isn't great but on setting 1 or 2 it did the job

[paintman]

I use G3 liquid all the time for removing the scratches left by 1500/2000 wet&dry after flatting car paint to remove nibs and texture with the final polish using G10.
Bear in mind that G3 more aggressive than G10.

You'll find a lot on youtube discussing the relative merits of lambswool or foam & it really comes down to personal preference.

Notwithstanding the comments about acrylic windows on the link I do a lot of these on caravans for a trade customer & G3 with a medium foam does a perfect job - just be careful with heat build-up & keep it lubricated.

[Nos4r2]

Farecla Profile 300 paste seems to be better than G3 for gelcoat in my experience.Takes out scratches from 1000 grit easily. Used a medium Farecla foam and a corded silverline polisher. Did the Ballistic with that setup and it did a nice job, just keep a water spray bottle available while using it to stop the surface drying out.

[cgf10]

Thanks gents, very helpful.

[Orwell boy]

maybe a little bit hill billy but far cheaper to get a 14mm nut and bolt ,screw a blue plastic backed farcela sponge mop onto the bolt and lock it with a nut ,cut the head off the bolt and use it in a battery drill, speeds are probhably all wrong but worked for me ,and a drill is far more manouverable than one of those 10" angle grinders ,enables you to place the mop far easier ,especially when you are working upside down under the boat ,you can get the same style sheepskin type mop to finish with

[beerbelly]

i also paint cars for a living and instead of using a spray bottle for the water I just dip the sponge pad that's on the polisher into a bucket of water .just the sponge not the polisher mind lol. flings a lot of water off when you start up but its easier and the way I was taught (mind back in the 70,s we used air powered polishers and lambs wool bonnets and no one had heard of hse)