I started this project about two weeks ago. After many rainy days and others stripping. I have removed all the grey paint. I believe it was mobile home "Cool Seal" roof coating. It was put on with a brush or roller in the hot sun because there were many drips that were dried under the finish coat. Had to make up to three applications of stripper to get it all off. I have compounded the front stretch formed curved panels above windows and down the road side above windows. The scratches all pretty much came out on road side. The front panels were a little hard to shine up. I read where the stretch form sections need extra passes to bring up a shine. I haven't polished with the cyclo yet to remove swirl marks. Had to cease work for now. Going traveling to Connecticut and then the Scussett Beach rally in Cape Cod before starting again. It is addictive work, watching the transformation take place as the corrosion dissapears along with the scratches. The PO must have used a chisel to remove a WBCCI decal on front. I may have to use sandpaper to remove some of that. My dark smoked grey plexiglass front window rock guards have a dull film look to them. Washing has not helped. Has anyone tried using the Cylco with S grade polish to buff to a shinny finish?
Hello to all
I have started polishing my 83 Exella and have about a million questions.
1. Will this ever end ?HA
2 Do you take off the clearance lights and how do you polish them?
3 Do you remove the awning brackets?
4 I have notice that the very front of my RV has bad rock pits, I saw one with the sprayon bed -liner for trucks on the very front acting like a rock guard?
5 About the trim at the bottom where the sides and bellypan meet, do you remove and replace?(mine is lose now)
6 About the blue stripe in the middle what have everyone been doing?
7 The PO has put calking everywhere1/2 in wide?
8 And I can tell anyone that sillycone comes off very easy and the other is stuck, I know what I will put back
9 The airstream letters across the front do you remove and if so how?
Hello to all
I have started polishing my 83 Exella and have about a million questions.
1. Will this ever end ?HA
You poor sap - couldn't leave well enoug alone now, could you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
2 Do you take off the clearance lights and how do you polish them?
Take them off, take everything off that you can. It makes the polish job that much easier and better. You will appreciate every little windfall.
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
3 Do you remove the awning brackets?
Again, if you want a good job, and not smear polish all over your awning hardware, then do take it off completely.
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
4 I have notice that the very front of my RV has bad rock pits, I saw one with the sprayon bed -liner for trucks on the very front acting like a rock guard?
Yuk.
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
5 About the trim at the bottom where the sides and bellypan meet, do you remove and replace?(mine is lose now)
You can mask it and polish right up to it. Use the blue masking tape. It comes off easier after a few weeks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
6 About the blue stripe in the middle what have everyone been doing?
Can't help you there. I would take it off and either re-paint it, or take it off and polish the aluminum underneath.
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
7 The PO has put calking everywhere1/2 in wide?
Needs to cleaned up. This will take alot of time and gentle effort.
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
8 And I can tell anyone that sillycone comes off very easy and the other is stuck, I know what I will put back
???
Quote:
Originally Posted by housebg
9 The airstream letters across the front do you remove and if so how?
Hard to remove, as they are fastened from the inside. Tape them off carefully, and polish around them by hand
Uwe, How do you split up a quote so you can comment to individual parts. I think thats really cool. Would you share the secret?
Don
There may be an easier way, but when you hit the quote button to reply you can then type your 1st) reply 2nd) copy and paste the quoted part deleting the words other than the pertinent part.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi
I think thats really cool.
Don
3rd) type the rest of your reply
Quote:
Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi
Would you share the secret?
Don
4th) repeat the process
The brackets at the beginning and end of the quoted comments are important
Uwe, How do you split up a quote so you can comment to individual parts. I think thats really cool. Would you share the secret?
Don
Here is what I do, since you directed the question at me...
I use my mac's copy feature on the upper quote, the one the is very first when you choose "reply".
Then, I separate the questions, insert spaces, and use the copy feature to start these new paragraphs.
Next, I copy the [/quote] at the end of the original quote and paste it to the end of each paragraph.
Now, there's several paragraphs, each with the beginning quote and ending quote, and space between.
My ansers are now written right into the spaces between the completed quote sections. That's how I do it. There might be a much easier way, but that would probably require advanced computer knowledge, which I do not possess. That's what I got a mac for....
I usually hit the quote button then separate out the sections typing in the HTML. At the beginning of the quoted section type {quote=name} and at the end of the quote type {/quote} replacing the {}with [] brackets. Type your response then{quote=name} and {/quote}
Shari
__________________
Vintage Airstream Club - Past President 2007/2008
WBCCI #1824 - DenCO Unit Past President (2005)
AIR #30 - Join Date: 2-25-2002
I received this after an inquiry into the air powered drum polishing system. I am still poking around to find out the exact procedures etc. I even have calls in with American Airlines maintenance ( friends) to see how they do it.
I will post more information as it becomes available.
I was wondering on the cost of the spec machine....(just the cleaner alone is $225?). I'm not sure it's for me (although I like the idea alot!).
I too was wondering about planes... I've got Boeing in my back yard, you'd think we'd all have shiney Airstreams in the NW, huh? I do know that a neighbor of my inlaws gave me a bottle of Met All to try ("it's what we use on the 747's..."). I wasn't too impressed. My 3M and Heavy Metal worked better. I hope in about 2 weeks I'll have some time to try out another round of 3M with Heavy Metal fine using a palm sander for kicks. (Between Bday parties for the kids and transporting them for camp, my time is shot this next week).
Take care!
Marc
Marc,
I believe their pad cleaner is for regular buffing pads as those used during compounding. I agree, $ 225.00 for a pad cleaner is a lot. But at the end, all those things combined make for a very good and lasting polish job. I found out the hard way that if you're not surgically clean, the results are marginal, as compared to changing pads often, and keeping both the surface and the pads/polish as clean as possible.
I use heavy metal as well for certain panels. I like it a lot. I was going to try buffing with the heavy metal fine in leu of the cyclo step, just to see how that turns out. Geez, you think we got enough options here?
where do i buy this product and how much does it cost. I have a 1962 airstream 28' that has been sitting for 30 plus years. I am starting on the exterior and the body is oxidized, need help on locating this product.
Thank you all and I am new to this site and plan on discussing my project regulary. I am on the home computer and my wifes email address is phiona_61@yahoo.com
where do i buy this product and how much does it cost. I have a 1962 airstream 28' that has been sitting for 30 plus years. I am starting on the exterior and the body is oxidized, need help on locating this product.
Thank you all and I am new to this site and plan on discussing my project regulary. I am on the home computer and my wifes email address is fiona_61@yahoo.com
A couple of questions it looks like the trim around the window has more texture than the skin?Is it best to remove the trim down the sides first ( Excella)Billy
Quick Links
will be helpful Billy
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