Strip 'n Polish Project Thread (lots of great tips and links)

[LI Pets]

A while back I looked at my roof it was oxidized pretty good, I can't see polishing it for the birds eye view.

What type of paint can be used up there?

[ALANSD]

Originally Posted by henry

do u still have to polish after using the napier removall 220

Depends on how shiny you want it....mine looked great to my eye when the Removall was done. Some minor clean up and a bit of polish on the really chalky areas that had no clear coat to begin with.

[kneal]

Starting to remove my clearcoat tomorrow. I picked up some Nuvite S and F7 today. Meant to get C as I think given the condition of my clearcoat and almost no oxidization, C will be sufficient. Does this sound right? Should I go with F7 or C given the condition of my skin?

[safety6761]

OK, I have read all the reviews.............my question is this.....after you strip your airstream.............what does it look like then...with no polishing...also if you strip it......then it requires you to get going on the polishing right away if it sits out in the sun....or is there no rush....31 foot long will take me awhile...one side of my unit is peeling to some degree, but rest is good, but still think I will follow you guys!

[kneal]

Take a look at ALANSD' airstream.. I believe he has stripped but not polished and it looked great...

[LI Pets]

When you take off the clear coat where the surface is in good condition it will look great, but it is sooo easy to get it to look great with a quick polish.

[tamis]

I'm thinking of running an educational seminar on trailer cleaning and polishing. I'm the one being educated. And all you folks knowledgeable on the subject can come and show me. I'll buy the beer.............

I know, nice try..........

T

[Streamin 65]

Originally Posted by tamis

I'm thinking of running an educational seminar on trailer cleaning and polishing. I'm the one being educated. And all you folks knowledgeable on the subject can come and show me. I'll buy the beer.............

I know, nice try..........

T

If you are available to attend one of our informal Ohio rallys this season, I'd be more than happy to give you the crash course. Oh, and I like Coors Light while polishing --dave

[tamis]

Sounds like a deal to me!

Whats the ratio of beer per square foot?

T

[Streamin 65]

Before any polishing can be done, the trailer will need the clearcoat removed if it isn't already. There's plenty of info here to do that. I just used aircraft stripper (It's stocked at autozone.) It took a whole gallon and I had to go back to get a spray can of it to finish and touch up some areas. Make sure to wear eye protection and some good heavy chemical resistant gloves! Also, before you start, make sure the hose is on and nearby. If a little gets on your skin it will start burning within seconds, so make sure to rinse it off quick. I just applied it to the trailer with a few disposable paint brushes, let it work for a while, and most of the clearcoat just hosed off. I did need to scrape a little, so you might want to grab some plastic bondo spreaders while at autozone just in case. I'd also suggest removing anything plastic from the trailer if possible. The stripper will start dissolving things like the lens covers for the lights. I left mine on, but had new lenses to install after. Stripping probably shouldn't be done in a campground as it'll require a good amount of water to rinse off, however after stripping it, your trailer will start looking shiny already!
After stripping, what happens to the skin is up to you. If it's in pretty good condition overall, your in luck! Just compounding with nuvite C will make it look pretty good. And if you want to go all out well, plan on a few long weekends. My trailer was very oxidized when the polishing started last year. It took upwards of 200 hrs just to get all the oxidation off and bring out the shine. That did not include using the cyclo to remove the swirl marks. This year I compounded with f7 and am just finishing up compounding with the c. It will be cyclo'd next and I estimate about 60 hrs. this year. It'll likely be even less next year to maintain the shine. Hey, I grew up in Warren OH and still have family there. We do take the trailer up once in a while for a visit and will likely be camping in the area soon. If you like, I'll send you a PM when we make plans. If your not busy, I'll bring the polishing stuff. Here's a pic of the progress as of today. I'm just about to start with the cyclo to remove the swirls. Note the ladder and bucket-these items make life much easier to reach the upper part and the bucket is to sit on when doing the lower parts. Oh, and it takes about 1 beer per sq.ft. --dave

[tamis]

Hey Dave, That's one good looking trailer. Lets see...... not sure about the square footage....... 350? 400? maybe. After how many beers does the work start to decline? 40 or 50? As long as there's no ladder involved.

Anyway,I think I'll try the strip and Metal Wax job first, and see how it comes out. I don't think I'm willing to spend that many hours on it right now, to many other things to do.

If you find yourself out in my neck of the woods send me a PM. Maybe we can get together for a couple of beers anyway. I'd love to see that baby in the flesh.

T

[camperski]

Well, here's what i've learned after 8 months.

1. No matter how hard I tried to find an "easier" way...it doesn't exist these folks on this site have tried it all and I'd tell you to listen to them...but chances are your alot like me and will have to try 100 ways to find out....it would have been easier to just ask directions...or at least head those given. Seems to be a reoccuring theme at least in my life weather it pertains to faith, family, or just being lost on my way from here to there...there does exist directions for all of these things...I have to be willing to follow directions. So I humbly thank you all for your advice!

[Ferroequine]

Nice polishing job Camperski! Glad to see your project working out for you.

[Ferroequine]

Well, it's been a while since I've posted in this thread. Life gets in the way.

I'm just starting to give the trailer a once over with the Cyclo and some Nuvite S to get it ready for the camping season.

We bought some new aluminum Worthington LPG cylinders, and of course they had to be polished up also. It didn't take long, we built a little cradle and then I covered them with two Cyclo passes of Nuvite C and one pass of Nuvite S. The tops inside the collars had to be done by hand, but it turned out pretty good.

When you look close up, the surfaces are a bit marked from handling and pitted from the welds, so it's not as nice and smooth as the A/S, but still looks a lot better than unpolished.

I supposed we could have just bought a cover for them too...

[sequoiacoast]

I love those shiny trailers!

On the tanks... did you polish them empty? I have to polish mine, but they're both full, and I have not done it, because I don't know if it's safe.??

Thoughts?

[HiHoAgRV]

man, they should ban this thread or at least make us click "OK" a dozen times before viewing!

Ya'lls trailers look great and have probably been the ruination of many hours of free weekend time, not to mention the contagious effect on others.

Just say no, just say no...

[camperski]

Originally Posted by Ferroequine

Well, it's been a while since I've posted in this thread. Life gets in the way.

I'm just starting to give the trailer a once over with the Cyclo and some Nuvite S to get it ready for the camping season.

We bought some new aluminum Worthington LPG cylinders, and of course they had to be polished up also. It didn't take long, we built a little cradle and then I covered them with two Cyclo passes of Nuvite C and one pass of Nuvite S. The tops inside the collars had to be done by hand, but it turned out pretty good.

When you look close up, the surfaces are a bit marked from handling and pitted from the welds, so it's not as nice and smooth as the A/S, but still looks a lot better than unpolished.

I supposed we could have just bought a cover for them too...

I used a "sponge ball" from the local parts store designed for polishing alum wheels to get into those areas around the top. It made it a little quicker. I did polish mine wth gas in them too.

[tamis]

Like a recurring nightmare, I'm back. And I may have lost my mind.

I am indeed, going for the real deal on the polish. And I've come to beg forgiveness, from the gods of polishing. There is no shortcut on the way to perfection. I am humbled.

Anyway, I spent the 4th happily striping away. What joy! Thankfully not that bad a job, done in a day. The sun helped the job over the years. CitruStrip works great. And the trailer looks much better without the cloudy clear coat.

So, then I started experimenting with the chemicals and compounds last weekend. A lot of money spent for little satisfaction. One product I did try that was reasonably effective was 3M Marine Aluminum Cleaner & Polish. It may be good for maintenance once I get it where it needs to be. But takes way to much work to shine and reflect on its own. I'm going the Nuvite route. There is no shortcut to success and happiness.

My questions to you sages of the polish are these:

1. How much polish will it take for a 29' trailer? I think I'm going the route of F7, C, & S. Any thoughts on the G6? Would getting a little of the F9 for those tough spots be worthwhile?
2. Number of wool pads?
3. How do the cast trim pieces clean up? Is it worth taking them off? They are pitted pretty well.
4. How do the hub caps clean up? (I'm going for it all.)
5. At what point would the re-caulking be most efficient, and effective? Pre-polish, post-polish, or in between? (I will tape.)
6. And last, but not least, a pox upon me, I'm contemplating putting some sort of paint/coating on the very top of the roof, with the thought that it may keep the trailer somewhat cooler in the sun. Any thoughts on this? (I know the debate on this can be very heated, on the aesthetic front, and somewhat conflicting on whether it has any effect.)

Dave, and anyone else, the beer is ready. Thanks, Folks!

T

[LI Pets]

I'll give you one more idea.

To clean up the oxidized area use red compound from any auto parts store, buy a gallon for about $10, spread it on with a 2" paint brush, also get a spray bottle to get it moist as needed.

I guarantee it will get you a first level shine, in less than a day.

when you get the black build up on the surface get a soapy sponge and water.

Also you won't look like a squirrel when your done

I used one wool pad to do my whole trailer, I also used a cleaning wheel on the pad every 20-30 minutes.

Then get a new pad for the S nuvite to finish.

[tamis]

Thanks for the tip, Bob.

How's Riverhead these days, I grew up in Huntington, have a niece in Mattituck.

T