Airstream Polishing Kit - Large (Over 24 foot - estimate)

Same great kit as the smaller Airstream kit but comes with an extra 8" buffing wheel, 2 extra  4" buffing wheels, and an additional Pink polishing compound. Additional supplies can be ordered separately if needed. 

Airstream Polishing Kit #799L – Larger size 

Product Information  

Size 2 – For Airstreams over 24ft in Length. (NOTE:This really depends on the condition of the aluminum. If the aluminum is in fairly good shape the smaller kit may be sufficient)  

This Jestco Products Kit is excellent for removing scratches and polishing aluminum Airstream campers, boats, aircraft and more, to a mirror finish. By buffing the surface with a high speed buffer the pits are actually smoothed out making the surface a mirror finish This same kit is also excellent for truck tanks,  aluminum or mag wheels, diamond plate, stainless and more.  

Most Airstream polishing articles you will read indicate that polishing a camper will take anywhere from 250 to 600 hrs using conventional car type buffers. After many test trials and studying the methods used by other aircraft and Airstream polishers Jestco Products has developed the following process and was able to buff the Airstream shown to a mirror finish in less than 40 hours with much better results. We use the following material and  process.  

Size 2 - Set includes:  

INSTRUCTIONS:

Buffing an Airstream in less than 40hrs - (17ft-Caravel model)  

Hello Friends,

  Thanks for your interest in the Jestco Products Airstream Buffing Kit. This kit has been used by hundreds of Airstream owners worldwide and continues to be the quickest way to achieve a mirror finish on your classic camper. Most campers can be polished in less than 40 hours depending on the condition of the aluminum skin. After discussing and studying the methods used by other aircraft and Airstream polishers, we have developed the following process which should enable you to buff and polish your Airstream  to a mirror finish in  less than 40 hours.

Below is an excellent link to a customer who uses our products:

http://www.southernantique.com/polishing-instructions.html

Airstream Polishing Instructions:

1. Remove clear coat (equipment needed: paint stripper, plastic scrapper, paint brush, non-abrasive scrub brush, safety glasses, gloves, water bucket, baking soda, water hose.)
   1. Using an automotive paint stripper, I use aircraft stripper from automotive paint supply stores, brush on surface and scrap with scrap blade before it dries.
   2. Wash and dry. This process usually takes 2 applications.
   3. Once the clear coat is gone wash section with baking soda to neutralize the stripper.
2. Pressure wash surface with water and mild detergent.
3. Buffing (equipment needed: side grinder, buffing wheels, Polishing rouge, abrasive compound, mineral spirits, lots of rags)
   1. Start at the rear of the camper. Your Airstream will require more attention to the front of the camper because of the pitting and road debris and will usually take more patience than the rear. Use mineral spirits to clean the surface, especially around the rivets. This process cleans the porous metal and brightens the surface.
   2. Start with one of the 8” soft buffs. Apply the grey abrasive compound to the edge of the buff. Polish the surface using the grey abrasive compound with a side grinder/right angle grinder (1800-3600rpm range) Polish an 8 inch square section at a time using moderate to light pressure. Work the surface from the right to left direction while moving the buffer upwards. This will keep the surface cool and produce a smoother finish. After each section apply more compound. Lightly overlap the previous section each time.
   3. After every 4-8 applications with the compound, use the buffing rake to clean out the contamination and soften the buff. (Hang-on tight). I usually mount the rake to a board and lean it up against a wall. (This is definitely the dirty part of the process. Use a strong fan to blow away the dust if possible when raking)
   4. Use mineral spirits to clean the excess compound from the surface, especially around the rivets.
   5. Repeat the above steps (a-d) using the 8” soft buff and the Pink Polishing rouge.
   6. Use the same process outlined in step (a-d) with the smaller buffs to detail around the windows vents and lower trim areas
4. Final polishing(equipment needed– orbital car buffer prefer cyclo buffer, Blue Wenol polish, soft cotton rags)
5. Buffing in step 3 leaves a mirror finish but does leave some swirl marks. This step remove the swirls and brightens the surface.
   1. Using the buffer wrapped in the cotton cloth apply a small amount of Blue Wenol polish to face of buffer (about the size of a quarter). Buff an area about 2 sq. ft. at a time until the polish is about 90% gone.(shake bottle until you hear the ball rattle) 
   2.  Lay a microfiber cloth over the buffer to remove the remainder of Blue Wenol from surface. This will give you a very deep shine 
6. Waxing/Sealing –Use a good carnuba wax to seal the surface. Wax can also be applied using the car buffer listed in step 4. 

Notes:  

• The polishing should not be performed in the direct sunlight. This tends to dry the compound quickly and cause haziness. 
• Ensure that the surface remains clean and free from dirt or any contaminants which could scratch the surface.  
• Clean buffs regularly with rake as buffs become glazed over or if buffing surface gets too hard.  
• Take care around the windows. Excessive heat could crack the glass.  
• Caution !!!!! Always wear gloves, eye protection and respirator when buffing.!!!!! Caution