Lee, thank you so much. I was using the black silicon carbide paper, but fortunately, had not gone very far. The marks are mostly where the 6" wide light blue stripe is underneath the windows. The large area from the storage compartments up, is not so bad. I'll be painting the lower area, where the storage compartment doors are, a different color, probably aluminum, and then coating that with a clear guard of some sort to protect against chips. BTW, where can I buy Nuvite F-7?
Jim

Best price for all Nuvite products & accessories is at: www.perfectpolish.com (free shipping too!)

A little goes a long way.....start with a 1/4 lb container of F-7....you'll probably have left-overs. When applying, error on the side of too little rather than too much...excess polish just lubes-up the surface and slows up the
process....A couple micro-fiber towels for hand rubbing will complete the process.

(Hint: Remove black smut from around rivet heads right after polishing....if you wait until the next day, you'll need a jackhammer! (Something I learned the hard way years ago

quote:

That Swift looks spectacular!

Owned by an AirBus driver from NJ......he figures about 300+ manhours involved getting to final finish....underwings & belly have the same luster.
...Made my Barth look like it just got a new coat of gray metal primer

I'd guess he needs to look over his tie-down spots, lest he start the woods on fire

When we see your Barth remind us to bring the sun glasses.

Lee, every time I see your rig I feel slovenly.

Jim:

When sanding aluminum motorcycle wheel hubs before polishing I have found using wet and dry 1000 grit, with water, WD40 or the lube of your choice and then switching to the polish was not a bad deal. Sanding with 400 or 600 is good for a quicker cut but switch to the 1000 prior to polish time.


So the fact you have sanded is not the end of the world.

I do agree with Lee the people at perfect polish have been very nice when I have called them.

Timothy

P.S. I started to polish parts of the Barth and then in rather short order developed a taste and love for "French Anodizing", we Americans call it corrosion.

P.P.S. I read that Airstream put a plating of pure aluminum on the skins of their trailers and that is why they polish up so nicely. The small areas of our Barth I started to polish came out OK but it was no mirror.

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The small areas of our Barth I started to polish came out OK but it was no mirror.

Time, patience, aggravation, effort, sweat and money will improve that Timothy....(Notice that words like fun and enjoyment are missing

Airstreams do polish-out faster than Barth aluminum.....but some folks who try it on post-1965 units don't realize they need to chemically strip the clearcoat first - makes for a real mess if ya try to polish aluminum underneath a soft plyable polymer coating.....I'd bet there's a lot more 5% polished Airstreams out there than units that are 100% polished

I will be attempting this with my 73. Wouldn't have it any other way!

Have any pics before you do your yearly polish? I want to see how bad it gets. I started on a couple of sections... not too bad. Need the right stuff (F-7 Nuvite II) you think for an initial polish 1/4 pound will do it? Did you go strait to the Fine polish, or do you go through stages?

I have a 7" sander/buffer/polisher, and a Griot's Random Orbital... does wonders on paint, wondering if the dual head is essential, or if I can get away with the Griot's machine?

(Sorry to bring this post back from the dead)

No need to be sorry! Every now and then I pull up this thread just to look at the pics of Lee's Barth. AMAZING! I have also pulled over in campgrounds a couple of times to admire the work of owners of old Airstreams afflicted with the same polishing mania as Lee.

Hi vdubnut, Always glad to see another Barth polishing project...kind of a misery-loves-company scenario

Here's some basic info, observations and opinions:

How fast a surface deteriorates after polishing is primarily a function of the surface cross-section. The smoother the surface (microscopically), the less opportunity for oxidation to take place in the nooks and crannies. (Actually, the smoother the surface, the less surface area you have!) How long the shine remains "acceptable" is subjective, based on your own opinion, combined with exposure to local ambient air quality, humidity, acid rain, inside/outside storage, etc. Generally, a good quality polish job should last anywhere from 1-5 years, with some relatively easy seasonal touch-ups here & there. For me, I use the WOW factor.....when fellow campground guests stop saying "WOW!" when they walk by, I know it's time to start the process anew

Sealing the surface after polishing will extend the life of the project. Polishing purists (mainly aircraft owners) tend to leave their projects unsealed, as any sealer will degrade final luster somewhat. Sealing also adds complexity to touch-ups, requiring the addded step of stripping the sealer. FMI:
http://barthmobile.com/eve/for...=717101153#717101153

Nuvite's F-7 grade is the workhorse of their product line - best grade to accomplish initial cleaning and polishing. For many, it's also the final step when polished out with an orbital polisher. Their Grade "S" can be used as the final finish after F-7, giving a higher luster if desired. In my case, the initial project used F-7, followed by Grades "C", "A" and "S". Once you attain the surface you want, Grade "S" is the only one necessary to maintain the luster - also the easiest & fastest grade to apply.

The dual-head Cyclo polisher is the industry standard for swirl-free final polishing, but any orbital polisher will do the job, maybe just a little slower. The main purpose of random orbital action is to remove the swirl marks left by the fixed-head polisher. Swirl marks on a large flat surface tend to convey an unfinished look and also indicate surface irregularities - the very thing you want to avoid.....

Lot's of info at: www.perfectpolish.com For first timers, their DVD's are worth the purchase.

Misc. Hints:

1. Clean the black smut from rivet heads ASAP (lacquer thinner is good)-Turns to concrete in 24 hrs!
2. Initial compounding pads should be 100% wool, twisted fibers, 3/4"-1" length
3. Micro-fiber rags are best for wipe-downs & touch-ups....cotton tends to impart micro-scratches
4. If you wash rags & pads in family washing machine, execute a pre-nup agreement before you're caught

Good luck......Holler if I can assist (The non-physical type of assistance you understand.....

sounds like someone needs to hit craigslist got to free, type in washing machine . i have one in my shop and i put what ever i want in it

Thanks Lee! I'm sure I'll have more questions along the way. Probably won't try to start (seriously) on this for a couple more months, I hope to have it polished and painted by June as we are taking it to my cousin's wedding.

Have a few things to take care of inside before I attack the exterior, but I'm sure I'll be asking some questions as I go.

I'm going to go with a 1/2 Polish exterior. The top section around the windows is going to be painted to match the interior. (Bustle down in the rear, Hood and below in the front.)

I figure I might be able to get it done in a few weekends.

I have had great success with a product called NuVite
Check the pic. http://www.facebook.com/photo....1987.100001061237541

John, I am not able to see the picture, says it's unavailable or I don't have permission to view it.

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