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02-23-2012, 06:44 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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Is this old clear coat?
Am starting the stripping process. Is this what the old clear coat looks like? How do I remove these splotches?
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02-23-2012, 06:50 PM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2019 27' Flying Cloud
Albuquerque
, New Mexico
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,917
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Yep. That is clear coat residue. Spot clean it with the same clear coat stripper you used to remove the preponderance of the clear coat.
__________________
Ken L 2019 Flying Cloud 27FB
2020 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab 6.2L Max Tow Four Corners Unit WBCCI #5783
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02-23-2012, 06:50 PM
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#3
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Rivet Master
1977 31' Sovereign
1963 26' Overlander
1989 34' Excella
Johnsburg
, Illinois
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,944
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As the clearcoat continues to fail more aluminum is exposed to the the time that new area is less than the first failure and therefore looks different. You need to assure than all the clearcoat has been removed before you start polishing. Use a paint stripper to remove the remaining clearcoat.
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02-23-2012, 06:54 PM
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#4
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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Perfect, thanks for the insight!
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02-24-2012, 03:40 PM
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#5
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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Is this clear coat or heavy oxidation? Both panels, upper and lower have been stripped with citri stripper. What is wrong with the upper panel?
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02-24-2012, 03:59 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
1971 21' Globetrotter
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Arvada
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,527
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The upper panel is a different alloy then the lower and has oxidized at a different rate. They will both polish up to look the same.
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02-24-2012, 04:24 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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What Aerowood said...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Olivebranch
What is wrong with the upper panel?
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...and, it was stretched when it was formed, so it looks different. But when polished, they look the same ~
Shari
Our former '64 GlobeTrotter...
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02-25-2012, 07:16 AM
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#8
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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Do I have to polish to get ride of the oxidation? I know this is crazy to AO enthusiasts but can I polish and not go all the way to mirror finish? In other words can I make the top panels look like the lower. Not perfect, but good enough to get rollin.
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02-25-2012, 08:43 AM
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#9
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Olivebranch
Do I have to polish to get ride of the oxidation? I know this is crazy to AO enthusiasts but can I polish and not go all the way to mirror finish? In other words can I make the top panels look like the lower. Not perfect, but good enough to get rollin.
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The shininess of your trailer has no relationship to it's ability to "get rollin". I'm sure it rolls just fine as it is!
Many people opt out of the polishing completely and use their trailers just fine! It's not necessary to polish at all - or if you do, you don't need to take it to the full mirror finish level that we have. BUT, it's really hard to polish "a little" and have it look even. To remove the oxidation and not look splotchy, you have to get through it evenly, if not it's almost worse than if you do nothing. You can also try some hand polishing with various products to try & even out the corners - but it's a slippery slope, once you start - it's tough to stop. But with power tools, it's kinda an "all -or-nothing" approach. It's kinda like bring to paint a dark wall "white" with one coat of paint...it doesn't really work.
There are alternatives to maintaining a mirror finish...you can polish it once (or pay someone to do it for you), to get it even, then clearcaot it OR let it begin the oxidation process all over again. Some folks have either walnut shell or soda-basted it to give it a more satin finish - but this isn't a DIY project for most. And many, many people just o out & enjoy them with the patina of their years. Whatever you do, get out & enjoy - your trailer looks like it's skins are in pretty good shape as they are!
Shari
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02-26-2012, 08:12 AM
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#10
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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It does roll just fine! But I can't be rolling in a two tone. Thanks for your insight that is helpful. Based on what you can see from the pic I posted How many times would I need to go over the top panel to get it looking like the lower? I know that is hard to answer I'm just trying to get a handle on how long this will take. Do I need to polish 2,3,4 times. Thanks for your help, this forum is a great tool!
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02-26-2012, 08:20 AM
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#11
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1 Rivet Member
1975 31' Excella 500
Asheville
, North Carolina
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 19
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I thought about doing the job myself, but with the lack of time due to working and my obvious lack of patience, I am having it professionally done. I'm not, however, having it re-clear coated. I will keep wax on it and spend a day a year keeping the shine up to date. It's actually the clearcoat that oxidizes long before the aluminum does and if maintaines annually it should be just fine.
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02-26-2012, 09:04 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
Hilltop Lakes
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,764
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Original finish polish
We had the two-tone trailer problem also. After we stripped the old clear coat, we went over the oxidized areas with a Cyclo polisher, yellow wool pads, and some Mag and Aluminium polish from the auto supply store. Basically one pass polishing (although a few spots needed two), and we have a nice looking trailer.
Other people can do the mirror finish. We qualify as too old to attempt that much work.
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02-26-2012, 10:33 AM
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#13
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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Very helpful and nice looking trailer! That is what I am after for this season.
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02-26-2012, 02:32 PM
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#14
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2 Rivet Member
1964 22' Safari
Omaha
, Nebraska
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 33
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After we stripped the old clear coat, we went over the oxidized areas with a Cyclo polisher, yellow wool pads, and some Mag and Aluminium polish from the auto supply store. Basically one pass polishing (although a few spots needed two),
These may be silly questions but I am new at this. Do the yellow wool pads fit the cyclo polisher or are they something in addition to the polishers?
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02-26-2012, 03:15 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
Hilltop Lakes
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,764
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Cyclo pads
The pads are a Cyclo product. They are available from numerous dealers, many of whom are on eBay. I don't remember offhand who I bought them from, as I searched for the best price and bought from several dealers--all records on old computer that no longer works.
The lady who answered the phone at the Cyclo company was very helpful. Check out their website for the pads they make and the various methods they have for attaching the pads to the machine. I went with the velcro attachments.
Lots of stuff on eBay at prices lower than the factory. Occasionally a used polisher shows up there also.
Good luck with your polishing.
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02-29-2012, 02:50 PM
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#16
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2 Rivet Member
1985 29' Sovereign
Richmond
, Virginia
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 54
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Question for mimiandrews
So stumbled across this one...I too want to "clean up" my trailer's skin (its got the AS pattern baldness on top), but in general the skin is in good shape and not sure I want to invest the time/effort in the mirror-polish thing.
@ Mimiandrews, love the way your trailer looks btw.
So after stripping the clearcoat, you did a one pass polish to remove oxidation spots using an aluminum cleaner...can you tell us what the brand was? Also, how long ago did you do this? How well has it held up? Did you put anything on after polishing (e.g wax)? Did you polish the whole trailer to make it all match up?
Thanks!
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03-01-2012, 08:47 AM
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#17
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
Hilltop Lakes
, Texas
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,764
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Answers
To answer Stonew98's questions:
The polish was Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. I tried some truck box polish first, but the Mother's worked better.
The machine was a Cyclo with the yellow wool pads that are a Cyclo product. No sweatshirt material covering the pads. The Cyclo does not leave swirl marks like other polishers. It was originally made for aircraft polishing and has been in use for many years in that industry.
There were a few areas that came back to "original finish" as soon as the clear coat was stripped. Did not polish those. Did polish the areas (mostly the top, but also on the side of the trailer that had been most in the sun for 40 some years) where the clear coat had failed and the aluminum oxide had formed.
The picture was taken right after I finished. Six months later, the trailer still looks pretty good without any wax or other protective coating.
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03-26-2012, 12:25 PM
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#18
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2 Rivet Member
1962 24' Tradewind
St. Petersburg
, Florida
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 40
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Hey all, I read somewhere that the 1960's Airstreams were made of a different type of aluminum and polish up nicer then those made in the 1970's, is this true?
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03-26-2012, 12:40 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Safari
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Vintage Kin Owner
Conifer/Evergreen
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 12,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mary Burris
Hey all, I read somewhere that the 1960's Airstreams were made of a different type of aluminum and polish up nicer then those made in the 1970's, is this true?
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The difference is that the earlier Airstreams have a smoother finish and the 70's have more of a "mill finish". Both will polish up well, but the older trailers are a little easier because you don't have to get rid of the mill finish.
Shari
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03-27-2012, 06:45 AM
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#20
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1 Rivet Member
1975 31' Excella 500
Asheville
, North Carolina
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 19
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They did not change the type of Aluminum used until about 1981, so anything prior to that should have the same Aluminum and look great. I have a 1975, just had it stripped, sanded and repolished and it's absolutely the nicest thing I have ever seen.
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