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Old 06-01-2006, 02:33 PM   #1
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Trying Gord's Polish this afternoon! Will follow up!

Guys and Gals,

I just got my Gords' aluminum polish in today and I will be trying it out this evening. I have part of my A/S done with Nuvite F7 and I will be doing a section next to it with Gords. I am taking pics for comparison and "posterity" so I'll try to post them along with my evaluation of the Gords' polish. Keep in touch!!!
-Don
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Old 06-12-2006, 01:32 PM   #2
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More on Gord's Polish

Our 2002 19' Bambi is certainly not in need of polishing yet, but that 50-year-old aluminum rowboat my dad built is providing a real test of Gord's Polish. The boat has never had any paint or coating on the outside and it has never been polished. It has also never been handled with care.

I can only say that Gord's is amazing. When applied as directed using 0000 steel wool, it removes oxidation and leaves a terrific polish without that black tinge buffing compounds sometimes leave. Of course, the boat's deep scratches and corrosion pits are not removed, but all the high edges around those things are like mirrors. Would I try it on the Bambi when the time comes? I hope I will be "gone" by that time, but, if not and if Gord's is still in business, I would surely give Gord's Polish a try.
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Old 06-12-2006, 04:48 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim A.
When applied as directed using 0000 steel wool, it removes oxidation and leaves a terrific polish without that black tinge buffing compounds sometimes leave.
YIKES!!! I sure wouldn't use steel wool to polish my aluminum trailer! Miniscule steel particles would imbed themselves in the aluminum, rust and stain. You can see a similar effect on some trailers where steel rivets (or screws) have replaced aluminum ones and they "drip" over time, leaving the tell-tale brown stains.

Just my two-cents ~

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Old 06-12-2006, 08:44 PM   #4
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Gord's Polish and 0000 Steel Wool

InsideOut questioned using steel wool with Gord's Polish. Please note that I said, "When applied as directed..." Following the directions means that no steel particles are left on the aluminum. Hence no resulting rust. Of course, you do have to read the directions!

The polish can also be applied with only a cloth, but that is the hard way to remove oxidation.
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Old 06-12-2006, 10:33 PM   #5
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Not sure I'm buying that the Gord's Polish (or any other) prevents the steel particles from being left behind, even if "the directions" say so...steel & aluminum do not mix, at least on my trailer!

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Old 06-12-2006, 10:59 PM   #6
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Hello Tim A,

I think on a heavily oxidized trailer using the polish I would agree you would need the 0000 steel wool to cut the oxidation ,as you would be there forever without it .that being said ,there will be particles of steel wool that are tiny that can get in the aluminum and They will be absolutely micro in size .What do the directions say that would or could if possible keep that from occuring ?
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Old 06-13-2006, 07:17 AM   #7
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Here we go again - Since there are a number of new folks hearing this for the first time - I suggest that anyone who is thinking about polishing go back into the archives and see what those of us who have had trailers and polished trailers for a long time have to say about all of this. I think you will find that none of us are using steel wool. In fact if you listen to the most recent VAP you will hear why you should not use steel wool from someone who its been said "has the shinest trailer in the world"

Not trying to start a war here, just trying to help someone who is thinking about polishing their trailer from going down the wrong road.

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Old 06-13-2006, 08:02 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Ken J
... I think you will find that none of us are using steel wool. In fact if you listen to the most recent VAP you will hear why you should not use steel wool from someone who its been said "has the shinest trailer in the world"
Ken J.
There apparently is such a thing as aluminum wool, but I am not aware of anywhere to purchase it in retail quantities.

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Old 06-13-2006, 08:11 AM   #9
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Aluminum wool

I can't believe ANY polish manufacturer recommends steel wool on aluminum.
I have used aluminum wool on aircraft for years....especially great with those tough patches of stripper resistant poly paints. Aircraft paint suppliers have this on hand along with aluminum tape.
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Old 06-13-2006, 08:14 AM   #10
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I would not use any kind of metal wool - I do use pure wool on my polisher - I've polished and have seen polish some really bad trailers with great results using polish designed for this purpose - the first pass should be as least agressive as possible - its easy to get more agressive with polish than it is to get less agressive. Scratches can be a bear to polish out.

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Old 06-13-2006, 09:09 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ken J
I would not use any kind of metal wool - I do use pure wool on my polisher - I've polished and have seen polish some really bad trailers with great results using polish designed for this purpose - the first pass should be as least agressive as possible - its easy to get more agressive with polish than it is to get less agressive. Scratches can be a bear to polish out.

Ken J.

I fully agree with Ken J on this- steel wool actually embeds particles of iron on the skin and you'll see rust after it gets exposed to moisture.

I also agree 100% that one should use the least aggressive method and polish as possible- its why large professional aircraft polishers never use a coarse compound and rotating buffing wheel like the first step that Nuvite peddles. Adding a coarse grit to a high speed buffer is suicide on the skin, and requires more work to correct and repolish than the actual polishing job should take.

Wet sanding in one motion is a good way to get a bad skin ready for lighter polish than the system of grinding swirl marks in- and its far more cost effective.
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Old 06-14-2006, 11:08 PM   #12
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It makes sense-

That grinding on aluminum, whether using a coarse grit paper, a Scotch brite pad, or abrasive compounds using a rotating wheel are a recipe for disaster, or at the least the need to perform LOTS of work to correct the damage.

The aircraft industry uses Airmark and Spec polishing tools for a reason- no damage and no swirling.

Aluminum restoration on a deeper basis should be done using wet r dry sand paper, and in horizontal strokes to avoid the damaging and difficult to remove circular swirls.

But this is old news.
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Old 06-15-2006, 10:23 PM   #13
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to all of you ,

I would myself never use any scraping material ,steel wool or even sandpaper on any aluminum trailer ,let alone my 60 tradewind .i don't know the condition
of tim A s trailer ,and am really responding to his comments about proper directions etc he says dictate safe? usage of said steel wool 0000 .If the trailer was heavily oxidized ,where you would need to get somewhat agressive ,the nuvite compounds are the choice and follow on up to the finish .I totally concur on the embedded particles ,as they would grab into the softer aluminum ,so on and so forth .I am always concerned that with agressive methods (never use scotchbrite by the way ) the thin alclad layer will be removed ,thats a definate concern of mine .Any sanding in any direction (although I understand the idea ) causes scratching ,still has to be compounded out . any way all things we already know.

Scott
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Old 06-15-2006, 10:26 PM   #14
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OH by the way ,Ken J is correct ,and the coarse nuvite is really rough ,but these older airstream skins are sometimes in bad shape.I think I would use a milder grade and work at it longer ,less inflicted damage.

Scott
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Old 06-16-2006, 05:01 PM   #15
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so Tim, are you the Gord's rep?
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Old 06-16-2006, 08:10 PM   #16
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Gords then 3M...

Guys,
I used the Gords for the first time this past week. The directions do say to use 0000 steel wool (as Gords is primarily designed for chrome and aluminum without Alclad) but I decided to use a micro-fiber cloth instead. The main focus is to keep the polish on the metal in a liquid form as long as possible. It took several applications, but it did do a really good job of removing the extremely heavy oxidation without a lot of rubbing. However, once the heavy stuff was gone (it kind of just dissolves and then you hose it off) I still used a 7" buffer and Nuvite C on the trailer to prep it for the final stages. However, despite the popularity of Nuvite; I checked with some local automotive shops and friends who do repair work and painting and using their input I used 3ms' final polish and final glaze systems and they worked awesome. They were roughly 1/4 the price of Nuvite which is important to me as I have limited resources for this project. I wanted a high polish without swirl marks and I did NOT want a true mirror shine and the 3m products worked great! Don't get me wrong, the Nuvite worked really well, but I just have a problem with $27 for 8 ounces. It's polish...not caviaar! Before someone with a lack of humor or an excess of cynicism pipes up...I DON'T work for Gords or 3M and YES I AM a new member who is daring to try something new and talk about it! I have great respect for experience and tradition, but if that was all we used in this world...the globes would all still be flat maps wouldn't they?
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Old 06-16-2006, 08:40 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cobra93
I wanted a high polish without swirl marks and I did NOT want a true mirror shine and the 3m products worked great!
Will you let us know how it turned out? Some pictures perhaps?
If this polishing thing becomes too much of a pain, then I am going to go for an even, but dull finish, basically really clean aluminum. I am 70% done with the traditional method of compounding and then cycloing, but am wondering how the finish will last.
I did use Nuvite, mothers, Heavy Metal, 3M, sandpaper and all sorts of methods to celan up problem areas, but hteh Nuvite and Heavy Metal worked best. I want to add that my trailer was heavily corrodet, having sat in moist Washington state most of it's life.
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Old 06-16-2006, 09:23 PM   #18
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You have committed the original sin on this Forum- NEVER criticize Nuvite!

You're toast...



LOL!! I know...for my next trick I am going to verbally roast Rolite and the Cyclo method!!! Seriously, the Nuvite worked great but I figured there had to be something out there that worked as good or nearly as good for less money...The 3M worked really well. I also used the 3M mid-cut polish in the place of the Nuvite and it worked about 90% as well, just took a little more time. It was also a lot cheaper!!
-Don
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Old 06-16-2006, 09:28 PM   #19
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Yep, I'll be glad to as I have been documenting my polshing efforts with my digital camera. As I said before, the Nuvite worked really well, no doubt about it, but it is definately NOT for someone on a tight budget. The 3M Perfect It II fine polish, 3M 3000 Final Glaze and the 3M mid-cut (55 I think) worked very well. As I said, using the 3M mid-cut in the place of Nuvite C actually worked well, just took a bit more time but the results were comparable and it's cheaper. I've also been experimenting with an orbital 6" polisher and synthetic wool high polish pads and it is also working well and is a lot cheaper than the CYCLO. In the end, it's what you want and what you have to spend I guess!! -Don
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Old 06-17-2006, 09:38 AM   #20
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Pics Please

Quote:
Originally Posted by cobra93
Guys and Gals,

I just got my Gords' aluminum polish in today and I will be trying it out this evening. I have part of my A/S done with Nuvite F7 and I will be doing a section next to it with Gords. I am taking pics for comparison and "posterity" so I'll try to post them along with my evaluation of the Gords' polish. Keep in touch!!!
-Don
Hi Don, Thanks for opening a new avenue in polishing. I like to see new ideas and the fact your putting forth the time and effort to show the members your results is great. I tried to do searches on polishing in the forums, but it seems the posts always go astray. I guess I don't have the attention span to filter through the strong personal views of some members. Basically, I just like the facts of what you have done without to commits that take the thread off coarse. I look forward to your results Don. Thanks
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