The Decision
The decision to polish an Airstream Trailer should not be taken lightly. Once stripping is started there is
no turning back. One of the major considerations in the decision making process is the fact that
maintenance of the polished finish is an on-going activity.
Some think that clearcoating after polishing is an option to maintenance. I understand from those who
should know, that clearcoat does not adhere well to a polished surface and will probably fail early.
Other considerations are cost, time and energy requirements. For example, it took me about 200 hours to
strip and polish my 31ft trailer. That initial task gave me a shine on a scale of 1 to 10 of about 7. The cost
in materials ran about $900. This may seem high, but consider that to have it done professionally runs
from $120 to $150 a linear foot. The length calculation includes the hitch and bumper. You also get the
pride of doing it yourself and you gain an intimacy with your unit that is hard to come by otherwise.
Each time a maintenance polishing is done, the finish will gradually improve to an 8 or 8.5. A 10 is a
mirror shine. That is very difficult to achieve and the time it takes to go from a 7 to a 10 is logarithmic and
is probably beyond that with which most people are satisfied. Be assured that to most people a 7 is a mirror
shine. But if you look closely you will see scratches that would not be there in a true mirror shine.
While the maintenance will take about one tenth of the time it takes to do the initial stripping and
polishing, it is still a labor-intensive task. How often the repolishing must be done is a function of where
you live. In general, repolishing once a year is required. If you live close to the ocean or in areas of acid
rain, plan on every 3-4 months. Washing should be done every couple of weeks, especially if it rains. Water
spotting can be washed off if a good sealer or wax is used after each repolishing. Maintenance polishing can
be done for about $150 per polishing.
Preparation
Before starting the project read all of the material on www.perfectpolish.com then go to www.
airstreamforums.com and do a search on ‘POLISHING’. These provide a wealth of information to digest.
Strippers
There are several stripping agents on the market that will take the clearcoat off the aluminum. I have
found that Aircraft Remover by Klean-Strip did the most thorough job. It can be purchased at automotive
paint stores for about $25 a gallon. 2-3 gallons will do most Airstreams. The plastic paddle is used to
remove the paint after the stripper has loosened it.
I have heard of a product that is better than Aircraft Stripper. It's called SV-35\AC and is made by Napier
Environmental Technologies. It can be ordered it at www.aircraftspruce.com
Polishes
There are several polishes available. The two most popular are Rolite and Nuvite. I have only had
experience with Nuvite and from discussions with people, who have used both, it seems Nuvite is the polish
of choice.
Nuvite comes in several grades to be used depending on how much corrosion and oxidation with which you
have to deal.
The following was taken from perfectpolish.com’s application guide.
Description of the Different Grades of Nuvite
Nuvite G6, Coarse grade. Nuvite describes this grade as a "smart abrasive" that provides a quick initial cut
and then breaks down into a fine cut. It is used on badly corroded, chipped or scratched surfaces.
Nuvite F9, Very coarse grade. This grade has large sharp particles that remain sharp and do not break
down during the polishing. It is used on severely corroded finishes or on new aluminum that has a rough
mill finish. Nuvite describes it as a "very heavy cut, for heavy corrosion." For most applications, use the
F7 rather than the F9.
Nuvite F7, Medium-coarse grade. This grade has sharp particles that stay sharp but they are much smaller
than those in the F9 are. It is used on corroded, chipped or scratched surfaces. Nuvite describes it as a
"heavy cut, for heavy corrosion."
Nuvite C, Medium-fine grade. This grade has softer, more rounded particles. It is used on surfaces that are
in relatively good condition with only moderate corrosion.
Nuvite S, Finish polish. This is used after the surfaces have been brought into good condition with the other
grades of Nuvite. It brings out the mirror finish with great depth of image.
The current price per 1lb jar is $48.00 from PerfectPolish. I recommend getting 1lb each of G6 and S, two
pounds of C and 1/4lb of F7. That should do the largest trailer’s initial polishing. The C is used for both
compounding and initial polishing, so more is needed.
Compounders
Compounding Polisher. In general use at least a 1/2in drill polisher. There are automotive
polisher/compounders on the market for $50 or so. These may last for one project. That may be enough
since once the compounding is done, it does not have to redone. Purchase a 7 inch backing plate and
several wool bonnets. These may be washed to remove the aluminum oxide and reused.
Polishers
This MUST be a polisher designed for the purpose. Compounding leaves swirls on the finish and a random
orbital polisher is a must. The best one on the market and the one recommended is the Cyclo Polisher.
These are expensive at about $250, but if you are going to put this much time and effort into the project
then get the one that will do the best job for you. It will be cheaper in the long run. This is the polisher
that you will use for all the maintenance polishing as well, so get the best. The Cyclo also needs a couple of
different bonnets and bonnet covers. See the perfectpolish.com web site.
Polishing Cloths
These are very important and available from PerfectPolish for $45/10 pack. Get at least 4 packs initially.
The cloths can be seen on the PerfectPolish web site. They are made of sweatshirt material and have slits
cut in each corner and on each side. The slits fit over the motor housing and the grip handle of the Cyclo
polisher. The site describes in detail how to use the cloths. Each cloth provides 16 polishing surfaces. The
cloths can be washed and used again. Each cloth can be reused successfully twice. After that the cloth
becomes a bit rough for polishing. Always try to use a fresh cloth for the final application.
Trailer Prep
Remove all reflectors, lenses, lights and insignia that are riveted to the unit. You will need to strip clearcoat
from some of these fixtures. Do not get stripper on plastics or glass. It will melt the plastic and etch the
glass, especially windows.
Wash the trailer thoroughly with a mild detergent.
Stripping the Trailer
The Aircraft Remover is very toxic and requires some precautions.
a. If the work is done inside, use a respirator or be sure there is plenty of ventilation.
b. Use eye protection
c. Use rubber gloves. Dishwashing gloves are sufficient.
d. Keep a hose handy to wash off any stripper that may get on your skin.
e. Do not touch any painted surface with clothing or gloves because the stripper will take the paint off
down to the metal.
STAY AWAY FROM YOUR VERY EXPENSIVE TOW VEHICLE!!!
Pour the stripper into a pint paint can.
Strip an area of about 2-3 feet square.
Apply the stripper with an old paint brush that will easily fit into the can. Allow the stripper to work for 3-
5 minutes and remove with the plastic paddle. Wipe the removed paint and stripper onto an old cloth.
There may be some paint that will not come off on the first attempt. Apply more stripper with the brush
and work the brush on the stubborn area until the paint dissolves, then remove the residue. Flush the
stripped area with water from a hose.
Continue this process until the trailer is stripped.
Polishing the Trailer
There is an outstanding discussion on the techniques of polishing on www.perfectpolish.com .
In essence the following steps must be accomplished.
Compound the trailer with a compounding buffer and Nuvite C. If you get the products from
PerfectPolish, they supply a video tape showing how to compound and polish a Swift aircraft. The
techniques are the same for the Airstream Trailer.
You can compound and then polish an area or a panel, or you can compound the whole trailer then polish
with the Nuvite. I recommend doing a section at a time. The reason has more to do with passion than
technique. If you compound the whole trailer first, you may think “Hey this is a lot of work and it looks
good enough”. But if you do a section at a time and go through all the steps, you will want to bring the
whole coach to the standard set by the first section. Take your time and don’t over-do it. Find the amount
of work you can comfortably do in an hour, afternoon or day and do no more. You don’t want to wear
yourself out.
Compound by placing Nuvite C on the surface in dots of polish about 3 inches apart. Dots are formed by
dipping the index finger into the polish and then touch the surface. Polish must be used sparingly. Too
much and the process is defeated. Next use the compound buffer to spread the polish over the surface, then
turn on the buffer and move the buffer over the surface. The buffer should not turn more than 1000-1200
rpm. If it turns faster, then move the buffer at a faster pace to keep from heating up the aluminum surface
to the point of scorching it.
You will now be introduced to aluminum oxide, which will become very familiar from here on. Aluminum
oxide is the black mess that forms during the cleaning process. Continue to pass the buffer over the surface
until the black gunk begins to disappear and disappear it will. If it doesn’t, you have used too much polish.
As it disappears, the surface begins to shine. When the oxide is almost gone, wipe the area with a cloth to
remove the excess and move to the next area. The aluminum will be left with swirls and scratches, which
will be removed with the polishing process using the various grades of Nuvite and the Cyclo polisher. Wash
the compounded area with water and dry it with a towel. I find The Absorber to be perfect for this purpose.
The wool bonnet on the compounder will become caked with the oxide and will require cleaning. The
bonnets can be cleaned with a device designed for the purpose but eventually the bonnet will have to be
washed and dried. Wash in a mild detergent and dry by placing the wet bonnet on the buffer and turn the
buffer on and let it run until the wool is dry. This takes only a few minutes. Do not do this near anything
that you don’t want getting wet. The first few seconds of this drying process will spray water all over the
place.
Oh yes, wear old clothes. Clothes that you won’t be using again… except for working on the trailer. Don’t
wash the bonnets and cloths in the family clothes washer. Wives have a tendency to become somewhat
testy when they wash their dainties in a washer that has a black filmy residue on the washer tub. At that
point you may be asked to make a difficult choice between losing the wife or polishing the trailer. If
divorce is the only option, be sure to get custody of the trailer. Actually you can wash the cloths in the
washer and dryer. Put them through the wash cycle a couple of times each time you wash them. I wipe
down the washer tub with a towel being sure to get under the rim of the tub where the oxide seems to
accumulate. I then wash my jeans or old clothes to make sure there is no residue in the tub
Compounding leave scratches and swirls. Here begineth the polishing.
For as many people who polish their own trailer, there are that may ways of doing it. Use the Cyclo
polisher with the heads wrapped with the sweatshirt material which is available, as are all the materials, at
perfectpolish.com . Place an M&M size daub of Nuvite “C” on each head. Spread the polish over an area
of about 3ft square, turn on the polisher and commence polishing. I use a back and forth movement. The
polish will turn black with aluminum oxide. Don’t be dismayed. The polish is doing its job. Continue
polishing and the black will begin to disappear. Keep going until it is almost all gone. Then wipe the area
with mineral spirits. You may want to repeat this process with the “C” a couple of more times then move
to the “S” polish. This is a sealer, which has a very little grit, but it really brings out the shine. This time,
instead of using the M&M amount of polish, dip the tip of your finger into the polish and touch the finger
to the area to be polished at about 3 inch intervals. Spread the polish using the Cyclo then turn it on and
start the polishing. Polish until the black disappears and wipe down with mineral spirits on a microfiber
cloth. This removes any black oxide that may be left. Special attention must be given to the rivet heads.
Oxide will build up in the depression around the rivets and that must be cleaned off. If left, it will become
very hard. The only way to get it off then is to address each rivet head with mineral spirits and a tooth
brush. This is time consuming and labor intensive… like the rest of the process isn’t! If you allow this to
happen, you will become intimate with every inch and rivet of your trailer.
A word about the new microfiber cloth. FANTASTIC! You can rub the aluminum surface as hard as you
want and they will not scratch the surface. You can find them in automotive chain stores in packages of 3
for $5.00. They are well worth the investment. Just don’t drop them in the dirt or grass. They pick up
everything and it clings like Velcro.
Mineral spirits will leave a haze on the finish. I seal the finish with Liquid Gold which is available at most
fine automotive chain stores at $16/pint or use Nu Finish available at the same stores for $6.00 a pint. Wipe
it on, let dry and polish it off with the Cyclo.
The hardest areas to do are the endcaps. They have lights, letters and if you have a 70’s or later, the area
below the rear window is sloped inward making it harder to polish.
Depending on the environment where you live, you will have to redo the polishing from every 3-4 months
if you are near the ocean to every year or so if you live in a dry climate like Arizona’s. Consider moving
to Arizona.
That’s all there is to it. You now have a beautiful trailer, bulging muscles, black fingerprints all over the
doors in the house, and a wife who may be consulting a lawyer. Again and I cannot emphasize this
enough… Get custody of the trailer!
The decision to polish an Airstream Trailer should not be taken lightly. Once stripping is started there is
no turning back. One of the major considerations in the decision making process is the fact that
maintenance of the polished finish is an on-going activity.
Some think that clearcoating after polishing is an option to maintenance. I understand from those who
should know, that clearcoat does not adhere well to a polished surface and will probably fail early.
Other considerations are cost, time and energy requirements. For example, it took me about 200 hours to
strip and polish my 31ft trailer. That initial task gave me a shine on a scale of 1 to 10 of about 7. The cost
in materials ran about $900. This may seem high, but consider that to have it done professionally runs
from $120 to $150 a linear foot. The length calculation includes the hitch and bumper. You also get the
pride of doing it yourself and you gain an intimacy with your unit that is hard to come by otherwise.
Each time a maintenance polishing is done, the finish will gradually improve to an 8 or 8.5. A 10 is a
mirror shine. That is very difficult to achieve and the time it takes to go from a 7 to a 10 is logarithmic and
is probably beyond that with which most people are satisfied. Be assured that to most people a 7 is a mirror
shine. But if you look closely you will see scratches that would not be there in a true mirror shine.
While the maintenance will take about one tenth of the time it takes to do the initial stripping and
polishing, it is still a labor-intensive task. How often the repolishing must be done is a function of where
you live. In general, repolishing once a year is required. If you live close to the ocean or in areas of acid
rain, plan on every 3-4 months. Washing should be done every couple of weeks, especially if it rains. Water
spotting can be washed off if a good sealer or wax is used after each repolishing. Maintenance polishing can
be done for about $150 per polishing.
Preparation
Before starting the project read all of the material on www.perfectpolish.com then go to www.
airstreamforums.com and do a search on ‘POLISHING’. These provide a wealth of information to digest.
Strippers
There are several stripping agents on the market that will take the clearcoat off the aluminum. I have
found that Aircraft Remover by Klean-Strip did the most thorough job. It can be purchased at automotive
paint stores for about $25 a gallon. 2-3 gallons will do most Airstreams. The plastic paddle is used to
remove the paint after the stripper has loosened it.
I have heard of a product that is better than Aircraft Stripper. It's called SV-35\AC and is made by Napier
Environmental Technologies. It can be ordered it at www.aircraftspruce.com
Polishes
There are several polishes available. The two most popular are Rolite and Nuvite. I have only had
experience with Nuvite and from discussions with people, who have used both, it seems Nuvite is the polish
of choice.
Nuvite comes in several grades to be used depending on how much corrosion and oxidation with which you
have to deal.
The following was taken from perfectpolish.com’s application guide.
Description of the Different Grades of Nuvite
Nuvite G6, Coarse grade. Nuvite describes this grade as a "smart abrasive" that provides a quick initial cut
and then breaks down into a fine cut. It is used on badly corroded, chipped or scratched surfaces.
Nuvite F9, Very coarse grade. This grade has large sharp particles that remain sharp and do not break
down during the polishing. It is used on severely corroded finishes or on new aluminum that has a rough
mill finish. Nuvite describes it as a "very heavy cut, for heavy corrosion." For most applications, use the
F7 rather than the F9.
Nuvite F7, Medium-coarse grade. This grade has sharp particles that stay sharp but they are much smaller
than those in the F9 are. It is used on corroded, chipped or scratched surfaces. Nuvite describes it as a
"heavy cut, for heavy corrosion."
Nuvite C, Medium-fine grade. This grade has softer, more rounded particles. It is used on surfaces that are
in relatively good condition with only moderate corrosion.
Nuvite S, Finish polish. This is used after the surfaces have been brought into good condition with the other
grades of Nuvite. It brings out the mirror finish with great depth of image.
The current price per 1lb jar is $48.00 from PerfectPolish. I recommend getting 1lb each of G6 and S, two
pounds of C and 1/4lb of F7. That should do the largest trailer’s initial polishing. The C is used for both
compounding and initial polishing, so more is needed.
Compounders
Compounding Polisher. In general use at least a 1/2in drill polisher. There are automotive
polisher/compounders on the market for $50 or so. These may last for one project. That may be enough
since once the compounding is done, it does not have to redone. Purchase a 7 inch backing plate and
several wool bonnets. These may be washed to remove the aluminum oxide and reused.
Polishers
This MUST be a polisher designed for the purpose. Compounding leaves swirls on the finish and a random
orbital polisher is a must. The best one on the market and the one recommended is the Cyclo Polisher.
These are expensive at about $250, but if you are going to put this much time and effort into the project
then get the one that will do the best job for you. It will be cheaper in the long run. This is the polisher
that you will use for all the maintenance polishing as well, so get the best. The Cyclo also needs a couple of
different bonnets and bonnet covers. See the perfectpolish.com web site.
Polishing Cloths
These are very important and available from PerfectPolish for $45/10 pack. Get at least 4 packs initially.
The cloths can be seen on the PerfectPolish web site. They are made of sweatshirt material and have slits
cut in each corner and on each side. The slits fit over the motor housing and the grip handle of the Cyclo
polisher. The site describes in detail how to use the cloths. Each cloth provides 16 polishing surfaces. The
cloths can be washed and used again. Each cloth can be reused successfully twice. After that the cloth
becomes a bit rough for polishing. Always try to use a fresh cloth for the final application.
Trailer Prep
Remove all reflectors, lenses, lights and insignia that are riveted to the unit. You will need to strip clearcoat
from some of these fixtures. Do not get stripper on plastics or glass. It will melt the plastic and etch the
glass, especially windows.
Wash the trailer thoroughly with a mild detergent.
Stripping the Trailer
The Aircraft Remover is very toxic and requires some precautions.
a. If the work is done inside, use a respirator or be sure there is plenty of ventilation.
b. Use eye protection
c. Use rubber gloves. Dishwashing gloves are sufficient.
d. Keep a hose handy to wash off any stripper that may get on your skin.
e. Do not touch any painted surface with clothing or gloves because the stripper will take the paint off
down to the metal.
STAY AWAY FROM YOUR VERY EXPENSIVE TOW VEHICLE!!!
Pour the stripper into a pint paint can.
Strip an area of about 2-3 feet square.
Apply the stripper with an old paint brush that will easily fit into the can. Allow the stripper to work for 3-
5 minutes and remove with the plastic paddle. Wipe the removed paint and stripper onto an old cloth.
There may be some paint that will not come off on the first attempt. Apply more stripper with the brush
and work the brush on the stubborn area until the paint dissolves, then remove the residue. Flush the
stripped area with water from a hose.
Continue this process until the trailer is stripped.
Polishing the Trailer
There is an outstanding discussion on the techniques of polishing on www.perfectpolish.com .
In essence the following steps must be accomplished.
Compound the trailer with a compounding buffer and Nuvite C. If you get the products from
PerfectPolish, they supply a video tape showing how to compound and polish a Swift aircraft. The
techniques are the same for the Airstream Trailer.
You can compound and then polish an area or a panel, or you can compound the whole trailer then polish
with the Nuvite. I recommend doing a section at a time. The reason has more to do with passion than
technique. If you compound the whole trailer first, you may think “Hey this is a lot of work and it looks
good enough”. But if you do a section at a time and go through all the steps, you will want to bring the
whole coach to the standard set by the first section. Take your time and don’t over-do it. Find the amount
of work you can comfortably do in an hour, afternoon or day and do no more. You don’t want to wear
yourself out.
Compound by placing Nuvite C on the surface in dots of polish about 3 inches apart. Dots are formed by
dipping the index finger into the polish and then touch the surface. Polish must be used sparingly. Too
much and the process is defeated. Next use the compound buffer to spread the polish over the surface, then
turn on the buffer and move the buffer over the surface. The buffer should not turn more than 1000-1200
rpm. If it turns faster, then move the buffer at a faster pace to keep from heating up the aluminum surface
to the point of scorching it.
You will now be introduced to aluminum oxide, which will become very familiar from here on. Aluminum
oxide is the black mess that forms during the cleaning process. Continue to pass the buffer over the surface
until the black gunk begins to disappear and disappear it will. If it doesn’t, you have used too much polish.
As it disappears, the surface begins to shine. When the oxide is almost gone, wipe the area with a cloth to
remove the excess and move to the next area. The aluminum will be left with swirls and scratches, which
will be removed with the polishing process using the various grades of Nuvite and the Cyclo polisher. Wash
the compounded area with water and dry it with a towel. I find The Absorber to be perfect for this purpose.
The wool bonnet on the compounder will become caked with the oxide and will require cleaning. The
bonnets can be cleaned with a device designed for the purpose but eventually the bonnet will have to be
washed and dried. Wash in a mild detergent and dry by placing the wet bonnet on the buffer and turn the
buffer on and let it run until the wool is dry. This takes only a few minutes. Do not do this near anything
that you don’t want getting wet. The first few seconds of this drying process will spray water all over the
place.
Oh yes, wear old clothes. Clothes that you won’t be using again… except for working on the trailer. Don’t
wash the bonnets and cloths in the family clothes washer. Wives have a tendency to become somewhat
testy when they wash their dainties in a washer that has a black filmy residue on the washer tub. At that
point you may be asked to make a difficult choice between losing the wife or polishing the trailer. If
divorce is the only option, be sure to get custody of the trailer. Actually you can wash the cloths in the
washer and dryer. Put them through the wash cycle a couple of times each time you wash them. I wipe
down the washer tub with a towel being sure to get under the rim of the tub where the oxide seems to
accumulate. I then wash my jeans or old clothes to make sure there is no residue in the tub
Compounding leave scratches and swirls. Here begineth the polishing.
For as many people who polish their own trailer, there are that may ways of doing it. Use the Cyclo
polisher with the heads wrapped with the sweatshirt material which is available, as are all the materials, at
perfectpolish.com . Place an M&M size daub of Nuvite “C” on each head. Spread the polish over an area
of about 3ft square, turn on the polisher and commence polishing. I use a back and forth movement. The
polish will turn black with aluminum oxide. Don’t be dismayed. The polish is doing its job. Continue
polishing and the black will begin to disappear. Keep going until it is almost all gone. Then wipe the area
with mineral spirits. You may want to repeat this process with the “C” a couple of more times then move
to the “S” polish. This is a sealer, which has a very little grit, but it really brings out the shine. This time,
instead of using the M&M amount of polish, dip the tip of your finger into the polish and touch the finger
to the area to be polished at about 3 inch intervals. Spread the polish using the Cyclo then turn it on and
start the polishing. Polish until the black disappears and wipe down with mineral spirits on a microfiber
cloth. This removes any black oxide that may be left. Special attention must be given to the rivet heads.
Oxide will build up in the depression around the rivets and that must be cleaned off. If left, it will become
very hard. The only way to get it off then is to address each rivet head with mineral spirits and a tooth
brush. This is time consuming and labor intensive… like the rest of the process isn’t! If you allow this to
happen, you will become intimate with every inch and rivet of your trailer.
A word about the new microfiber cloth. FANTASTIC! You can rub the aluminum surface as hard as you
want and they will not scratch the surface. You can find them in automotive chain stores in packages of 3
for $5.00. They are well worth the investment. Just don’t drop them in the dirt or grass. They pick up
everything and it clings like Velcro.
Mineral spirits will leave a haze on the finish. I seal the finish with Liquid Gold which is available at most
fine automotive chain stores at $16/pint or use Nu Finish available at the same stores for $6.00 a pint. Wipe
it on, let dry and polish it off with the Cyclo.
The hardest areas to do are the endcaps. They have lights, letters and if you have a 70’s or later, the area
below the rear window is sloped inward making it harder to polish.
Depending on the environment where you live, you will have to redo the polishing from every 3-4 months
if you are near the ocean to every year or so if you live in a dry climate like Arizona’s. Consider moving
to Arizona.
That’s all there is to it. You now have a beautiful trailer, bulging muscles, black fingerprints all over the
doors in the house, and a wife who may be consulting a lawyer. Again and I cannot emphasize this
enough… Get custody of the trailer!
| Airstream-Adventures Polishing an Airstream |
| How to Polish Text |