Metalwax Trial

[LI Pets]

We're in Miami and looked at my odometer, it's reading 2300 miles since leaving NY on the 2nd for Topsail.

This is not just a maiden trip with the new AS it's looking like a journey.

I was supposed to leave for home tomorrow but with bad weather coming in to the North east I have to suffer and stay here til Wed.

It will be 1,600 miles home so about 4,000 miles for my my first RV experience.

[Sugarfoot]

Bob, I think you get the award for perseverance in Airstreaming. You've accomplished so much in so little time with your rig, got it roadworthy, camping ready, got an awesome TV and by gosh . . . . you haven't let anything stand in your way as you click off the miles. Wally B would have been proud. It'll be good to see you at the Springstream.

[LI Pets]

Thanks, now we want to get it to look as shiny as yours.

We found a paint remover that works easy.

have have of it done. Tomorrow I start polishing with the Metalwax.

[raptorron]

Bob,

How is your "frige" doing? I forgot to ask the morning we left. With the winter weather working its way east, I hope the "live rock" will do O.K. Hope Cathy is doing well.
Now for the big question: Did the "Majic Beads" perform? If so , let us know as they will soon be in every Airstream tire in the country.

...............ron

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by raptorron

Bob,

How is your "frige" doing? I forgot to ask the morning we left. With the winter weather working its way east, I hope the "live rock" will do O.K. Hope Cathy is doing well.
Now for the big question: Did the "Majic Beads" perform? If so , let us know as they will soon be in every Airstream tire in the country.

...............ron

Hi Ron & Cindi, Cathy is back to herself for the past two days or so.

We put about 800 miles on the Dyna Beads and the trailer now floats over the road MPH has improved by 35%, and the tires look very happy


I really can't tell the difference, because I'm not in it when driving,
when I get home I'll have someone drive it and get into the trailer for a few minutes to feel for and vibrations on the floor or wheel wheels.

I'm waiting on the rock till the weather is better up north.

I'm stuck in this place now I need sun block, next week in NY the forcast is for 16 degrees

The fridge is working great

I guess we'll see 'ya in GA.

[bjond]

Originally Posted by Lipets

Thanks, now we want to get it to look as shiny as yours.

We found a paint remover that works easy.

have have of it done. Tomorrow I start polishing with the Metalwax.

What paint remover worked better than what you had at the Can Opener?

[LI Pets]

It's called My Dad's, from a Bejaman Moore store $33 a gallon. I think the gallon will finish it.

The two types I tried at Topsail were terrible now that I see what this can do.

This metalwax really works well, the trick is the right paint remover to get every speck of the clear off if you miss a spot it looks bad, then redo the spot with remover, re-wax.

The My Dads stuff I have now is taking it off in one pass, so the front and street side are stripped completly 2 hours.

About 20% is polished.

Tomorrow we'll stip the other side in say 2, 3 hours at most.

The problem is the top part where the clear was worn away it is pitted and takes time to get shiny.

On the pitted part I was thinking about using white auto compound to cut a little away or 2000 grit wet sand paper, what do you think about that Herb?

The Metalwax takes about 7-8 minutes for two sq feet. I can see myself in it.

All I do is wipe on a cleaner, then a small amount of wax buff away.

[Devoman]

Is there any way that you could take some pictures for us all to see.I would really like to get a look at what you have done.A before and after would be great for the photo books.

[LI Pets]

I took pic's, this Verizon hookup leaves a little to be desired, I recieve e-mails fine but can't send out except thu my regular provider.

When I try to upload them it justs sits there, I miss my T1 connection.

I am wondering if trying to transmit from inside the tin can has anything to do with it

At worst I'll have it uploaded next week, also have a few pics from the rally.

[Devoman]

Post them when you do get a chance to please.I am really intrested to see it polished some since I have seen it at the rally when it was unpolished.I bet it looks really nice.

[bjond]

Originally Posted by Lipets

...
The problem is the top part where the clear was worn away it is pitted and takes time to get shiny.

On the pitted part I was thinking about using white auto compound to cut a little away or 2000 grit wet sand paper, what do you think about that Herb?
....
.

Auto compound works as does sanding. Sanding will put scatches worse than compound and will take longer to bring up to a reflective shine. You can use Mother Aluminum polish(Auto Zone) or Never Dull (Hardware store) also.

Are you using a polisher or polishing by hand?

[LI Pets]

Is white Dupont auto compound about equivalent to about 4000 or 5000 grit? I would have have thought that fine grit scratches would buff out?

I have a 7" 3000 Rpm buffer.

I need to sand or compound where the two sets of old numbers were they are a real problem.

[raptorron]

Bob,

I would be very carefull with the paper. If you use it on your numbers just do it by hand with circular motion,with minimum pressure, and keep it flushed with water (squirt bottle works well). Be sure you use a good pad with your polishing compound. It is as important as the polish. I normally use "3M Super duty compound" with " 3M wool pad". I agree with "jbond" , I use "Mothers Aluminum polish" for final step.

Never poilshed an air Airstream , but used this process on many sets of aluminum wheels.

I would also love to see pictures.

..........ron

[flyfshr]

I agree, posting pictures is a must.

Brad
FF

[thecatsandi]

Actually my ISP will not allow you to send out email through them unless you authenticate. One of there ways to stop spamming. They use a special address smtpauth for sending outbound when not on thier network.

[LI Pets]

Originally Posted by raptorron

Bob,

I would be very carefull with the paper. If you use it on your numbers just do it by hand with circular motion,with minimum pressure, and keep it flushed with water (squirt bottle works well). Be sure you use a good pad with your polishing compound. It is as important as the polish. I normally use "3M Super duty compound" with " 3M wool pad". I agree with "jbond" , I use "Mothers Aluminum polish" for final step.

Never poilshed an air Airstream , but used this process on many sets of aluminum wheels.

I would also love to see pictures.

..........ron

Ron, I didn't need the sandpaper, I tried some red auto compound by hand, did nothing.

Then smeared it on and used a buffer at 2200 rpm, took a while but numbers are history.

Then I tried a section of the oxadized upper part with the compound worked like a charm, it now blends in with the stripped clear coat section below.

As of now all the clear coat is off, part of the ozadized areas are polished with all the experimenting with what to use I wore out the polishing pads on my buffer.

I'll get a few more tomorrow.

It's a fair amount of work but it really is looking good, I spent so far maybe 20 hours.

[raptorron]

Bob,

Glad to here of your success. Since they want to close this thread, why don't you start a thread on your repair, then we can all keep up with your repair and trip progress and can get further progress on the "magic beads".

be safe......ron

[Jim & Susan]

This is a new thread split out of the 2007 Can Opener Rally thread.

[LI Pets]

Too much rain to do much here today, did hunt down some new wool buffing pads my first one was on it's last legs.

I'm going to spend some time on it tomorrow.

[LI Pets]

Stripping the clearcoat, paimted the bannana skins