|
Just wanted to update you on my polishing
progress. Our '62 Globetrotter was HEAVILY oxidized. With former owners, it's
been overseas (Austria), in Wisconsin, at the beach, spent years in the hot
Florida sun and humidity, and was pretty dull. Last week I started polishing at
the rear curbside corner, and worked forward. (I'm using Airmark's Green-Ox: www.airmark.com ). I spent a LOT of time
fussing with dents and scratches, and kind of bounced from area to area as my
enthusiasm would wane for a particular task. I got through the coarse polishing
everywhere except streetside, which I did yesterday.
And that's when I discovered: our little shiny
toaster has been hailed upon! A hard driving sideways hail. From the panel above
the windows down to about chest height, there are small dents covering that side
of the trailer. Small enough that I had never seen them before, although I have
hand washed the trailer and inspected it closely many times. In great detail.
The little dings did not show until it was shiny. I would guess there are close
to 100 of them. The non-original glazing putty on the 2 streetside windows
should have been a clue (they had been broken).
So - I have taken a major step forward in my
goal to be less of a perfectionist, and decided I really don't care about the
dings. It's still beautiful, and at a glance they don't look any different from
the "puckering" around rivets. I got caught outside with my dogs this
Spring in a golfball-sized hailstorm (with no cover - ouch!), so we're all
members of an elite club. I've recovered, the Airstream is OK, and the dogs are
OK ... although they get more worried than they used to when the sky
threatens.
I'll post some tips re: polishing when I'm done.
(I found Roy's very helpful, and I've learned some important things about
buffing/polishing pads in the past week.) The main thing I've learned is that
this is a BIG job, a FILTHY job, and anyone who tackles it would be wise to have
someone nearby to shower them with constant praise no matter what, and deliver
cold drinks regularly. Don't even THINK about going inside to the refrigerator
while you're in the middle of polishing. I've taken on many huge filthy
projects, but this .... this is a new level.
Bob Harper (now with a slightly gray cast,
especially on the forearms)
'62 Globetrotter in SC
|