Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Hi,
Hope I haven't missed this post elsewhere. I'm cleaning my salvaged aluminum windows and have found that S.O.S. pads seem to be working pretty well for removing the general crud and oxidation. Does anyone know of a good product to use to use for final polishing and to help keep the aluminum from oxidizing again in a salt-water air environment?
Thanks
Kris

Mother's works very well for polishing aluminum. Don't know how it does as a salt air preservative, though.

Thanks Dean. If I can get whatever is stuck on the glass to come off, I'll get some Mother's and try it on the aluminum. I think I remember someone else recommending it, too, from a previous post awhile back.
Kris

If you want something to clean stuff off the windows, try Goof Off by Lilly Industries out of Michigan. I got mine at Ace Hardware. It works. (Open a window!!)

Marvin

Thanks Marvin!.
Kris

Hey KA,

I was on the Airstream forum a while back and they were discussing polishing aluminum. They said to avoid SOS pads on the aluminum. Those and steel wool will have very tiny pieces of steel that will acually embed themselves in the aluminum. Normal rinsing will not get rid of them. They will show up as tiny rust spots in even the best polished aluminum.

Of course, those guys are a bit fussier than most. They wouldn't consider Mothers. And hand polishing is out. You have to own your own Cyclo.

There was another thread on here about polishing aluminum. They talked about a product from DriWashGuard.com. I've made an order and should be getting it in pretty soon.

I have been experimenting with a "HOMEBREW ALUMINUM POLISH" and I must say the results are very favorable. I did the Google search - and there is even a guy on ebay that is selling the recipe.

Basically you will need a brick of buffing compound - they are generally available at Truck Stops (picked mine up in Jersey) The compound is about 2.5 pounds in weight and about 10 inch long.

First let me say - this is work - and don't expect that you will rub this stuff on and poof - SHINY. My aluminum was pretty scratched up so I first had the boys sand the surface starting with 400 grit and going up to about 1500 grit. Once the surface was prepared I then made the polish.

To make the polish first go to your local Good Will/Slavation Army Thrift store and pick up a 4qt pot / with a cover, a funnel and a plastic scraper. DO NOT USE ANY KITCHEN STUFF - your significant other will KILL YOU - YOU WILL DIE!!! And make this stuff outside. So you are going to need either a campstove or a single electric burner.

The recipe:

1 gallon of mineral spirts
1 large Juice bottle - big Gator bottle
1 brick of buffing compound
I used a green - which is a general purpose compound and will cut most oxidation and leave a pretty shiny surface. And a white to get a mirror finish.

Take a hammer and break the compound up into pieces. Then place your pot on the burner and add about 1qt to 1.5 qts of mineral spirts. Add the compound and turn on the heat. Using a stiring stick melt the compound. (Keep the cover close by in case of flair ups) BE CAREFUL!!! Once the compond has completely melted take it off the heat (I found it takes about 10minuyes to do this) Put the cover on and let it cool. Place the cooled polish into your juice bottle - and use your scraper to get all the stuff out of the pot.

To use :

You will need:
Plenty of rags - I bought 50 red shop clothes (Handy Hint is to first wash the shop rags before you use them - they still may have red dye in them)
Remainder of your Mineral spirts

Shake your juice container real good. Pour a little out onto your rag. And start to rub the surface. You will notice that the polish will start to turn black - it is working. A little bit goes a long way. Continue to rub - get a stuborn stain rub a little harder. Once you have covered a area - (I like to work in a 2foot square) use a cloth or paper towels - damped with mineral spirts and wipe the black haze off. Let it dry - and then using a clean cloth buff off the haze a reveal your shine. Continue to your next section. You may have to go back over this again. Once you are all done - clean the top - soap and water and apply a good coating of wax - don't use cheap stuff (you worked hard to this point) and buff it out.

You will need to experiment with the recipe to find the right consistence for the polish.

I will try and put up a pictorial of what I did and the before and after shots.

Questions - let me know

Bill

Hi Bill and Stan,
Thanks for the info. Oh boy, I used a lot of SOS on my window sliders. Hope they don't pit and rust. I wouldn't be surprised about the pitting, tho. The pads dissolved really fast and the fibers must have gone somewhere.
It will be interesting to hear how your recipe turns out.
Kris

BillyL

Did you block sand the Al? Do you think you could use a DA sander instead?

Mc

Mc-

Since we have the Al on the top side and the boys are young (16yo) they used palm sanders and sanded with the grain. And at tmes had to do some hand work. I would say it took about 4hours to complete- 400 grit to 2000 grit.

The polish was then done over several days. This is hand work - tried a buffer and that didn't work to well. Now I am going over the surface with the white polish - this will give the mirror finish.

Hope this helps

Bill