getting there but not happy with finish???

[Ed Starman]

I have my unit compounded down to nuvute C. Then I cleaned an area with a clean micro fiber towel with mineral spirits. then used the cyclo with F7 and an area with C. OMG the scratches are terrible. I really couldnt see them before maybe they filled up with polish, which would make them more pronounced. Tried to wipe it of then cyclo with s. Scratches are looking deep and I cant imagine myself compounding the whole unit again.
here is a picture. Hard to tell but the first pic are the scratches. This time it looks great in the pictures from a distance but horrible close up in person. Anyone have any suggestions?
Im going camping for the first time in 2 weeks.. at least its shiny. I installed my new LP tanks they look great. Still trying to figure out a new mount for the regulator..woops the pic that shows the scratches was too large. not sure if they can be made in these

[fireflyinva]

Ed, that really looks great. I don't know that anyone will ever see the scratches except you. Most folks probably are awed by a really nice shiney trailer.

I sure am when we drive by with our patina-on-wheels!

Mary

[airstreamcaravel]

Are you compounding with a Mikita or similar non-random orbiting non-polisher?

That would probably be the start of the problem. I have always gotten the best results with the dual cyclo through all 4-5 grades of Nuvite. Are the scratches in one area or on the whole trailer? If only in one area, Yep .. go back to G6 or F9 and work the area again back down to C & then S.

Did you keep changing your pads ... when build up occured and between grades?

D

[Ed Starman]

Thanks it looks alot better then it did.. The front looks great...

I used a new pad everyday. I ended up using a milwaukee variable speed buffer, the pad was raked between every application of compound. Funny though I really couldnt see all the scratches until I started to cyclo. Did you do your whole trailer with a cyclo? Did you use the sweatshirt method of the cyclo pads you can buy? I think it would have been impossible for me to get the oxidation off and the mirror on with only the cyclo. Also im only having problems on the sides. The front and rear arent too bad. Anyways I will try to g6 or f9 again tommorow after work where its really bad.. Maybe I can get the scratches to be less noticeable... I also have some "heavy metal" polish in all 3 grades that seemed to work well. I will also use a brand new wool pad
Thank you so much for giving me a few pointers.

[53flyingcloud]

ed,
For superior results, use the "best" pads you can get..(I used the wool pads from Perfectpolish..)

Did you use the sweatshirt method of the cyclo pads you can buy?

These are the easiest ones to use..Based on my experiences.
Remember, primary purpose for compounding is to get all of that dullness off. Once you've done that, you should stick to cyclo'in for the "depth" of shine.
From what I can see in your pictures, you're doing a great job~"Those tanks ROCK~"
Try posting some pictures taken with a bright source of light..(At night and from different angles) This will show you just how much more cyclo'in you might need..
Nothing but the best`
Good luck..
ciao
53FC

[balrgn]

Originally Posted by Ed Starman

OMG the scratches are terrible. I really couldnt see them before maybe they filled up with polish, which would make them more pronounced. Tried to wipe it of then cyclo with s. Scratches are looking deep and I cant imagine myself compounding the whole unit again.

Looks great man! I have found on my '75 there are quite a few scratches, some quites deep. I have come to think of them as "sperience and wisdom".

[TravelCloud]

All the advice I was given about all that terrible scratching and damage from the coarse rouge on a wheel is coming true on your skin. I was told that using a strong compound on a buffer adds so many multidirectional scratches that you'll be spending the next 100+ hours removing them with a cyclo. Those scratches are the result of abrasives in the compound swirling in a revolutionary fashion on your aluminum. Wet sanding will add light scratches, but all in one direction (like the Airmark), removed by using a finer paper, and then polished out with a finer rouge based polish of your choice.

The jobs I saw of 3-4 days were not using this coarse compound, so they didn't have to finish it with 100 hours of removing scratches and damage, and they didn't have to buy anything from Perfect Polish. My guess would be that if you get a couple bottles of HM- green and blue, you'll be done in a few days. Ebay the cyclo out of your life, and use the 3M pads- 5701 and 5705, which are coarse and fine respectively- and follow it with foam if you still have any swirls. The guys I saw did 2 trailers in a month, and have a lot of experience- they may not be members here with 1000's of posts, but it doesn't mean that I want to discard their advice for that of a few people that have done 1 each and taken 150-200 hours.

That stuff is awfully expensive, and takes an incredibly long time. I'm also concerned about the amount of clad being removed by all that grinding with the coarse compound- it really makes sense, and your case basically proves it. Hope it comes to a pleasant end soon- you posted that it was killing you before, maybe time to give up on "the way" and try what every other, i.e., motorcycle, aircraft, truck, marine- as well as general polishing shops- call an accepted way to polish efficiently. Trailers seem to be the only ones using this on a widespread basis.

[Pschoerrn]

Hey Ed,

sorry, I can´t really see the scratches in the pic, but what I see is really really great!!
If our trailer will ever look like yours, Steffi and I will do a 10 days 10 nights happydance round the trailer...

Our trailer will arrive next week and we have the whole polish thing ahead of us, so I can´t comment on how you did it or should have done it ( like others here), but I really like what I see!!

Congrats again!!

BTW: Is this a polishing smile??

Bjoern

[Ed Starman]

upon further inspection. I know what the scratches are from... When I was getting started I used a scotchbrite pad with mineral spirits on that side. What I remember now is that it wasnt the finest one available. All the scratches im concerned with are all in one direction. and it is all my fault. the other areas ie. the front and rear were not sanded and look great. If had to do it again I would not sand at all. Just use more elbow grease with the compounder...In some areas I started to use .0000 steel wool and had great results after polishing.

[Ed Starman]

Travel cloud. Im definitly keeping the cyclo. It wont take scratches out but it does remove swirls. and it does a great job at that. I think that no matter how careful one is when your pad loads up its going to leave swirls.. But I know one thing even the way my unit looks now, me and my wife are going to be the "talk of the campground" They are either going to love it or want to sue me from causing skin cancer on everyone that walks by..hehhe
Im trying to complete the trailer as best and complete as possible. I have a tendency to start projects and get real bored at about 75%. So far im still rolling. I went into a local rv store yesterday for a new lp regulator and the owner said "what is it with you Airstream people" He said im not the only one who came in his store with "fire in his eyes" Meaning that he thought I was getting carried away when I told him what ive done with the interior and exterior. I told him I wanted a chome regualtor with steel braided lines...He said WHY? heheeh... That saying if I have to explain you wont understand

[TravelCloud]

Originally Posted by Ed Starman

upon further inspection. I know what the scratches are from... When I was getting started I used a scotchbrite pad with mineral spirits on that side. What I remember now is that it wasnt the finest one available. All the scratches im concerned with are all in one direction. and it is all my fault. the other areas ie. the front and rear were not sanded and look great. If had to do it again I would not sand at all. Just use more elbow grease with the compounder...In some areas I started to use .0000 steel wool and had great results after polishing.

The green scotchbrite pad seems to eat up the aluminum, as its pretty coarse- white must be the way to go, and the reason they use that is supposed to be that steel wool will impregnate small steel particles in the skin and will eventually rust and dull the finish. If you have those scratches, the guys were using 1200 grit paper to remove scratched areas- more heavily scratched were hit with 800 first and then 1200.