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Safari Tim · 08-18-2003, 06:50 PM

I just got a cyclo. I ordered the rubber bonets and the sweatshirt material. I also ordered a pound of C and S.

I tired cycloing with the C on the sweatshirt material and basically saw no improvment. I already removed the clearcoat BTW and the surface was getting black.

But no improvement in the shine.

So today, I purchased a 7" backing plate and wool sythentic buffing pad and tried it with my makita right angle drill.

I used C and compounded. Again, no improvement in the surface.

I spent a lot of money on this stuff so this is very discouraging...

I have a pound of F7 coming to see what that does.

I was at the local ralley in Napa this year where they practiced with a compounder and C and it looked great after a single pass.

So what is going on here?

Ken J · 08-18-2003, 06:52 PM

Have you tested to see if there is clear coat? Sounds to me like you may be trying to polish clearcoat.

Safari Tim · 08-18-2003, 06:54 PM

I removed the clear coat last year with bix stripper.

And the surface was getting black with the polish...

uwe · 08-18-2003, 07:15 PM

Tim,
If you have not seen it already, then maybe this site wold help.

http://www.vintageairstream.com/Myrtle/polish1.html

Pick · 08-18-2003, 07:23 PM

My order came in today. Here is the result of about 2 minutes on the back bumper, with an Wen electric polisher/grinder, with terry cloth bonnet. I am going to try my air powered orbital tomorrow.

Ken J · 08-18-2003, 07:51 PM

Tim

Couple of other things I can think of.

On the 70's trailers the metal does not shine as well as earlier trailers. On my 75 I've got some panels that don't take a good shine - so have you considered trying another spot to see if it shines?

Also I wondering if your using enough polish and if perhaps it drying too quickly - try a spray bottle of water.

Ken J.

Chas · 08-18-2003, 08:38 PM

Tim,

What section are you working on? A 71 will shine up just fine but may need some agressive compounding to get it started. The sides on mine were relatively easy when compared to the radiused end caps. Something to do with the way they shape the aluminum that makes them harder to get the mirror shine. I compounded my entire 74 with Nuvite "C". F7 is for later, almost to the cyclo stage. I probably spent an hour compounding with "C" on just a couple of square feet. Be sure to use only wool bonnets when compounding, you will need to wash them after each days use. Don't use any water unless you want an ungodly mess. Keep out of the sun, don't let the skin get too hot, etc., etc.,

Just hang in there and keep working it, in no time you will be a pro!!

Chas

Safari Tim · 08-18-2003, 08:49 PM

I was compounding the rear street side above the belt line.

I was using my cordless makita with the 7" bonnet on it. Could be not enough horse power?

Also, how hard do you have to press with the compounder? How hard with the cyclo?

Here is an example of what I am dealing with. My trailer is not all grey like some of the examples I hav seen.

The photo shows before (right) and after (left) bix stripper was used.

So, I didn't think my skin needed too agressive of a polish. But compounding with C or cycloing with C did not improve it.

trailertrash · 08-18-2003, 09:21 PM

Send that piece of garbage back. Demand a refund. Buy the high speed powerful buffer that we mentioned, the pads we mentioned, and get on the list for the SS from stfrobrts.

Don't believe me? PM flyfshr and ask him on the side- he's got a cyclo sitting in the box- waiting for his SS and a buffer-

Also- maybe its the photo- but I see clear coat still on your trailer. Check it out.

Safari Tim · 08-18-2003, 09:29 PM

I already stripped the whole trailer. That photo was meant to show the before and after the stripping.

And the fact the cyclo/compounder with C was no better than my stripped skin.

Don't want another SS debate. To set your mind at ease I ordered a couple of bottles a few days ago.

However, I want some input still on the cyclo/compounder method.

Since I already know your view, you may stand down

trailertrash · 08-18-2003, 09:38 PM

In the meantime- locate the correct pads from 3M. Ask FF about the part he did with nuvite and a psychlo, and how hard it was to work with after. Its much easier to use the SS from the beginning- the nuvite swirled and actually damaged the aluminum. Please ask him his opinion.

You need more power than a cordless is gonna afford you. Get a high powered one- adjust the speed down and you're ready to rock!

Good luck!

Chas · 08-19-2003, 05:54 AM

Well, looks like trailertrash and I agree on one thing, you will definitely need a more powerful corded buffer. I have a variable speed Porter-Cable.

Pick's bumper looks great but is no comparison to polishing the skin. Maybe I should order some of this SS and and try it for myself?

Chas

Safari Tim · 08-19-2003, 08:14 AM

My cousin has all sorts of power tools. I intend on borrowing his half inch drill today to try some more.

The only buffing pad I could find a the local hardware store was a wool blend made by American Standard. The backing plate was some generic thing that had a piece with it to attach to a 3/8 drill.

Do I need the half inch backing plate that everyone talks about making the adapter for it with the 5/8 rod and a grinder?

Chas · 08-19-2003, 01:07 PM

A 1/2" drill may be good to try but I still think you will be better off with a right angled polisher. They will be much easier to handle. Get a 3M loop backed velcro style buffer head attachment and some 3M loop backed wool bonnets. Your typical hardware store won't carry this, you will need to go to an auto body paint supplier to get the proper stuff.

Chas

uwe · 08-19-2003, 01:32 PM

Hi Tim,
If you PM me your address, then I can send you my angled polisher. It's a Craftsman 2-speed with a backing plate etc. It might help with your task. Just send it back when you're done. I am not using it right now. I think it would work much better than a drill attachment. It has a rubber backing plate that takes standard bonnets.

Midamrail · 08-19-2003, 04:23 PM

Tim,
It took me several frustrating hours to finally figure out what kind of initial compounding our '64 Tradewind needed. I used the exact same DeWalt slow-speed drill as outlined on the perfectpolish.com website, an adapter that we machined from a piece of 5/8" all-thread, and a backing pad and 3M bonnet from Crest Automotive here in St. Louis.

Contrary to the perfectpolish.com site, I found it necessary in the end to use a pretty fair amount of the Nuvite C6 polish and push HARD. Not so hard as to dent the trailer or anything, but hard enough that I really had to lean into it. Looking at the trailer now, you can see the difference between the places where I had leverage and where I didn't because of my chintzy scaffolding or the slope in our driveway. Leverage and a fair amount of polish were the keys for me, as was using a good, heavy, slow-speed drill and wool bonnet.

I started with the G grade, but it left some really deep scratches. The C worked better on our oxidized trailer. After the C, I chickened out and went straight to the S. It's not a perfect job, but it's good enough to get comments and not so good that I obsess over every bird flying overhead and every puddle on the road.

63flyingcloud · 08-19-2003, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by uwe
Hi Tim,
If you PM me your address, then I can send you my angled polisher.

All I can say is: "UWE DA Man!!!"

smallfry · 08-19-2003, 08:10 PM

Might the Makita be too fast for polishing? I always thought that polishing metal as opposed to sanding wood etc., required a slower RPM machine....

Safari Tim · 08-19-2003, 08:30 PM

That looks great. I would like to see some close up photos.

I plan on borrowing a 1/2" drill from my cousin and give it another try. I got some F7 in today which is more aggresive than the C I was using.

So, we will see.

Just the couple of little tests really played havoc on my back. So, either I will build it up or be crippled but I will have a polished trailer!

Midamrail · 08-19-2003, 08:44 PM

I'll try to get a close-up of her tomorrow in the daylight.

I had no luck with compounding the F7. It actually seemed less effective than the "milder" C with the compounding drill. But I was working on an older trailer with the non-grained aluminum. I haven't tried anything on our '71 Sovereign, as I dread the thought of ever polishing it!

It looks like your skin is in good shape, so you've got an advantage there. Our clearcoat had been stripped years ago by a PO, and the oxidation had gotten to the point that there were small white spots on the skin that were really, really tough to get out. I ended up using a pretty fair amount of the C (perhaps a teaspoon or two per 1' x 1' area in the really bad sections) and polished until all the black was gone. It's excruciating, but it was the only way I could get it to an acceptable nearly-mirror finish. I also fluffed the bonnet often with a bonnet rake; letting the bonnet gum up with polish leads to scratches pretty quickly.

Don't be surprised if you go through a lot of polish and a lot of patience before you find what works for you. It literally took me a good 10 or 12 hours of initial experimentation before I saw some success, and I learned new things throughout the whole process. I'll impart all that on my husband - I think it will be his turn to polish the next time around.