What works best for polishing aluminum?
ANDYSZ2
| Posted in Tools for Home Building on
I bought a buffer a couple weeks ago and it saved my butt on a bad scratch in a fiberglass tub. But now I am ready to polish out the trailer and try and spruce up 5 years of oxidation.
Bill who builds these trailers recommended viniger.
I was thinking of washing down with Viniger then trying a rubbing compound.
What do you all think?
ANDYSZ2
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
Replies
coil brite works real good on pontoons.... (the same stuff that you use to clean your ac coils... know there is some acid in it... has to be...
p
Thanks
Started on the carport tearout monday crew finished tues.
Took a 20 yrd and 30 yrd for Cport and three trees.
Customers are my strangest yet.
They left a 730 i parked under my demo work ended up buying an aluminum rolljack and rolling it out and then back.
You gotta wonder what they thought about that but no comment friday.
No way to contact them, they call me on friday evening.
I have been trying all week to get them to get approval for whole roof replacement as its shot.
Fri. call tells me know just repair and I will mail next installment next week.
Trying to keep my own funds out of this but it will be close.
ANDYSZ2
WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
Edited 9/26/2009 7:14 pm by ANDYSZ2
dude don't go into your pocket...the strager they are it seems the more willing they are to pay... but still... you can stay home & go broke... no reason to work for it to happen :)man if you need anything you know i'm close... hated i didn't have the jack you needed... but think mine got "borrowed" but hell i have everything elsep
I used to maintain an aluminum aircraft propeller with rubbing compound and polishing compound, using a small buffer. It was a PIA because it oxidized very quickly, needed weekly buffing.
The answer to a permanent mirror gloss is to polish it out to perfection, then shoot it with a superior clear coat, like Dupont Imron or a Sikkens product. I'd suggest trying several types of Meguiar's cleaning and polishing products, to buff out the aluminum first.
With a large surface like that, you'd be better off to get a professional recommendation from a Dupont or Sikkens tech rep on the best methods for application of a clear coat.
Edit: You didn't say how big the trailer is but polishing it out is a BIG job, even if it's not a big trailer.
Edited 9/26/2009 7:44 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
Seems Airstream should have some good advice or products as well. My BIL has a huge Airstream, and you can see yourself in it.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
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Good idea. Airstream should have a web site, better yet an owner's message board, where that topic is a hot item. Their advice on materials and methods would certainly be more up to date than mine.
Edited 9/26/2009 7:51 pm by Hudson Valley Carpenter
http://www.topoftheline.com/rvaluminumpolish.html
I've heard of vinegar to prep alum before painting. Had a CJ-5. Removed the tailgate and had diamond tread aluminum about 3/16 cut to fit entirely across the back. Used Mother's to buff the mill finish to look like it was chromed. Took time, a fair amount of Mothers and a few buffing wheels but the weight savings was worth it. Copy cats used heavy chromed steel and thought they had the same outfit.
Used some modified 1966 Mustang lights turned vertically too. Never tried the clear coat on aluminum but have used it elsewhere. Tyr
plain water and aluminium foil....
and elbow grease of course...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I remember a conversation with a supervisor from West Bend Aluminum, makers of pots and pans. I asked how they they got the sanded and polished look on their cookware. He said emersed in kerosene. Since then I clean aluminum with rubbing compound and a kerosene soaked rag instead of a water dampened rag.
So first off try kerosene alone. If it needs abrasion add a fine enamel compound. If it still needs more go for a coarser compound with the kerosene dampened rag and considerable elbow grease. Mesic
Thanks
Will try a spot tommorrow
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
give plain water and a wad of aluminium foil a try 1st...
you'll be amazed...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
How will aluminum foil NOT scratch it all to heck?JT
That trick is excellent for chrome, nor so good on alum. I did that religiously on my old 65 van bumpers.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
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dunno...
learned it cleaning aluminium shower frame works...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
I tried it and it does scratch it up.
ANDYSZ2WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?
REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST
ouch...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
He's probably dealing with that cheep Chinese aluminum knockoff stuff. Not the high grade American material!
(G)
or insuficiant elbow grease...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Flitz.......
http://www.flitz.com/p-13-aluminum-pre-clean.aspx
http://www.flitz.com/p-31-flitz-polish-liquid.aspx
Edited 9/27/2009 8:28 am ET by bd
If you don't use a buffer wear latex gloves of else your hands will turn black.
Wayne
If you have the buffer, get a Yellow wheel, and a White wheel, a Green rouge bar, and a white rouge bar. Use wheel on the edge of course, starting with Yellow and green combo, finish with white and white. If it's really oxidized you can get a red and brown combo and that's pretty aggresive. Run wheel back and forth. Yes, you will be "black" when you're done...Use light pressure. Alcoa makes a sealer that does seem to make the shine last. Do not, Do not spray with a sealer.
From a guy who buffs alot.
I do hope the buffer is a 'random orbit' buffer, or you will have troubles with swirl marks.
Next, be sure you're working on aluminum, and not stainless. Try scratching it with a pull tab from a soda can.
I wouldn't bother with vinegar, or anything else. Why? Because aluminum forms a thin oxide coating the instant it makes contact with air. (It's this oxide that turns your hands black). Your challenge is to keep air away from the aluminum the instant you remove the oxide.
There's a product that's made just for this. It's called "Turtle Wax." I suspact that other automotive waxes are similar; they try to remove oxidised paint as they lay down a protective layer of wax.
Try scratching it with a pull tab from a soda can.
You got a stash of old soda cans somewhere?
With a little wiggling, you can remove the tab from current cans; there's an edge where they tear free.
Simichrome Polish.
as a teenager, I used that simichrome to polish the alu. side covers on my Honda motorcycle.
You could make them shine just like chrome, it was work, but looked just like chrome!!!!
Boy, simichrome brought back old memories!!