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Old 05-04-2015, 05:44 PM   #1
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1974 27' Overlander
Portsmouth , Virginia
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 31
First day polishing my '74 Overlander

2 hours:

2 hours:

And the other result what my 13 year old called a 'scary zombie'
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Old 05-04-2015, 06:16 PM   #2
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1974 31' Sovereign
1979 23' Safari
Wayland , New York
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Looking good, the trailer that is. Painter sock can help keep most of that alox off your face. Weeks more to go. Don't let it beat you down, especially in that Hampton roads heat. Tyvek suit with skivvies on underneath can be fairly comfortable.
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Old 05-04-2015, 06:24 PM   #3
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1974 27' Overlander
Portsmouth , Virginia
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Yeah I pretty much decided today that I'm going to let this kid that works for me finish most of it I really don't mind the dirt btw it was just funny because my daughter came home from school and just fell on the ground laughing in the driveway. Sunglasses and ear plugs are definitely a must!
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Old 05-04-2015, 06:31 PM   #4
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1964 22' Safari
modesto , California
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Nice!
Remember take off your shoes before you go into the house.
What HiJoeSilver said about the painters sock, or a cool ninja mask!

What you type of buffer and polish you are using? Love to see more photo's of your progress. Maybe some video? Thanks for sharing!


-Dennis
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Old 05-04-2015, 06:44 PM   #5
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1978 29' Ambassador
1974 25' Tradewind
1974 27' Overlander
Indiana , Pennsylvania
Join Date: Sep 2003
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And whatever you do...DON'T wash your clothes in the family washing machine. Ask me how I know...

Bob "Roadrunner"
Indiana, PA

TAC PA-5
WBCCI 4871
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Old 05-04-2015, 07:03 PM   #6
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1974 27' Overlander
Portsmouth , Virginia
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Dennis I bought the Airstream polishing kit from Jestco on ebay that came with buffing wheels and the grey and pink bars. I got a $50 angle buffer from Harbor Freight that seems to work pretty good. I stripped the clear coat off with some aircraft stripper and a pressure washer. The polishing goes really slow but you already know that if you've done this before.
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Old 05-05-2015, 08:52 AM   #7
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1964 22' Safari
modesto , California
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Thanks Tom,
So many different polishes and polishers and different techniques out there. Always interested in how others work things out. Never to old to learn new tricks. Keep up the good work.

Thanks,
-Dennis
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Old 05-05-2015, 10:51 AM   #8
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1972 27' Overlander
Penokee , Kansas
Join Date: Oct 2011
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I started out as a skinny,, 125 lb. weakling.. Once done with our Overlander I looked like Popeye at 200 lbs. Still have problems reaching for things over my head after 2 years.

Started yesterday to give our A$ a nice touch up polishing.. Seems if I get too it every year I can keep up with the effort of a old school car wax job..

Looks great,, and you are 1/8 done at this point.. Sodbust
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Old 05-05-2015, 11:00 AM   #9
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1972 31' Sovereign
Laie , Hawaii
Join Date: Nov 2014
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Really appreciate this thread you've begun. It's helpful to get a blow-by-blow description/assessment of the process. I'm trying to summon the time and courage to jump into the affray with my '72 Sovereign.
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Old 05-05-2015, 11:41 AM   #10
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1972 27' Overlander
Denver , North Carolina
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72 Overlander here keep posting !


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums
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Old 05-05-2015, 02:11 PM   #11
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1995 21' Sovereign
Currently Looking...
Daphne , Alabama
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Get a Mask. You don't want your lungs looking like that. Or Boogers ! I may have to start in the Fall just after I buy the 250 count of Ibuprofen.
Wherever you wash your cloths , be kind and run the washer a second time with soap so the next person doesn't ruin their cloths.
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Old 05-05-2015, 02:59 PM   #12
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1974 31' Sovereign
1979 23' Safari
Wayland , New York
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I'll second tjansen. Wash your clothes/rags at a laundrymat and be kind and run a second empty load with lots of bleach/hot water for the next guy. Karma!
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Old 05-05-2015, 05:37 PM   #13
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2015 30' Flying Cloud
Westport , Connecticut
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Ooh! That's inspiring!
I'm JUST about to start the process myself. First I have to scrape some oxidized squigglies off of the entire trailer.

Would you share with all of us how you started? And which products you are using?

More photos! It's GREAT looking with that shine! Well done.
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Old 05-06-2015, 05:24 AM   #14
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1972 23' Safari
GREENVILLE , Pennsylvania
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Stripping

Very inspiring !
Ready to start my '72 land yacht safari.barn find.
Is there an alternative to the nasty clearcoat strippers.
Has anyone tried steamcleaning ?
Newbie
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Old 05-06-2015, 01:29 PM   #15
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2007 25' Classic
San Luis Obispo , California
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Buy the purple degreaser at Home Depot. Mix 20 oz with 1 gallon of water. Soak your rags, wool bonetts, clothes, etc overnight, wring out, then throw in the washer. They will look like new. No scum in the washer either. Save the degreaser as it can be used many times before it is too dark to clean anymore.
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Old 05-06-2015, 06:44 PM   #16
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1974 27' Overlander
Portsmouth , Virginia
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Posts: 31
Here is the angle polisher I got from Harbor Freight, it got bad reviews but mine works fine. There is a cheaper one that got better reviews but the store was out of that one the day I went:

7" Electronic Polisher

The kit from ebay I bought:

New Airstream Bambi Caravel Safari 24ft or Longer Aluminum Buffing Polish Kit | eBay

It came with 2 pink bars and one grey, I think it would have been better with one pink and 2 grey, I think the second pink one if for future use.

This is my first time polishing an Airstream so I can't speak to the other methods but this seems to be working well so far. The main theme I keep picking up on all the methods is it takes a loooooooooooooooooooong time no matter how you do it
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Old 05-09-2015, 08:16 AM   #17
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1974 27' Overlander
Portsmouth , Virginia
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Here is a pic as of today. You can see where to the left I have done the first and second pass and the smaller section on the right is just the first pass. None of it has the liquid polisher on it yet. The only pic with the liquid polisher is the small corner section on the rear that I put in the first post. I did it by hand, I don't have a cyclo. At this point I am still learning and experimenting. There are some spots I have missed or not polished out completely that I might have to go back to or maybe I will get a cyclo, not sure how this will end I have a trailer coming next week to so I'm going to shift to working on that while I let the 22 year old work on the polishing

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