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scottanlily · 05-06-2006, 11:51 PM

Hello norcal bambi ,

An excellent job you are doing!! I think you need to look inside the pressure tank thru the fill of course to see if it is good .Pinholes are fromm internal corrosion eating thru the inside of the tank .The aluminum tank that was in my 60 trdwnd was full of corrosion ,many pinholes ,the floor surprisingly was in very good condition ,I got lucky .I had a stainless steel pressure tank built for mine,about the same size ,a little bigger 12" diameter .The patch method is really not the best way to go ,ditch that tank for a good one.Have you removed the water heater controller assy that threads into the tank? My heater was loaded with crap,white calcium deposits ,alot ,one thing you cant tell without internal inspection.A couple ideas to help you if possible .
By the way the compressor automatic shut off can be 65psi as my trdwnd is.You dont want water flooding your restoration.

Scott of scottanlily

NorCal Bambi · 05-07-2006, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottanlily

Hello norcal Bambi ,

An excellent job you are doing!! I think you need to look inside the pressure tank thru the fill of course to see if it is good .Pinholes are from internal corrosion eating thru the inside of the tank .The aluminum tank that was in my 60 trdwnd was full of corrosion ,many pinholes ,the floor surprisingly was in very good condition ,I got lucky .I had a stainless steel pressure tank built for mine,about the same size ,a little bigger 12" diameter .The patch method is really not the best way to go ,ditch that tank for a good one.Have you removed the water heater controller assy that threads into the tank? My heater was loaded with crap,white calcium deposits ,alot ,one thing you cant tell without internal inspection.A couple ideas to help you if possible .
By the way the compressor automatic shut off can be 65psi as my trdwnd is.You dont want water flooding your restoration.

Scott of scottanlily

I have looked thru the fill with a light in the tank. Their is some corrosion in the bottom of the tank. My current fix is mainly so I can continue with my work. I would like to replace the tank. Haven't found a source for the tank yet. Where did you get yours made, and how much? I had the top of the hot water heater tank removed so I could inspect the inside. It was in good condition. Then the top was heliarched back on. This was done by a certified welder. Then pressure checked. How do you like the pressure system. One of my reasons for wanting the pressure system is when someone get up in the middle of the nite facilities can be used without a noisy pump starting.
Thanks again Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-10-2006, 10:40 AM

Yesterday I sprayed Zolatone for the first time. A new Zolatone finis is really nice. However! Yes, however i miss calculated and ran out of paint before I finished. So I going to redo. "The well laid plans of mice and men". I will include more details after I finish the second time. Some day when we meet you will have to ask me about the time I saved $50. It was connected with a 1931 Cadillac V12 Sedan.
Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-10-2006, 10:45 AM

"One of the good things about being human is you get to redo until you get it right".

Don East
during Airstream Restoration.

ankornuta · 05-10-2006, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

Yesterday I sprayed Zolatone for the first time. A new Zolatone finis is really nice. However! Yes, however i miss calculated and ran out of paint before I finished. So I going to redo. "The well laid plans of mice and men". I will include more details after I finish the second time. Some day when we meet you will have to ask me about the time I saved $50. It was connected with a 1931 Cadillac V12 Sedan.
Don

Hi Don; I have some questions about the zolatone (although the Cadillac thing raises questions too!). Where did you purchase the Zolatone? How much did it cost, what are you using to spray it with, and are you doing the multi-color "splatter" like paint, kind of how they came originally?

Thanks!
-Andrew

NorCal Bambi · 05-10-2006, 11:58 AM

Andrew, Go to the Zolatone automotive web site. http://www.zolatoneaim.com
An copy all their brochures and tech sheets. That's a good start. My Bambi which is 13 feet long inside creates about 300 Sq. ft. of paint-able space. My first mistake was to misread the information. A gallon of paint will cover apx. 150 Sq. ft. The colors that they have do not match the original color of my trailer. I talked with the V.P. of the company and he told me how some people use their primary colors that are close to red, yellow, and blue to mix and get a color they wont. So I bought Camille White, Lilith Charcoal, Admiral Blue, and Bright Yellow in an attempt to come up with a color that was similar to the original. Here is a good place for my quote of the day. I'd and artist an have worked with color for many years. What I know did not apply to the mixing of Zolatone. I bought one gallon of the white and a quart of the others. The cost was around $250. I will now buy 2 gallons of the Apollo Gray which will cost another $250. That's a lot of & to paint the inside of a small trailer. I really like the Zolatone finish. I guess that's obvious! Based on how it comes out, I may offer a joint service to others who won't to use Zolatone.
We'll see. If all some one has ever used is a rattle can, I would strongly suggest they think twice. Another thing I have discovered is that it is a very messy spraying process. One should mask off and cover up far more area than they think is necessary. Cover everything in sight. After you read the info from Zolatone let's talk more.
Don

uwe · 05-10-2006, 12:32 PM

Don,
The actual, authentic zolatone is still available. It is at www.zolatone.com. It comes in solvent based and water based now, where it used to be only solvent based, if I remember correctly. The product is called Polymix.
I have very many of their paint samples, if you're interested.
The spray process seems very involved, you need a high pressure paint pot and a high quality Binks type gun. Which is why I shied away from it.
The colors are much more vibrant, and some of their samples look exactly like vintage Airstream Zolatone finishes.
I have seen the camille white, and find it not even close...however, it is a very durable and easy to apply coating, often used for simplicity and durability by restorers.

NorCal Bambi · 05-10-2006, 09:27 PM

Uwe, Thanks for the info. I have the equipment to spray the Zolatone. Once I was set up it was not that hard to do. I was unable to find a color that matched my trailer. I looked in the section you mentioned but couldn't find any color samples. However I have already made a commitment on Apollo Gray 20-11. to go over the top of my first attempt. In fact I should be spraying tomorrow. Just for the sake of future information, if you could send me the information on the Zolatome type you mentioned. I will send for a color sample sheet from Zolatone.
Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-10-2006, 10:04 PM

Here a few pictures of the color that I created by mixing. The background color was not changed by the mixing. The only thing that changed was the speck color. Of the four colors I used 3 worked fine. The blue did not want to create a uniform pattern. I'm not sure why. I could speculate if someone is interested. The other problem I had was as soon as I realized that I had not bought enough paint for the job. I tried to stretch the paint coverage. As you can see in the fourth pic. that did not work. Zolatone requires a uniform coverage.
Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-10-2006, 10:13 PM

Another thing I've learned that I would like to share is overspray. I have used several different type of paint. Never have I seen one with so much overspray. Here is my suggestion on this. If the outside of your trailer is finished like you want it before you spray Zolatone. Cover every square inch of it that you don't want painted. The problem is the small specks of paint can fly for quite a distance. When they hit they stick. Every part of my trailer has little specks on it. They seem to dry the moment they hit a surface. The only thing I have found to remove them is aircraft Paint remover. I haven't done the outside of my trailer yet so its not a big problem. If I had, I would have been very upset. This picture shows the Zolatone that went through the louvers in the back door and covered the back bumper.
Don

uwe · 05-10-2006, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorCal Bambi

Uwe, Thanks for the info. I have the equipment to spray the Zolatone. Once I was set up it was not that hard to do. I was unable to find a color that matched my trailer. I looked in the section you mentioned but couldn't find any color samples. However I have already made a commitment on Apollo Gray 20-11. to go over the top of my first attempt. In fact I should be spraying tomorrow. Just for the sake of future information, if you could send me the information on the Zolatome type you mentioned. I will send for a color sample sheet from Zolatone.
Don

Don,

PM me your address, and I will send my sample pack to you. I won't need it for a while, anyways.

ankornuta · 05-11-2006, 02:12 PM

Don, is that a mount point for a hitch on your rear bumper? Do you plan to remove that?

NorCal Bambi · 05-11-2006, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ankornuta

Don, is that a mount point for a hitch on your rear bumper? Do you plan to remove that?

Yes it is a hitch mount point. When we got the trailer there was a 1 7/8 ball on it. The trailer had been in a state where you can pull a trailer behind a trailer. I haven't decided if I'll remove it. Thought it might be a good place for a third brake light when on the road. Or maybe a flashing neon sign that says Airstream Rules.

Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-11-2006, 09:07 PM

The second attempt with the Zolatone came out perfect. The new choice in color is much closer to the original. The first picture is of "Zola-Vader". The second shows the new color and coverage. One thing I wanted to pass on in the area of technique. The directions state that to clean the spray gun first use water and then Lacquer thinner. The first time I use cold water and got a bunch of gunk in my gun that took 2 hours to clean out. The second time I used very hot water. The gun came out very clean. Another major step complete. Now onward to the interior.
Don

Jim & Susan · 05-12-2006, 10:43 AM

"The Force is strong in this one, Luke."

Looks great Don. Sorry it set you back extra money, but it looks to be worth every penny.

Jim

NorCal Bambi · 05-13-2006, 10:44 PM

Working on the interior wall panels. There are 6 in my trailer. 4 of the six had to be replaces. Water damage in the bottom of the panels was very extensive. For future protection I will seal the end grain areas of the plywood before installation. It's obvious that they worked like giant wicks in the past. Original panels had to be stripped of all stain and paint with stripper before repainting. Also all the Oak facing frames needed to be stripped. My plan is to stain to match the original and then seal with a Varithane type paint. I plan to wax the wood surfaces on a regular basis. My wife suggested to paint the aluminum channel the attachés the wall panels to the wall a dark green. I think it worked out real well. It makes a nice accent. What do you think.
Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-16-2006, 08:40 PM

I've been working on reinstalling the toilet/shower. Also the plumbing for vents and the sink. This is all stock. The only thing I have done is replace parts that are in bad shape. I would like to put a new layer of gel coat on the fiberglass shower unit. Anyone have a good supplier? The picture shows the present point of assembly. I've been refinishing all the wood interior parts in preparation for them going back in place.
Don

NorCal Bambi · 05-16-2006, 08:50 PM

Has anyone used rivet nuts? I find them to be great! Most of the wood furniture in our Bambi was screwed to the Aluminum walls with long Sheet metal screws. After the many years of bouncing around on the roads of America, the holes in the aluminum are enlarged. The rivet nuts will fill the enlarged hole and make a very germinate and strong repair. Regular screws will now be used instead of sheet metal screws. The following pictures show the tool needed, a box of rivet nuts, a couple of pics of a sample to show what they look like after installation. They don't work in the fiberglass. The crush process pulls them right through the fiberglass. I'm still looking for a solution to the enlarged fiberglass holes.
Don

scottanlily · 05-16-2006, 10:59 PM

Hello NorCal bambi,

I had my water pressure tank built by a welding shop that is specialized in stainless steel and fabrication .One of the best you,ll find .I will ask him what he would build another for.Mine was 450.00 ,,high grade stainless steel .Its definatley heavier than the aluminum tank but then i got rid of the steel propane tanks in favor of worthington aluminum tanks.I really like the pressure tank ,even when the air pressure is at 10 psi at the inside gauge or less ,you can turn on the faucet and fill your water glass quickly.Ive ran the shower ,youll want the pressure to be up .Most of the time you wont need to run the air compressor unless your using the shower,if you have one.If the tank is full the pressure comes up very fast then automatically shuts off .It retains the original self contained idea of the coach ,as I still have the air fill pressure fitting on the fill pipe on the front for manual air pressure filling .I can use a portable compressor to fill outside if the main unit goes bad. I run the compressor to maintain sufficient pressure ,not necessarily max pressure,unless the shower is being used,then i run the compressor continuously ,which is only about 5 minutes as 10 gallons of hot water can be used rather quickly.I let you know about the tank price .

Scott

malconium · 05-17-2006, 12:17 AM

Don,

The rivit nuts look like a great idea! I can envision some places where I could use them when I get a little furnther along in my remodel.

For fiberglass holes maybe you could use a plastic expansion type of nut with a little epoxy applied around the outside when you insert it. Tighten up the screw so the nut spreads out behind the fiberglass and holds tightly in place while the epoxy sets up.

Malcolm