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03-13-2007, 08:11 PM
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#21
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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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And I don't even golf!
It's 6-1/2 lbs. I can lift it and barely use it, but not for long. But then again, I have medial epicondylitis in both elbows so I can't lift anything right now. I've wanted to chip in on the polishing effort...but I can't. Heck, I can't even lift a gallon of milk!
Shari
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03-13-2007, 11:41 PM
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#22
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Rivet Master
1967 24' Tradewind
Alameda
, California
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,570
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Ouch. My Mom had carpal tunnel and had t have surgery, it really affects your life.
I'm asking because I think I'm finding out that I enjoy tedious repetitive jobs. I can get started on something and do it for hours and I don't seem to get bored. I liked painting my frame, taking off gasket with a Dremel, and polishing little parts; I just daydream. So...waiting in between these big jobs on the AS, I could still get out there and polish. I wonder, is it foolish to polish before it's done being rehabbed? I sure wouldn't paint a house before it's done being remodeled. It's always the last thing.
Any thoughts?
__________________
"Let's look Death in the face and say, 'Whatever man.'"
~ Hurley
ingrid
1967 24' Tradewind #19104 ~ Forums #4449
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03-14-2007, 12:12 AM
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#23
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Rivet Master
1967 22' Safari
MILAN
, Illinois
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,013
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Just remember what Mr. Pat Murita used to say...
Wax On....
Wax Off! on edit...Sorry typing error: It was Pat Morita... Ed
__________________
1967 Safari Twin "Landshark" w/International trim package
2014 GMC Sierra 1500 Double Cab SLE
FORUMS MEMBER SINCE 12/16/2004AIR#7110
"My tire was thumping, I thought it was flat. When I looked at the tire, I noticed your CAT!" Burma Shave
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03-14-2007, 12:26 AM
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#24
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
West of Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,699
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ALANSD
I found Mothers to be pretty good for smaller areas, but does not cut through the really badly clouded looking spots.
For that I have used the Tool Box polish, and it worked well. but still best for my use was the Purple Polish with the addition of the deoxidizer liquid, for especially bad spots.
It cut right thru and took little effort, done by hand. Understand I am not looking to mirror shine my trailer, but I want a nice relatively shiny clean look.
I got that with no power tools, and then I used Liquid Glass to "seal" the finish.
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Due to the high price of Nuvite, I decided to try Mothers for my final polish, after using Nuvite C (medium). I did the whole trailer with Mothers with good result. I never tried the fine grade of Nuvite, and can't compare them. I used less than one container of mothers for my 21' trailer at about $5.
I WAS able to compare the price of Mothers with Nuvite. I would (will) use Mothers again.
Dave
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03-14-2007, 04:09 PM
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#25
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Rivet Master
1966 26' Overlander
Woodstock
, Georgia
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 8,525
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Has anyone ever used FLITZ? My motorcycling friends swear by it.
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03-22-2007, 08:51 PM
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#26
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4 Rivet Member
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
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I came to look for this exact subject. Last year I did my airstream with a buffer pad on a variable speed drill, and an orbital buffer. I was able to do one side without swirls, but I had a pad tear on the other side which resulted in swirls on one of the panels that I couldn't get all the way out. I'm happy enough with the shine. The results are far less then the shine I see on some of the online pics, but I wasn't looking for a show shine. I have an 81 which I believe is the year that the finish on the skin changed. It's not as brushed in appearance as the new models I've seen, but I don't think I could ever get the mirror shine of the older models. I'm thinking of buying the cyclo to go over it one more time, and see if I can get the swirls out of the panel. Then I would just go over it again with liquid glass, and finally wax.
If anyone has any experience with the cyclo, do you think it would take out the lite swirls left by the torn buffer pad?
Do you think I would see a noticeable improvement over that of the the buffer I've used?
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03-22-2007, 09:34 PM
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#27
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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 Pacerized
If anyone has any experience with the cyclo, do you think it would take out the lite swirls left by the torn buffer pad?
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Nope, I don't think so - unless an agressive paste-type compound is used. It doesn't take out scratches as much as get rid of the directional swirls left after compounding to get at the scratches.
Shari
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03-22-2007, 10:19 PM
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#28
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
West of Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,699
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I think you'll need to go over it again with the disc polisher using a new pad to get out the scratches. Then use a cyclo or orbital buffer if you want to refine the finish.
Dave
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03-22-2007, 10:48 PM
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#29
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4 Rivet Member
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
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I don't think I would call the swirls I have from the torn high speed pad scratches. When the pad tore it sort of wound into a small ball in that area of the pad. The swirls it left couldn't be felt by the hand, or fingernail. The swirls were more of a darken discolored effect on the skin. I went back over them with the high speed, orbital, and then finally with eagle polishing wool. That helped, but they're still noticeable. From this description do you think the cyclo would help?
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03-22-2007, 10:59 PM
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#30
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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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If you have access to a cyclo, you could give it a shot. You never know until you try it ~
Shari
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03-22-2007, 11:00 PM
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#31
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
West of Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,699
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I'm not sure.
I polished my '72 without running into any discoloration of metal. (Other than the black from oxidation)
Could it be that the metal got hot? Maybe too much speed on the disc polisher?
I'm guessing here - as I said I haven't experienced this. Maybe someone else will chime in.
Good luck with it,
Dave
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03-23-2007, 04:46 AM
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#32
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Always Airstreaming!
2005 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
Anytown
, Connecticut
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ALANSD
Has anyone ever used FLITZ? My motorcycling friends swear by it.
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Alan- I use Flitz on my handguns and it is awsome stuff. But I would think that it would be very expensive to do a whole Airstream!
__________________
J. Rick Cipot
Sandi Gould
NEU New England Unit
Airstream Life Magazine
Proud Member of WBCCI
WBCCI #3411
AIR #17099
2009 Silverado 2500HD
2004 22' Safari
1960 24' Tradewind
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03-23-2007, 07:37 AM
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#33
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Rivet Master
1955 22' Safari
Currently Looking...
Great Lake State
, .
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,480
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Polishing Guru Inc
Use your buffer with green compound. green works best then go over it with nuvite S and a cyclo. Takes alot of practice and awhole lot of work. Well worth all of it though.
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What is the name of the green compound, and can the green compoud be used with the cyclo polisher with wraps......
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03-23-2007, 03:19 PM
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#34
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4 Rivet Member
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
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Dave:
I would guess that this is the case. I think the pad made a small hard cotton ball where it tore which created a lot of heat as I continued to go over it, and didn't notice the effect under the compound. The swirls were very noticable at first, but did lighten a great deal when I went back over them, so I think there may be some promise of removing them. So far the best think I've found is the Eagle 1 polishing wool at only $3 per can. I hate to spend $275 on the cyclo kit just to find out if it works, but I'm leaning that way.
I guess it's a good tool to have since I plan on owning an airstream for years to come. Did you find the cylco saving any time at all vs an orbital for the final shine?
I'm also very interested in the Mothers polish. Could anyone tell me if this is the Mothers Alunimum mag polish that's sold at Wal-Mart in a 5 oz. jar?
Thanks: Charlie
I polished my '72 without running into any discoloration of metal. (Other than the black from oxidation)
Could it be that the metal got hot? Maybe too much speed on the disc polisher?
I'm guessing here - as I said I haven't experienced this. Maybe someone else will chime in.
Good luck with it,
Dave[/quote]
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03-23-2007, 03:46 PM
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#35
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
West of Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,699
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Charlie,
IMO, use a circular buffer at a low speed of about 400 RPM to keep heat down. Use a medium polish such as Nuvite C. This will give you some metal moving ability without scratching the surface. If this woun't remove the color, try a more course compound. It may be that the discoloration goes too deep to remove. After the buffer, use a random orbital polisher or cyclo for the fine polish.
I did not try the orbital polisher route, I went straight for the cyclo.
I also went from Nuvite C to Mothers Aluminum polish. Yes it's about $5. I figured why not for the price difference, and am happy with the result. Other people have posted that you can't polish a trailer using Mothers polish. Look at my avitar and see what you think.
I found a new cyclo on the site below for $220, along with other supplies.
Good luck,
Dave
Cyclo Orbital Polisher - The Cyclo Dual Head Polisher
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03-23-2007, 04:35 PM
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#36
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Rivet Master
1967 24' Tradewind
Alameda
, California
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,570
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I gotta question
Say I got to the point of polishing my trailer. How much would I have to be concerned about the polishing process removing Vulkem from the seams, if at all?
__________________
"Let's look Death in the face and say, 'Whatever man.'"
~ Hurley
ingrid
1967 24' Tradewind #19104 ~ Forums #4449
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03-23-2007, 05:03 PM
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#37
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
West of Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 6,699
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Polishing one trailer doesn't qualify me to answer that - but I don't see that it would do anything to the sealant.
Dave
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03-25-2007, 01:21 PM
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#38
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4 Rivet Member
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
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Dave:
When I worked on my airstream last year I used a very cheap compound with the high speed, followed by a cheap polish with the orbital. I tried the mothers today on a panel, and can't believe the results with using just a rag.
Two applications really lightened the swirls, and the reflection in the panel makes the others look bad. I bought a used cyclo from e-bay online today for $137, and I'm buying a pad kit with the holders, cutting pads, and buffing pads. After seeing how the mothers worked with a rag, I can't wait to see what happens with the cyclo. I'm going to take a couple of days off for this in April. Go over the unit with the cutting pads and mothers first, then the buffing pads, liquid glass, and finally wax it. I think I can knock that out in 2 days, and I'm swearing to myself that this is the end. Hand waxing only from that point on.
Thanks: Charlie
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fyrzowt
Charlie,
I did not try the orbital polisher route, I went straight for the cyclo.
I also went from Nuvite C to Mothers Aluminum polish. Yes it's about $5. I figured why not for the price difference, and am happy with the result. Other people have posted that you can't polish a trailer using Mothers polish. Look at my avitar and see what you think.
I found a new cyclo on the site below for $220, along with other supplies.
Good luck,
Dave
Cyclo Orbital Polisher - The Cyclo Dual Head Polisher
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03-25-2007, 01:39 PM
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#39
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Naysayer
1968 24' Tradewind
Russellville
, earth
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,965
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pacerized
and I'm swearing to myself that this is the end. Hand waxing only from that point on.
Thanks: Charlie
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Hey Charlie, sounds like a great plan. You are aware of the famous last words column are you not....
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03-25-2007, 02:56 PM
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#40
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4 Rivet Member
1981 25' Excella II
Dillon
, Colorado
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 397
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gen Disarray
Hey Charlie, sounds like a great plan. You are aware of the famous last words column are you not....
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I know, that's why I thought should put it in writing.
Last year I started saying I just wanted to clean it up. Then when I took off the old stripe I had to have it painted back on. Then the polishing started, and I wasn't looking for perfection. Cleaning it with just rags wasn't good enough, so I went for the combination of a cheap high speed, followed by an orbital buff, and ordered a gallon of liquid gold. Now it's so close, I had to buy the cylo and try to finish what I started this spring. I just want to get it to where I only have to apply a hand wax once, or twice a year. I hope this is enough to draw the line, and call it quits. I work 60+ hours per week, coach, and have 2 young boys (help for the polishing). I can see how this can become addicting.
Charlie
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