One step forward, two steps back!

[Becky B.]

I am almost finished compounding my trailer. However, I practically need to start over due to rain spots. Mineral spirits don't take them off. I have to compound them off. Is there an easier way? Please tell me so! My arms thank you!

[Alumin8]

This also happens to the cars in Florida after a rain. Try a 10% vinegar solution to remove the mineral deposits. Try this on a spot first. I am not sure of the effect on aluminum.

Joe

[garry]

I waxed mine as I went along, used Turtle Wax.
The wax prevented the water spots from rain or dew and I never had the problem.
After completing the compounding I rewaxed the entire trailer and it was over a full year before I waxed again and then didn't really have to just afarid of the waters spots if I didn't.

Garry

[safari57]

We met a fellow at Deming TCT this past weekend with a '63 that was polished and to keep the stains off he's using the Nuvite polish. It obviously works as his trailer was gorgeous and no traces of streaking or staining that we could see. You may want to consider that as an alternative.
Barry

[Becky B.]

I have started to polish with Liquid Glass as I go along to keep the water spots from forming until I get to the cycloing process. I'm going to try the vinegar trick once & see how it goes. It can't be any stronger than Bix stripper (that I used on remaining clearcoat that the Napier missed!) I'll let you know if that worked.

[Becky B.]

Nope, it didn't touch it. Any other suggestions? Tried Diamond Brite. That didn't work either. Guess I may be stuck compounding all of it that I didn't wax as I went again. I wish that had been mentioned as a step in the Nuvite process for those of us who don't have 200 hours in a row to work on polishing!

[scottanlily]

The nuvite polish s does help as it acts like a wax ,it isn't though .i have water spots from hard water we have here in SB Ca .i try to avoid geting water on the airstream if I am washing the travelall in the driveway .Dew
as well can cause the streaking as the aluminum if "fresh" after the polishing is done (is it ever done ?) anyway I have the same troubles and I don't know if anyone really new that the nuvite polish would provide protection ,it does
at first ,but as others have said ,get wax on it after the compounding phase
you are working on ,that will help .

Scott

[Becky B.]

I worked on polishing for a little while this afternoon. It has rained alot the past week & I checked the areas that I just compounded last week & then polished with Liquid Glass to try to avoid more water streaks. Well, I still have more water streaks & they don't come off with a rag. I'm so disgusted that I might consider selling the trailer after I'm finished polishing the whole thing (if I ever finish it). I think this is going to be a mad circle for the rest of my life! The worst part is that I have nowhere to store it indoors. We actually own two large warehouses & numerous greenhouses, but the menfolk say we have no storage space for Bessie. Tractors, trucks & combines get first dibbies! Does ANYONE have any more suggestions for keeping the water spots from the aluminum until I get to cycloing? Help.....!

[scottanlily]

Beckybillrae,

how about using car wax ,say meguires yellow liquid wax.It goes on easily.
I would think that would do fine the water should not get under the wax.I
do agree that polishing leads to continual upkeep ,alot really ,any way to setup a large shelter such as they sell for outside vehical Rv protection ?
It is not really permanent ,but they work to keep the rain off.I believe Costco
sold them ,white in color ,not real tall though ,look in the rv catalog of your
local trailer supply place .don't know of another option so far to protect it.

Scott of scottanlily

[0557]

You might have to re-compound again. then use Meguiers car wax cleaner to protect between phases. its cheap and works well for temporary protection.

[Pacerized]

I'm completely new at this and I'm just in the middle of a polishing project myself. I've finsihed the polishing, and I'm having my blue stripe painted over this next weekend. I've gone over the polished metal with a cleaner, and I've ordered a gallon of liquid glass to come this week. I was under the impression that this was the best product for protecting the polish job. If it still allows water stains, and you have to apply wax over it, why would it be so recomended on the site?

[scottanlily]

Hello pacerized ,
Im not sure how the liquid glass got all the PR on the forums.The older
product that did worked great was glass wax in a pink metal container .It was
discontinued some years ago.It was the prefered wax by airstream ,on early
non clearcoated airstreams .The liquid glass also has a brighter pink metal
container and can be mistaken for the earlier product which it is not.So that
may be the real story and it doesn't look like it works very well as Becky has
posted .So maybe you should go with the meguires wax instead as it does
repel the water as wax is supposed to do ,I use it on chrome to help prevent
rust formation ,basically get the wax to seal in the aluminum pores to
prevent the water from staining .

Scott of scottanlily

[Pacerized]

Originally Posted by scottanlily

Hello pacerized ,
Im not sure how the liquid glass got all the PR on the forums.The older
product that did worked great was glass wax in a pink metal container .It was
discontinued some years ago.It was the prefered wax by airstream ,on early
non clearcoated airstreams .The liquid glass also has a brighter pink metal
container and can be mistaken for the earlier product which it is not.So that
may be the real story and it doesn't look like it works very well as Becky has
posted .So maybe you should go with the meguires wax instead as it does
repel the water as wax is supposed to do ,I use it on chrome to help prevent
rust formation ,basically get the wax to seal in the aluminum pores to
prevent the water from staining .

Scott of scottanlily

Thanks Scott:
Unfortunately I've already ordered the liquid glass. I did buy a small can first, and it did bring the polished panels that I tried it on to a nice finish, but we haven't had any rain yet. We really don't get much rain where I live in the mountains of Colorado, but we do get a lot of snow. The areas that had the worst water stains were all the panels just below my blue stripe. There's a 1"
metal strip above, and below the blue stripe that seems to hold water, and let it slowly drip down the lower planels. I think I'll take your adise, and go over these panels with wax after I get the finish I want. I may also try to seal the metal strip with some clear silicon.
Thanks: Charlie