My daughter thinks I'm obsessed. My husband thought he'd be doing all the work and he hasn't put in a skinny minute as of yet! I'm sure the neighbors are tired of the hummmmmmm. And me, my arms are getting a work out and I think the scar from falling off the ladder will add character!
I've got the clear coat stripped and 85% of the pre-polishing done. Took her to the shore this past weekend and thought she'd look terrible in the sun, but only got compliments!
Anyone else doing the polishing blues? Want to do some kevetching with me?
Strippers - started with Citristrip - it's gentle, takes up to 30 minutes and doesn't always remove all the clear coat. Then tried Bix - get it on your skin and it burns, works in about 10 mins, but still the problem with some clear coat remaining. Then moved onto to an aircraft stripper in an aerosol can (found it in the auto section at wallymart, blue can with an airplane on it). That stuff worked great, was fast and of course the most expensive method. I went back and bought the store out.
Polish - nuvite; polisher - the cyclo, of course - using the sweatshirt method with pads under. I'm just tying the cloth around the polisher, more clean areas and don't have to bother with the slits. I polish, then throw a section flannel sheet over the polisher and cloth to remove the black and buff - move the first cloth to a clean section and start again.
Hours in - around 30.
My one big problem so far (other than the fall!) is that on the first attempt to strip, if you don't get all the clear coat off, it seems repeated applications of stripper do nothing and a cloudy area remains. I've had some success polishing the cloudy areas out, but it takes many, many coats of polish. I also haven't found much success with compounding and have since moved right to polishing w/ C or F6.
I've looked at these two sites probably 100 times: Shirley and Arlens' site and RJ's page I can envision my trailer being as flawlessly polished as their's are, but you never know!
I also started polishing this weekend. Same story as yours, same results. I could not find the aircraft stripper at Walmart, I will look in the automotive section. I tried Citristrip, wife is now using that to strip a head board. I have a gallon of BIX and I will remove the clear coat but not all of it, seems to leave a film. Takes for ever to polish through the film. I have used, water, mineral spirits, and lacquer thinner to try to remove the film no luck. Using Nuvite F7 then Nuvite S. Well I will keep going at it.
I moved the trailer into the backyard so I could leave the scaffolding up and not have to take it down at the end of the day. If I have good weather this weekend I will go at it very hard. I have some big lights I will see how it works after sunset.
I also have looked at Shirley and Arlens' site and RJ's page 100 times. I haven't seen a polished trailer live yet wish I could, maybe I could lower my standard or maybe I might have to up my standards.
Aircraft Stripper is the best material to use. It costs more, but that's why it's work, it's better. Don't get it on your skin or any plastic. It's available at NAPA Auto parts stores. Twenty some dollars per gallon. A 31 foot will take 5 to 6 gallons. We have been using it for over 15 years. Andy
We are just starting the polishing process too, but first we have to strip off all the clearcoat. We tried a "test area" about 2'x2' the other night with the Aircraft stripper...looks like that will work great, got 99% off in two passes witout too much effort.
Next to our door there is the "Land Yacht" plaque (pictured below) which is blue. It looks to be engraved or etched, not necessarily painted, but it too has the clearcoat on it, although it is real splotchy.
Here's my question, most likely for Andy:
Has anyone used the aircraft stripper (or some other product?) on this plaque? If so, will the aircraft stripper remove the blue along with the clearcoat or just the clear coat? I really don't want to test this out directly on the plaque, for fear of ruining it...I would rather leave it splotchy than completely strip it or have to somehow repaint it.
Any experience or advice would be appreciated....
Thanks!
Shari. The paint will most likely come off of the black tag. The blue tag could be painted or anodized. If it's anodized, then a quick application of stripper will not hurt it.
If it's painted, then the paint will be removed, which is not a problem. You can paint it blue again. But if your clear coating the trailer, make sure the clear and blue are compatible. Andy
I do believe the blue plaque is annodized...it doesn't look to be painted like the "Airstream" plaques front and back. With regards to the black CA plaque, the existing clear coat (if any, I don't notice the splotchiness) doesn't bother me...just on the "retro-cool" blue one.
With regards to reapplying clear coat...not in our plans, we intend on just polishing it and then keeping it waxed.
My wife and I started polishing 31' '84 Excella this weekend. Used aircraft stripper for clearcoat removal with excellent results - one pass and some touchups and it's gone. Painted on and sprayed off (a LOT of spraying).
Using Cyclo w/Rolite products - I know, there are a lot of Nuvite fans out there.
Very pleased w/results so for. Would absolutely recommend creating scaffold w/sturdy sawhorses and planks, though - the ladder thing sounds way too tedious for this.
I think I'm going to the sweatshirt method - and the cleanup with another cloth tied around Cyclo sounds great.
We got a great start this past weekend and are enthused about pressing for completion (sometime before 2004, ha). I'm sore but still game!
Neal in Indiana
This past weekend, I tried using the pads for the pre-polish and then flannel sheet over the pads to wipe off the black and buff. Work went much quicker. The pads seemed to work the polish a little better than the sweatshirt material and the cyclo stayed cooler. I made sure to scrape the pads so I didn't get any buildup. I think for the finer grades of polish, I'll use the sweatshirt mat'l, but for the pre-polish the pads may be the way to go.
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