I HATE ALUMINUM

General Discussion about almost anything Teardrop or camping related

I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby Wrecit » Mon May 02, 2022 12:07 am

My enclosed conversion has 11 ft 1/4 round top corners on the sides and 37 years of oxidation and stains got them looking ugly. Hit with some brasso and was not at all happy so off to the store for 320, 400, 600, and 800 grit sand paper and a large can of wd40 to lube/were sand.

2 1/2 hrs later and one rail is half way done. Did a 3 ft section to test concept and it looks great but damn it's alot of work lol. Hope to post pix in a few days
You hide your conversion and call it stealth. I put mine out in the open and give it a beer.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74635
Wrecit
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 136
Images: 0
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:40 pm

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby JasenC » Mon May 02, 2022 1:56 am

Step down your grit to 150 or180 to knock the heavy crud off, then work your way up the grits. You can skip every other or two grits unless you're going for a mirror finish, it'll speed it up quite a bit.
I'll be done when I'm finished, if that's not fast enough, take a number.

Build Thread https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74269
User avatar
JasenC
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 420
Images: 122
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:05 am
Location: Snohomish county Wa

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby mary and bob » Mon May 02, 2022 2:22 pm

I used the 2" scotch pads on a air powered die grinder when rehabbing our '46 Modernistic aluminum teardrop. They are available in various "grit" or coarseness.
mary and bob
500 Club
 
Posts: 818
Images: 3
Joined: Sun Nov 18, 2007 8:03 pm
Location: chatham n.y.
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby S. Heisley » Mon May 02, 2022 3:34 pm

I think I remember Grant Whipp (of the now defunct Lil Bear trailers and parts) saying that he used a little car wax or car polish to shine the aluminum back up. Does anybody else remember that?
User avatar
S. Heisley
Super Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 8769
Images: 495
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:02 am
Location: No. California
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby twisted lines » Mon May 02, 2022 4:05 pm

Long ago I did this; Three times
First time I bought a buffer, Second time it took a lot less time,
And the Third year and time, I sold it Before I got it wet :lol:
Only did the wood twice.
Attachments
Gregor.JPG
Gregor.JPG (44.69 KiB) Viewed 613 times
Racking up; And Rapin foam
User avatar
twisted lines
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1218
Images: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:37 am
Location: Jefferson
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby twisted lines » Mon May 02, 2022 4:18 pm

S. Heisley wrote:I think I remember Grant Whipp (of the now defunct Lil Bear trailers and parts) saying that he used a little car wax or car polish to shine the aluminum back up. Does anybody else remember that?


It does work, Mothers mag polish works good too. Stop @ 800 and water works good (front to rear) use it to wash it as well.
After that much work you may learn it looks great ;)
Racking up; And Rapin foam
User avatar
twisted lines
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1218
Images: 2
Joined: Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:37 am
Location: Jefferson
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby halfdome, Danny » Mon May 02, 2022 7:53 pm

Back in 2007 I polished the aluminum on my first build with a Cyclo Polisher and Blackfire heavy cut aluminum compound followed with the fine cut aluminum polish.
The Cyclo Polisher is quite spendy but it does an excellent job.
This is one of the reasons I stay away from mill finish aluminum.
Anodized aluminum is so easy to maintain.
:D Danny
ImageImage
"Conditions are never just right. People who delay action until all factors are favorable do nothing". William Feather
Don't accept "It's Good Enough" build to the best of your abilities.
Image
Teardroppers Of Oregon & WashingtonImage
User avatar
halfdome, Danny
*Happy Camper
 
Posts: 5882
Images: 252
Joined: Sun Aug 14, 2005 11:02 pm
Location: Washington , Pew-al-up
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby Wrecit » Tue May 03, 2022 12:25 am

To give you an idea of just how bad my work is here is a before picture of the piece before I took it off the trailer
Image
You hide your conversion and call it stealth. I put mine out in the open and give it a beer.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74635
Wrecit
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 136
Images: 0
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:40 pm
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby Wrecit » Wed May 04, 2022 3:16 pm

Image

Several hours later......

The one on the left is done sanding (up to 800 grit) got some swirls but plan to break out the car buffer and run thru some buffing compound for the finishing touch. The one on the right only has been done with 400 grit so far but my arms are tired so finish up will be another day lol
You hide your conversion and call it stealth. I put mine out in the open and give it a beer.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74635
Wrecit
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 136
Images: 0
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:40 pm
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby Wrecit » Tue May 10, 2022 12:07 pm

Finally done.....sort of
Image

Will do a final buff and wax right before install but it came out much better than expected
You hide your conversion and call it stealth. I put mine out in the open and give it a beer.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74635
Wrecit
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 136
Images: 0
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:40 pm
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby JasenC » Sun May 15, 2022 6:48 pm

They look great, and seem to still be in pretty good shape.
I'll be done when I'm finished, if that's not fast enough, take a number.

Build Thread https://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74269
User avatar
JasenC
The 300 Club
 
Posts: 420
Images: 122
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2021 2:05 am
Location: Snohomish county Wa
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby S. Heisley » Sun May 15, 2022 8:47 pm

Nice! :o
User avatar
S. Heisley
Super Lifetime Member
 
Posts: 8769
Images: 495
Joined: Mon Sep 17, 2007 10:02 am
Location: No. California
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby MickinOz » Wed May 18, 2022 7:28 pm

Being a half breed industrial chemist (OK, I'm actually an assayer by way of a trade), I tend to like my chemical solutions. For heavily soiled aluminium, my preferred option is a phosphoric acid based cleaner before I'd get into it with what ever abrasives seem right to take out the dings and dents..
I like the commercially available gel ones that you brush on, work in with a scrubbing brush, and hose off.
MickinOz
1000 Club
1000 Club
 
Posts: 1254
Images: 3
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2019 3:54 pm
Location: Somewhere, in 379,725 square miles of South Australia
Top

Re: I HATE ALUMINUM

Postby Wrecit » Thu May 19, 2022 10:26 am

Animals, pets, children, and a tree hugging wife made aggressive chemicals not an option. I used a slightly tamer version and after following directions it barely looked like I did anything on the test area (even doubled recommended time in a second test)
You hide your conversion and call it stealth. I put mine out in the open and give it a beer.

viewtopic.php?f=50&t=74635
Wrecit
Teardrop Master
 
Posts: 136
Images: 0
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2021 4:40 pm
Top


Return to General Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests