Need some polishing advice on my 1965 Caravel

[Renohamel]

Hey guys! I am new to the forum. I have finally found a small airstream. I purchased it a few week ago and I have been working polishing it but I have just been using some pretty genetic aluminum polish with a dual action buffer. It has been working very well but I need to get some fine scratches out of the trailers skin. There are three panels on the side where the door is that have bondo and paint on them. It appears they wanted to cover up a couple minor dings. The paint looks terrible so I have been striping the paint and bondo but the previous owner had scuffed up the aluminum in areas so that the bondo and paint would stick better to the smooth aluminum. However now i have been stripping and buffing the aluminum my polishing compound just won't get rid of those minor scratches. I'm looking into getting with Nuvite Polish or Airbrite Polish to help get rid of the scratches. What do you guys think I should use to get rid of these scratches? Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

[Renohamel]

Here is another picture.

[Renohamel]

And another.

[Renohamel]

Sorry I can't figure out how to attach more then one picture in a post.

[rick670]

I would try wet sanding with 400 grit first. Then 800 or 1000 next. That should cut down the work giving you a flat dull surface to work with If you wrap the paper around a small piece of wood if will cut the aluminum flat... the high spots first. Let me know how it works out

[D Bishop]

You don't have much scratch problem to deal with. I recommend going to Harbor Freight or another supplier of this type and find a package of 4 different grades of polish, that come in bars. Start with the coursest one and work into the fine. As I recall the Red Bar is the most aggressive and the White is for final polish. You can use these with your cyclo polisher or regular disk polisher that then progress to the fine.

"Mothers" also makes some good polish.

You shouldn't have much trouble using any of these.

D Bishop

[Sunnysideup]

I have a friend who is polishing our AS. He says" start off with 400 grit using and an orbital sander. Then follow up with 800, then 1000. Then use Nuvite." He also says he wishes this AS polishing problem was like yours. Triple yours and you have the problem here. This is an 1988 Excella 34. So good luck!

[joseph lamb]

hello , and I have a 1972 21 footer Globetrotter . I have used 800 3m paper

on a 6 inch double action air powered sander , But 1000 grit would also be a good choice .

Sand it slowly and carefully to make a uniform gray .Then I would hit it with

an orbital wool buffer pad at about 600-800 rpm with any good compound .

then finish with Mothers with a orbital buffer or Nuvite

I have done alot of major scratches and have had zero problem with this method .

Take your time , get a beer , and enjoy the results !!!