theresa
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from Northern Maine ~ Proud new owner of Lola, a 1960 Shasta Airflyte and Pearl, a 1962 Mobile Scout
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Post by theresa on Sept 16, 2020 7:28:41 GMT -8
I put this in the paint section, but it's really an anti-paint question? So maybe should be in the Shasta section? Anywhooo.... I've ordered all new skins from Hemet for my Airflyte. My intent was to do what nccamper did and do a painted Z stripe in the color of the lower half. But my buyer reallllly wants aluminum. I know some people have had varying degrees of luck with different aluminum tapes and even painting on a Z in an aluminum color. Thoughts? Real life experiences? Links to products? |
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John Palmer
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Hi, From a vintage trailer guy located in Santa Ana, CA. It's good to see lots of activity here.
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Post by John Palmer on Sept 16, 2020 9:12:59 GMT -8
Well as you would expect there's many different views on this topic.
I have had many different "polished aluminum" trailers. Some used the pre-polished skins from Hemet Valley, and the current one is a 70 year old oxidized riveted Spartan that I fully polished, and re-polish yearly.
You will need to re-polish yearly any polished trailer (or part of) that sits outside. It's not that difficult on a 100% fully polished trailer, but it's hard to re-polish a trailer that has graphics painted "next to" a polished surface. The issue is the point of demarcation. If you tape over the paint to protect it from the abrasive polish the paint or the pin strip gets damaged when you pull the tape. I have this problem on my Spartan where the $80 decal is placed over the polished skin during it's annual re-polish.
I'm currently building a Aljo and it will have new pre-polished skins installed. It will then be painted in a two tone green graphic. It will be a PITA to re-polish each year.
If you asked me, I would not mix polished metal skins next to paint. I would do the strip in automotive single stage paint, on a painted skin, it would stay nice looking with minimal maintenance.
But, the polished skin, or the polished graphic's sure looks nice, if you have a darker contrasting accent color. IMO, you also need to have a very bright contrasting pin strip color to set off the polished skin from the trim color. One Shot makes great UV rated sign paint in a million shades.
If you have The Illustrated Field Guide to Vintage Trailers, look at page 222. I built the 1958 Mallard pictured, using Hemet Valley pre-polished skins, a dark avocado green Mallard graphic, with a bright gold yellow One Shot pin strip. The steel door was powder coated in silver grey. The trailer also has embossed polished aluminum installed as a rock guard. All lettering was painted-on. The only sticker is the "Palmer Boys" sticker on the tongue.
John
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theresa
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from Northern Maine ~ Proud new owner of Lola, a 1960 Shasta Airflyte and Pearl, a 1962 Mobile Scout
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Post by theresa on Sept 16, 2020 9:35:46 GMT -8
I should have also indicated that my skins will be the polar white from Hemet, not the polished.
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Post by vikx on Sept 16, 2020 10:51:30 GMT -8
I like my Zs polished. They don't have to be highly polished, just clean and showing the aluminum. The upkeep on a tiny strip isn't as bad as polished skins...
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Sept 16, 2020 12:58:52 GMT -8
I once did an experiment trying to clean off the Hemet Polar white to create a aluminum Z.
It didn't go well. The stripper melts the tape...any tape...and the white refuses to come off.
The only way to easily remove polar white is with a torch which doesn't help your cause.
Starting with raw aluminum and painting above and below the Z is the only thing that's worked for me.
I agree with the above comment...if starting with Hemet polar white, I'd paint the Z.
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theresa
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from Northern Maine ~ Proud new owner of Lola, a 1960 Shasta Airflyte and Pearl, a 1962 Mobile Scout
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Post by theresa on Sept 16, 2020 16:56:29 GMT -8
That said nccamper (about painting the Z), do you have any experience with that? I saw your thread about stripping the paint, which is what made me do a complete 180 from that idea! |
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John Palmer
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Post by John Palmer on Sept 16, 2020 17:03:27 GMT -8
Why create extra work for yourself? The Polar White is just paint applied to aluminum. Sand it off with some 320, sand out the scratches with 400 grit, and then polish it. Use the black bar emery for your first cut, then green bar for the color cut to remove the swirl marks. It will shine right up. I would pin strip it when done.
John
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Sept 16, 2020 17:28:57 GMT -8
I painted more of a design Z.
I tried sanding the Z as John mentioned. It works but it's slow going and the tape can only be roughed-up so much before it loses it's fine line.
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theresa
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from Northern Maine ~ Proud new owner of Lola, a 1960 Shasta Airflyte and Pearl, a 1962 Mobile Scout
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Post by theresa on Oct 5, 2020 6:48:14 GMT -8
To revive this thread, has anyone used any of the "shiny" tapes? I thought I had read somewhere that someone had used it. I'm wondering to what degree of success? It sure seems like a simpler step than either paining the stripe or stripping and polishing.
Edited to Add: I'm not discounting all thoughts and suggestions that have previously been written by those with lots of experience. I just like to be an informed builder/consumer and have all information at my disposal before making my decision. I want to factor in all variables: cost, ease of use, durability, aesthetics, future maintenance, etc. I fully understand that what's perfect for one person might not be for another, and budgets and time constraints, though they shouldn't dictate every part of a build, can vary from person to person.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Oct 5, 2020 13:57:19 GMT -8
I never painted the Z. It is definitely doable but the way John suggested (above) seems like the easiest way to go.
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nccamper
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Post by nccamper on Oct 11, 2020 4:17:16 GMT -8
Theresa, I must be losing it. I have painted just a Z with no other painting done on the camper. For some reason I thought you were asking if I painted a Z while painting the entire camper.
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carlc
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Post by carlc on Sept 28, 2021 20:01:00 GMT -8
nccamper,
What color paint did you use and where did you get it? I love that color.
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