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10-30-2010, 08:27 AM
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#1
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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A Great Option to have your Airstream Polished at a Bargain Rate
Another option for those who are still working full time and don't have the time to polish their Airstreams. This option? Truck Polishers! I'm sure you've seen the shiny fuel and milk aluminum trailers pulled by the big 18-Wheelers. Somebody is polishing them and it isn't the drivers. These businesses have been around for years but I haven't seen them mentioned here on the forums, at least not that I remember.
I recently took my Sovereign to one of these truck polishing shops and they polished my entire 31' Sovereign for $1500!!! They used red and white rouge sticks to achieve a mirror shine. My Sovereign still needs the final stage of polishing with a Cyclo and Nuvite-S to remove the polishing marks, but the cost is worth it because the first two cuts take the longest and they are the messiest.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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10-30-2010, 08:50 AM
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#2
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2 Rivet Member
1978 28' Ambassador
Long Island
, New York
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 21
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Mello Mike... That is an excellent tip. And that price - WoW!
Now to spend the next few hours trying to find a place on or close to Long island..
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10-30-2010, 08:53 AM
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#3
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3 Rivet Member
1962 16' Bambi
2001 31' Limited
1985 29' Sovereign
Jenison
, Michigan
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 142
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SUPER idea.......why didn't I think of that! We have many shiny milk haulers in our area, some company has to shine them.
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10-30-2010, 09:31 AM
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#4
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Rivet Master
1973 23' Safari
1977 23' Safari
2018 25' Flying Cloud
Palmer Lake
, Colorado
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,092
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Mike,
Were you happy with the details around the lights and fittings? How about getting the black out of the small joints around the windows, belt trim, and door?
Zep
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10-30-2010, 09:53 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1951 21' Flying Cloud
1960 24' Tradewind
West Coast
, BC
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,790
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Your trailer sure looks great Mike. Great suggestion.
__________________
Barry & Donna
Life is short - so is the door on a '51 Flying Cloud (ouch)
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10-30-2010, 10:05 AM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Flying Cloud
Durango
, Colorado
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: 1975 25' Tradewind
Posts: 3,491
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A lot of truck polishers use a heavy acid which is ok on non riveted tank trailers - so you need to be careful and make sure they are just using the rouge..
Looks like the guys you took it to did a very nice job
Ken J.
__________________
1956 Flying Cloud
Founder :
Four Corners Unit
Albuquerque National Balloon Fiesta
Rally
Vintage Trailer Academy - Formerly the original
restoration rally
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10-30-2010, 12:26 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeppelinium
Mike,
Were you happy with the details around the lights and fittings? How about getting the black out of the small joints around the windows, belt trim, and door?
Zep
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Good question, Roger. The work around most of the lights is pretty good but some still need a little touch up. I'm willing to do the touch ups since I still saved a lot of time and money on the job. Yes, some of the oxidation dust needed to be cleaned off, but again, not a big deal.
For my Overlander, I'm going to do some prep work to tape off windows and some fittings. This will speed up the cleaning after the polishing is done.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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10-30-2010, 12:33 PM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Flying Cloud
1953 32' Liner
1955 22' Safari
Valley View
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,971
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I should have tried that. You really have a nice job there..
__________________
"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted
then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production."
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10-30-2010, 01:01 PM
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#9
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4 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Foresthill
, California
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 257
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Art Gonzalez Polishing Corning, CA
$120 per foot..actual body length
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11-02-2010, 07:12 AM
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#10
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Rivet Master
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Vintage Kin Owner
Currently Looking...
Greeeneville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,301
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My Dad owned a trucking company for over 50 years. I was involved for almost 30 years. The tankers that we hauled milk in were stainless steel and had a mirror finish and never needed anything but a good washing with a soft brush. Stainless doesn't oxidize. or need polishing, turn white, or corrode as aluminum does. There is a difference in the finish of the AS trailers.
__________________
Kevin with Baity the Lab/Pointer //------AIR # 7303------\\ WBCCI 17109 visit my restoration blog at:
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11-02-2010, 08:02 AM
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#11
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Rivet Master
2020 30’ Globetrotter
2001 30' Excella
Phoenix
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 838
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mello mike
Another option for those who are still working full time and don't have the time to polish their Airstreams. This option? Truck Polishers! I'm sure you've seen the shiny fuel and milk aluminum trailers pulled by the big 18-Wheelers. Somebody is polishing them and it isn't the drivers. These businesses have been around for years but I haven't seen them mentioned here on the forums, at least not that I remember.
I recently took my Sovereign to one of these truck polishing shops and they polished my entire 31' Sovereign for $1500!!! They used red and white rouge sticks to achieve a mirror shine. My Sovereign still needs the final stage of polishing with a Cyclo and Nuvite-S to remove the polishing marks, but the cost is worth it because the first two cuts take the longest and they are the messiest.
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Hey Mike, It looks great!! Did you take it to one of the shops we discussed down in Eloy? Nicely done!
__________________
Louis & Sergio
Air #22673
WBCCI# 2731
Four Corners Unit
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11-02-2010, 10:10 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
1954 22' Safari
Deerfield
, Illinois
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,419
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It's a great idea Mike, and if done carefully could probably do 90% of the hard work for us. I can't find any places like that around here in Chicago, but there must be something in the midwest, I'd think.
__________________
Brad
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11-02-2010, 12:40 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LHall
Hey Mike, It looks great!! Did you take it to one of the shops we discussed down in Eloy? Nicely done!
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Hi Louis. Yes, I took it to M&M Truck Polishing in Eloy. There's like three truck polishing businesses there in Eloy. They were all willing to polish the Airstream, but M&M offered the lowest estimate, and they stuck to it.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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11-08-2010, 12:58 AM
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#15
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4 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Eagle River
, Alaska
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 251
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How long did you have to leave it with them for the polish job?
Would removing running lights and tail lights and masking window frames help?
Can they do the third step also? Headed to Tucson.
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11-08-2010, 03:35 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Safari64
How long did you have to leave it with them for the polish job?
Would removing running lights and tail lights and masking window frames help?
Can they do the third step also? Headed to Tucson.
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I dropped it off on a Saturday and picked it up Thursday. Not long at all. Yes, I would recommend taping off windows, running lights, and taillights. Anything you don't want to get dirty.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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11-10-2010, 08:49 PM
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#17
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3 Rivet Member
1986 34' Excella
Conroe
, Texas
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 118
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Did you get on top yet to see if they did a good job up there? Around all the vents and opening and hardware on top?
Just curious
This is good information for us old coots that don't like to climb on top
Thanks
__________________
_____________________________________________
"I love work, I can sit and watch it for hours."
Al
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11-11-2010, 06:43 AM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1958 26' Overlander
Mesa
, Arizona
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,742
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Archersfin
Did you get on top yet to see if they did a good job up there? Around all the vents and opening and hardware on top?
Just curious
This is good information for us old coots that don't like to climb on top
Thanks
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I did. They polished the entire roof and even got all of the banana wraps.
__________________
1958 Overlander
2011 Wolf Creek 850N TC
2011 Ford F-250 Crewcab (6.2L), 3.73RE
WBCCI #5661/AIR #5661/TAC # AZ-6
4CU 1st VP
My '58 Overlander Restoration and Travel Blog:
https://mellomikesairstreams.blogspot.com/
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11-11-2010, 08:16 AM
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#19
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2 Rivet Member
1965 22' Safari
Shelter Island
, New York
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 89
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dnssandbox
Mello Mike... That is an excellent tip. And that price - WoW!
Now to spend the next few hours trying to find a place on or close to Long island..
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If you find one on Long Island, please shout it out. I'm on Shelter Island and although I'm not ready for polishing yet, I will get there someday.
__________________
Come on a (1965) Safari with me!
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11-11-2010, 11:27 AM
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#20
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ALUMINUM OBSSESSION
1993 34' Limited
Hamilton
, Ontario
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 159
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Mello Mike!! After your trailer was polished , what did you do to prevent it from oxidizing.
Can you do something to prevent this!!! Especially in my area with severe weather changes?
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