Finally, got started ~

[Safari Tim]

Got about 1.5 hours of compounding in today.

Saturday mornings are the only time I get to work on the west side of the trailer because every evening the 90 degree Sun is beating down on it.

So I will switch sides in the morning for a few hours of compounding....

12.5 hours and counting

Garry, I'm not sure what polisher you got but if its above 800 rpms or so, you need to move a little faster than us drill users so you don't overheat the aluminum.

Good luck and get those pictures coming.

BTW.... are we all cycloing the very top of the trailers all the way with S or are we cheating and only compounding it?

If we all agree and don't tell anyone I think it will be ok

[53flyingcloud]

Safari Tim

BTW.... are we all cycloing the very top of the trailers all the way with S or are we cheating and only compounding it?

TBPHWY, Unless you're a helicopter pliot, you'd never GET that info out of me..

JFWIW...

12.5 HRS? Man, you really are moving along..GFY.
I feel like I've wasted so much time trying to re-invent the "wheel" here..

Just to share this thought with you..from another thread about
polishing newer units..
I won't mention a name yet.

So it's only '82 & newer that don't polish as well...I believe they started using the satin finish because it didn't show production scratches as easily.

From the results I've seen so far with mine, I don't quite believe this statement ~
Now...Just to put aside all pro's & con's bashing..I'll reserve my final comments until, I have the chance to see another A/S (older than '82, that's been polished) side-by-side with my unit.

That said..
I subscribe to the axiom,
"Each to his/her own merit"..

Let's just say, "I'd like for us all to be one big happy family of campers"...lol

ciao

[Safari Tim]

Originally posted by 53FlyingCloud
Safari Tim

TBPHWY, Unless you're a helicopter pliot, you'd never GET that info out of me..

JFWIW...

12.5 HRS? Man, you really are moving along..GFY.

OK, 15 hours as of this morning. Compounded the entry door this morning

53- your way to internet savy for me. What do all those abbreviations mean? Even brought my 13 year old in to explain it to me and you stumped him to. ;-)

From the looks of your polishing looks like the newer units come out great!

Cheers.

[53flyingcloud]

Stumped a 13 yr??

Okay, here's what I said..

TBPHWY=To be perfectly honest with you...

JFWIW...=Just for what it's worth...

GFY=Good for you~

I'm still awaiting the arrival of my polishing supplies but, I did manage to apply a coat of wax over the finis parts..And worked on a few panels.
I had to clean those,what with the rain we had last night..
Once again, I had someone walking her dog stop and, gave a generous compliment on how nice the A/S looks..

Brought a smile to me heart..

I worked very slow today as, I went to work at 730pm last night..

ciao
2 hrs of actual work, the other time was spend helping a neighbor with his toad hitch..

[garry]

Got in several hrs today with the new buffer. Its the Harbor Frt variable spd.
I have to admit I was dissapointed. I was expecting to much.
Where the clear coat was in good condition no problem one pass with the course buffer and SS then use the soft pad. I then used the Clyco with a sweat shirt for the mirror shine.
Now for the oxidized area over the front window where the numbers were, no amount of anything short of the green 3M pad then the white 3M pad followed by 600/1200/2000 grit sand paper to remove the oxidization. When polished with SS the shine would not even out so I started over with #0000 steel wool and Turtle Wax heavy duty auto compound followed that with a mild auto compound then SS. Final polish with the Cyclo. It still is not perfect but as good as it gets for now.
I did find using the mineral sprits to be a great idea before the final polish. Thanks for that one !!!
For the sides I will have to follow my own advise. There are a few small spots that shine but not quite as bright as the rest so I plan to put another coat of stripper over the whole trailer tomorrow. If there is as much as a hint of clear coat left it will not polish out. Easer to strip now that 98% of the clear coat is gone.
No pics the son didn't bring his camara. He did bring the buffer and grandson.

Tim; I'll never tell but if I ever catch someone on top of the trailer checking out the polish I figure that person will be fair game and hunting season is open

[Safari Tim]

Man after about 3 hours of polsihing today I feel like my arms are going to look like Popeye's. Maybe I should get a tatoo of an anchor....

Garry, I know what you mean about the clear coat. I worked real hard on my entry door today and I am a little disapointed.

It had some white specles on it which I think is clear coat. So I went after it hard w/G6. Then I went over it again with F7.

Tonight after the sun went down I tried to cyclo it with F7 real quick and it did not get the G6 swirls/scraches out

Guess I will have to compound with F7 some more

I want the door to be as good as I can get it because that is where people will notice,

Oh well, 15.5 hours and no one said it was easy!

[53flyingcloud]

Safari Tim..
I just read your report for today's activity, as well as, Garry's..
I'm getting ready for work..
We need to think thru what's going on there..You hang in there..
ciao
T7

[Safari Tim]

Originally posted by 53FlyingCloud
[I'm still awaiting the arrival of my polishing supplies but, I did manage to apply a coat of wax over the finis parts..And worked on a few panels.[/B]

What kind of wax did you use? Did you use the cyclo to apply/remove it?

I am kinda worried about waterspots from rain or washing it. I have thought about waxing it as well. How did it affect the shine?

Once again, I had someone walking her dog stop and, gave a generous compliment on how nice the A/S looks..

Brought a smile to me heart.. [/B]

That's what it's all about. ;-)

[53flyingcloud]

Safari Tim

Using 'Mother's Wax', only because, like you, I was afraid that all this work would be for naught if I didn't do something..No matter what, the wax will at least keep the water off the newly finis surface. I do believe it took the luster appearances down a notch but, I don't really care. What matters, is preserving the surface finis.

excerpts from their website:

Carnauba has a very strong grain structure and is the hardest wax known to man. In addition to being incredibly durable, carnauba dries to a deep, natural shine (in contrast, bees wax, paraffin and many synthetic waxes tend to cloud and occlude). Carnauba wax is produced by the leaves of the tropical carnauba tree as protection from the incredibly harsh conditions of the tropical rain forest — intense heat, harsh equatorial sun and constant moisture and humidity.Carnauba wax is so pure it’s routinely used to coat pills in the pharmaceutical industry.

This may be a commerical hype but, it does shine to a nice, acceptable level.
It's also the surface protection product of choice by several of the leading polishers of A/S, that I'm aware of.

I applied it by hand, in a circular pattern and, used the 1/2" drill with a fresh clean wool bonnet to remove the haze. It also could be removed by hand, using a pure wool hand mitten.. Your choice.

Yep, I've had a number of people to come by..They all seemed to be drawn to A/S for all the same reasons we are. <grins>

Today's activities plan to paint the undercarriage and, surface of axles as part of my PMI program for this unit.

Thoughts to share.
At this point, I'm not real positive about how long the "clean" appearances will hold up. We'll just have to give it time.

ciao

[53flyingcloud]

This the carnauba wax that I'm using

(plaste, in round can)

ciao

[yukionna]

Originally posted by Safari Tim
http://www.telecom-pros.com/tim/airstream

Tim, I checked out your website -- nice pics! Your Yosemite photos brought back memories from my one trip there in the late seventies.

[flyfshr]

I, too, finally got started. Only worked a couple of hours yesterday before it got too warm and eventually the work surface came out of the shade. Using SS as a starter and will use the psyclo w/Rolite to finish. Amazing how much less work it is than I originally thought. Getting ready to head back out this morning for a few hours.

FF

[garry]

Got time this morning to do another complete strip with the Aircraft Stripper. I thought I might be crazy to do that job all over again but then I think you mignht have to be crazy to do the polishing
Don't know if it helped started to go over my problem panel again when it started to rain and about the same time my Clyco went south (power chord shorted out internaly).
WATER SPOTS are a nightmare to get out. I noticed they are worst where I polished with SS. I have one area that I polished the final coat with Turtle Wax. Put on by hand buffed off wiyh the Cylco I don't (hope) think that will be a water spot area.

Garry

[Safari Tim]

Originally posted by yukionna


Tim, I checked out your website -- nice pics! Your Yosemite photos brought back memories from my one trip there in the late seventies.

Thanks. It still needs some updating with the rest of this years trips.

We missed seeing the falls since we went to Yosemite in August last year. We are planning on going earlier next year if we can manage it.

-Tim

[Safari Tim]

Originally posted by 53FlyingCloud
This the carnauba wax that I'm using

(plaste, in round can)

ciao

53- Thanks for the wax tip. I will look into getting some. I also need to wax my truck. Lets see some before and after wax pictures

FF- Welcome to the polishing club. It's a very busy club that's for sure! Look forward to more pictures.

Garry- Sorry about the rain. Makes me even more worried to get this thing done and get some kind of wax on it. I had water spots on my old Expedition and had to pay a detail shop to get rid of them and it still took 2 hours! Yuck

My mind is willing but my body is weak! My back is killing me

Oh joy..

[garry]

My bro in law stopped by ( he owns an auto body repair shop) took a look at my problem panel and the heavy oxidized area, felt of the SS and said I needed a heavy duty compound paste. Went to his shop and brought some back. It stoped raining for a few min and I tried it. It really helped, its a red paste and he has an even stronger white paste. He didn't bring any of the white but I can get some in the AM when his body man will be in the shop. The red is what they use after the first coat of paint, he said the white is seldom used and it may leave swirl marks. The heavy oxidization is really getting me down. I have had to scratch it off with the green 3M and then try to get back to a polishing finish.
That's about 2hrs per 2 ft square.

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET

Garry

[Safari Tim]

Garry,

You need to seriously look into the Nuvite products at Perfect Polish

Start with G6 on the really bad stuff then go with F7 or C.

Also, make sure you move the compounder (with a 3M pad) VERY slowly. Like an inch per second.

Slow is the way to go.

Good luck

[53flyingcloud]

Yet, I feel as if there's light at the end of the day for you..

Man, I have some of those "gray" area as well..

We're scheduled to have rain in a day or two. I'm going to leave one panel "exposed" to see how it compares to the others that I waxed today..Sorry I didn't take any pictures. I will after the rain ends for a comparision with/without wax.

I also went over today to visit Safari Tim's website. Very nice results~!
I can't say enough praises for the work you have done~!

Today's project was to crawl under the A/S to spray paint a few areas that need touching up and, coat the awnings all around with water repellent/UV block treatment. (Stuff made by 303)
I'll be checking that out too..

BTW, for you guys who are using the 3M pads to get the really bad areas cleaned..Remember to go to the PP website and, read how to clean the grits left behind from the 3M pads.. Otherwise, what might happen is, even tho the panel is cleaned..The final results will show that spot to be somewhat cloudy..
ciao

[garry]

Thought I would try the Trailer Trash method first, sounded easier and works great "most" of the time but on the really bad spots when 600 grit sand paper makes no difference I'm not sure if G-6 buy itself would do it.
I am serious, it takes a "lot" of scrubbing with the 3M pad by hand to get through the oxidation and by the time you can see metal or in some cases the discoloration is gone the scratches are deep and then it takes lots of sanding to get the scratches out. I just don't think any compound and buffer by itself will fix my problem but the G-6 might help me get back to the point of being able to polish a little easer.
It's to late for me to place an order with PP, I will be heading back to OK soon and have to use what I have on hand .
By the way, I think I am going to paint down the center of the top with a white enamal paint. I understand new AS come that way and the inside temp is said to be 7 deg cooler

Posting here is helping me to hang in there, I know I am not alone and once I get through these tough spots the rest is stright forward polishing, waxing, buffing, taking pictures and getting a life.

Garry

[Safari Tim]

Originally posted by 53FlyingCloud
I also went over today to visit Safari Tim's website. Very nice results~!
I can't say enough praises for the work you have done~!

Blush

I am trying to follow the tried plan of buying high, sinking a lot of work and money into it then selling it at a loss

It's been a real interesting time. I never owned an RV before or done this type of work. So it has turned into quite the hobby.

After polishing I only have the shocks to do and maybe the furnace if we decide we need it.

Thanks for the compliments!

Garry, I must not have run into as bad an area as you have. I'm sure I will.
Let us know what you find to get rid if the trouble spots.

53- What's your name BTW Looking forward to your wax/no wax pics.

I didn't get any work in today. It was 95 degrees plus all day. So I picked the pool instead ;-)

Keep up the work fellows!!