Polishing Trials and Tribulations

[87MH]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

persistence and perseverance. This task will not be instant gratification by any means. Stick with and it will eventually become the surface you are looking for... Be glad too that you have a short trailer, I have 26 feet to deal with.

31 feet and 350 hours....that's AFTER removing the clear coat......
and absolutely worth it!!

TBTU (time between touch up) seems to be about six to eight months when stored under a 'Stream-Port in the East Texas Piney Woods.

[Silverhobby]

Dennis, What a B E A U T I F U L trailer. I'm sure your neighbors don't complain about what is in your driveway.

[1956Safari]

[ROBERT CROSS]

Cyclo=random orbit??

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Yes

[ALANSD]

I found and bought a cyclo. After looking hard locally I got a nice slightly used one with a bunch of extras.
So question for you cyclo users... anyone using another polish beside Nuvite with theirs? How does it do with the Toolbox polish for example?
I am excited to get to use this great tool. It will be nice on my older 911 all well.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

the cyclo can be used with any polish. The tool box stuff only cleans the surface and does not get deep into the pores. Nuvite is the best and polishes deeply. I highly recommend you not waste your time with the bargain polishes. The cyclo is not so good at removing the oxidation. That is best done with a compounder and wool bonnets.

[ALANSD]

Gotcha. Tool Box is no bargain at 12 bucks a bottle, but I see your point. I am buying some Nuvite . I used Liquid Glass at 20 bucks a can, for a long time to maintain the finish after clearcoat removal on my Classic Moho, it worked well.

[Frank's Trailer Works]

I have tried them all... Nuvite works the best. I promise.

[LI Pets]

I did side by side test with Nuvite v Metalwax, the guy that used the Nuvite couldn't believe it himself.

Metalwax was a higher gloss shine.

Others looking at both test areas agreed metal wax won hands down

[Frank's Trailer Works]

It is a matter of what works for you. In my totally non scientific test, I found the Nuvite worked best over the long haul. Please prove me wrong and show me something else works, I am very open to learning. I am just a Nuvite guy at present.

[walwalla]

In the months following my initial post, I persisted as recommended by 62OVERLANDER racking up many more hours of polishing. The shadowing that I saw earlier was eliminated after a total of 10 or 12 passes on the more oxidized surfaces using the Makita polisher and Nuvite F7 and C. The Bambi has spent most of its lifetime near the California coast which likely accounts for the heavy oxidation. I am estimating a total of around 100 hours to complete the rotary polishing to my satisfaction and that's for a 16 footer.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread

[danalee]

I am still really confused about this polishing issue. We have a 65 Ambassador-28 feet long. Some-about 1/3 of the clear coat is worn away. Neither of us are physically capable of polishing her. We have been quoted $1,500 from someone who works out of their home-we have seen his work. We were told by another person that unless a clear coat was put on it would return to the before state in less than 5 months. Who do you believe. I am sure I could wax it but every month?

[VIKING]

If you do the math on that $1,500.00 strip and polish job it probably is not realistic. It should take between 100 and 200 hours just for the polishing of a 28footer to do it well. That's 2-1/2 to 5 weeks of full 8 hour days for $1,500.00. Just a financial observation here.
Then again, if they do a good job for you would you pleeeeease post their contact info here. My arms are killing me!
Thanks, Rich

[Frank's Trailer Works]

Since my last post to this thread I have purchase a new product... Jestco Products Buffing Supply - Airstream Polishing Kit #799S - Size 1 (Powered by CubeCart) I have not given it a go, but it has been highly recommended by a few people. I am also on the search for an Airmark drum polisher. So far I have not found one for less than $1300. The 5 months to tarnish is not true at all. It will remain shiny for a lot longer without any care at all. I would jump all over a price of $1500. My only question would be do you prefer $100, $50, or $20's

[53flyingcloud]

Originally Posted by walwalla

I have been polishing my 1961 Bambi for many laborious hours following the recommended polishing technique as I understand it. Except for the isometric workout, the return per hour so far has been disappointing. The trailer was heavily oxidized, it having spent a fair amount of time near the beach in California. It was last clearcoated about 20 years ago but was garaged for a portion of that time.

After removing the clearcoat, I used a Makita polisher with Nuvite F7 and C, making five or six passes using F7 and C on every square foot of the trailer. I discovered, after some time, that the recommended fingerprint of polish on every 3 inch square was inadequate. Instead, I had to put enough polish down so that I could thinly cover the surface with polish using my fingers to spread the polish around in order to get a more uniform shine. Not doing this resulted in shiny streaks with unpolished areas around the streak. I am still not fully satisfied with the results using more polish. What looks like a well-polished area in bright light, shows blotchy, dark shadows under low light conditions. These dark areas are apparently areas that are still slightly oxidized. They are a headache to remove because they are difficult to see in regular lighting and will require many more passes with the polisher. The trailer is now semi-unsightly, exhibiting polisher swirl marks and non-uniform shininess. Is this problem commonplace, just requiring a lot of additional polishing (Ughh) or could the method I am using be improved upon? Also, does removal of polisher marks require a Cyclo polisher?

You have gotten some very excellent pointers..
Additionally..Several things to consider...
Don't overdo the amount of Nuvite F7 paste (whichever you use) dabs that you lay down. All you really need is something abt half the size of an MM candy laid out in a square. Prepare an area of no larger than what you plan to work up.. The Makita's pads will need to be changed out frequently as well. You will find that you need quite a few on hand so they can be change out as they become filled with black oxides guck. I always had a bucket filled with cleaning water near by to start the soaking process and, wash everything at the end of the day.(in order to have it ready for use the next)..
Also, watch your air temp..You don't want to be working in too hot of temp and, certainly don't work in the direct sunlight~! The opposite is also true..Don't try to work in too cool of temp..I doubt you would have that problem there in Ca..
You need to PRACTICE and, practice on a piece of scrap Alumnium to prefect your technique, it sounds to me..Don't be afraid to do that..What you need to learn is to "watch the metal" as it talks to you..You'll understand what I mean when it happens to you..
Remember, it is never done overnight~!! it will take alot of hard..efforts
YES, in the end..You will need a Cyclo polisher~There's just nothing that's better for a mirror finish result..
Good luck,,

[walwalla]

Originally Posted by danalee

I am still really confused about this polishing issue. We have a 65 Ambassador-28 feet long. Some-about 1/3 of the clear coat is worn away. Neither of us are physically capable of polishing her. We have been quoted $1,500 from someone who works out of their home-we have seen his work. We were told by another person that unless a clear coat was put on it would return to the before state in less than 5 months. Who do you believe. I am sure I could wax it but every month?

I don't plan to clearcoat my Bambi. I have used Mother's Carnauba Cleaner Wax and it appears to be durable in the Coastal California winter climate. Four to five months after application, the rain still beads up on the surface and the shine continues to look good.

[vhord]

Originally Posted by 62overlander

I am also on the search for an Airmark drum polisher. So far I have not found one for less than $1300.

Recently at the Texas Vintage Airstream Rally we watched Pat McDowell do some quick, impressive polishing using similar bar buffing compounds and several loose cotton buffing wheels stacked against each other on a VS angle polisher to form somewhat of a drum polisher. I think he had made his own adapter. Seemed very effective and a lot cheaper than a drum polisher.