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NomadKitchen · 10-22-2009, 08:09 PM

Hey all!

I'm about to buy a trailer and want to it to be so shiny i can see myself PERFECTLY! It has been sanded (prepped for a paint job that didn't happen). It is a great price and at a great location, but i want to know whether the sanding will make it harder (or impossible) to get as shiny as i want it (blindingly).

thanks,
Simon

uwe · 10-22-2009, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NomadKitchen

Hey all!

I'm about to buy a trailer and want to it to be so shiny i can see myself PERFECTLY! It has been sanded (prepped for a paint job that didn't happen). It is a great price and at a great location, but i want to know whether the sanding will make it harder (or impossible) to get as shiny as i want it (blindingly).

thanks,
Simon

Yes.

markdoane · 10-22-2009, 08:32 PM

Ditto that!

CanoeStream · 10-22-2009, 09:23 PM

Simon, you'll need a pre-1982 alclad-skinned Airstream to shave in the reflection of your trailer. See http://www.vintagetrailersupply.com/...advice0707.pdf. Current Alcoa 2024 alclad thickness is 5% on gauges under 0.062". Polishing is out of the question if it has been sanded IMO.

Painted Airstreams can look like every conventional unpolished Airstream -- if done well it's very difficult to tell at more than 10'.

NomadKitchen · 10-22-2009, 10:33 PM

Yes, it's a 76 Tradewind.
And is the "yes" and "ditto that" to it will not work, or it will work?
And if it takes longer, that's theoretically alright, just depends on how much longer.

thanks again

**azflycaster** · 10-22-2009, 11:59 PM

I believe the "Yes" and "ditto" are to the question, "will the sanding make the polish job harder?".

Sanding, even with the finest of paper will put scratches in the aluminum. To get a mirror shine, these scratches will need to be polished out. As Bob stated, you have a very limited amount of polish-able surface on the skin. The skin below that surface is combined with an alloy for strength and will not polish.

You should be able to get a good shine, but it will be more work.

Becky B. · 10-23-2009, 07:25 AM

It also depends upon how rough of sandpaper they used in the first place. I sanded the endcaps on my 1986 beginning with 320 grit & went down the line all the way to 2000 grit to remove the "orange peel" effect (I used aluminum oxide paper & wet sanded). Then I began polishing with with a grey compound bar & went to brown, green & white polishes. I could shave in it (maybe not my face, but my legs), but getting the small scratches out is a process! If it's cheap enough & you're motivated enough, you could probably do it!

nick6930 · 10-23-2009, 09:56 AM

I have learned the hard way sanded areas are harder but not impossible. I sanded a few spot on my 79 Argosy when I planned on repainting. Then I chickened out and went with polishing the 220 grit circle marks took a lot of polishing but not you need to get about 12 inches away to see them. The whole thing is a mirror finish well except the end caps. I still need to have them painted this fall. Having the whole thing painted would have been in the $10K price range. I stripped and polished for about $500 and got all the free excerise I could endure about 400 hours worthm good luck

NomadKitchen · 10-23-2009, 11:39 AM

thanks a lot all the info is really helpful.
i think i will do it, the trailer is such a good price and at the shop i will be doing my 'large' renovation at anyways - already gutted too!
so thanks again
simon

CanoeStream · 10-23-2009, 11:50 AM

There's a lot of princes out there. If polishing is your objective, I think this one is a frog.

Doing what you ask will take an enormous amount of time. Bearing down hard in polishing can even result in areas of burned aluminum that will always look like a bruise on the fruit of your labors. Dedicate a fraction of that time to finding a better starting point. Or paint this one...

Just my opinion.

NomadKitchen · 10-23-2009, 06:11 PM

here's the trailer in question, not sure if it helps.

berickn · 10-23-2009, 10:29 PM

Sand it with fine and polish away it'll come out I did it.

Aage · 10-24-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berickn

Sand it with fine and polish away it'll come out I did it.

Any photos...?

NomadKitchen · 10-25-2009, 11:24 AM

yeah photos would be nice if you got em

Becky B. · 10-25-2009, 12:33 PM

I've got a couple before/after photos.
First is one endcap sanded from 320/400/600/800/1000/2000 wet sanded aluminum oxide paper. To the left the endcap sections have been polished with grey compound bar.
Others are endcaps completed (front & rear were sanded). Mind you, this took a lot of time, but the results are good IMHO.

NomadKitchen · 10-25-2009, 03:07 PM

Thanks for pics!
About how long is a long time? It looks great! Nice and Shiny.

berickn · 10-25-2009, 05:13 PM

sorry none yet.

Bowmans · 10-25-2009, 07:19 PM

Simon,
Not sure how long it would take to shine a sanded exterior but it took me a little under 400 hours to polish a 31' that was not sanded to start with and had only lost half of its clear coat. Maybe Becky can give you an estimate on her time but my guess, it would take at least 400 hours to get it back to a sheen like what we started with and then 400 more to get mirror. We used the Nuvite process and not the polishing bars so not sure if that is less/more time going that route.

AIR-Quarius · 10-25-2009, 07:41 PM

Pick out a small easy to stand in front of area...do you have a cyclo polisher?...if not thats ok -but it would help. Try a 3-m product called 'Gravel in a bottle'...it has enough serious grit to knock just about any blemish out, and its priced good (about 14.00 for a quart) (thats alot!)...and your going to need it. Get some of those cheap polish pads from Dollar General Stores (two per pack at 2.00)...get a quart of kerosene while your at it...then go to an auto supply and get a large jar of MOTHERS Aluminum polish....Squeeze out some of the 3-m gravel onto a pad and apply directly to the surface and start working it around...you will see it working right off the bat. it will turn black after some rubbing...then put some kerosene on another pad and wipe up the black...prepare to get Black On your hands.! While the area is STILL DAMP with kerosene, apply with your finger some MOTHERS and dab it around. Now give it another polishing session til THAT turns black and ALMOST dry (it will look like gun metal grey) then switch to another clean pad and keep polishing...If you are going to do this, be prepared to use many many many of those pads...they can be used a few times before they break down...and CLR (lime remover) will help clean them in a washing machine (or presoak in deluted water before). The kerosene helps keep the MOTHERS wet long enough to get it off before it dries. Polish on GREY overcast days. You will practice on that area until you come up with a strategic formula just for you and your home.

AIR-Quarius · 10-25-2009, 07:55 PM

ANNNND...I want to add that the rest of the gangs advice is correct too...Bob says this is labor intensive...he's right. You will see my friend...But your in California, and what couldn't be funner than being out side polishing your trailer like the trophey you feel it is. It's equally safe to paint it- as it's already been sanded. If you take the polish route-you will be there a long time and your arms will get bigger muscles! But do get a cyclo it will help and keep us all posted. Bill