Stainless Polishing

[chuckd]

Last year I had my stainless polished and was less than enamored with the job that was done.  This year I stopped in a Jack's Truck and Trailer, a repair and tow company.  They have tow trucks!  From huge to a bob cat.  I asked what they used on their stainless and chrome.   This company shows and wins at a lot of Tow Truck shows.  They said Purple Polish from California Custom (in Nebraska, go figure).  I ordered on bottle for $14 to try it out.  Seems to work well, you apply and kinda scrub when you apply and then wipe off and polish.  Will try to get some before and after.

However, I have very little to compare to, so does anyone else have experience with these folks, or are willing to take a chance and get a bottle to compare to how they do the polishing.

Chuckd too soon, to old, to late, smart.

[rcbeam]

ChuckD, by polish do you mean clean and shine or polish as in mirror finish?  My MC8 is grungy and when I get some more of the mechanicals done where I can run her down the road again, I want to give it a good bath and then I wanted to shine the stainless with something to make it look good but I have no desire for the mirror finish thing.... although it looks great, I just don't have the where-with-all to do it or maintain it like that, so regular shiny clean stainless will be fine for me.

So, Chuck does the Purple Polish you mention clean and shine or give a mirror finish?

Also, does anyone know if you can use mild rubbing compound on the stainless to remove all the stain and grime and bring it back to original?

Is posting my questions in Chuck's thread hijacking?

[Ed Hackenbruch]

I guess it would depend on whether or not you are asking for a ransom.

[robertglines1]

Takes allot of work to get first shine but is fairly easy to maintain afterwards. I start with sand paper up to 2000 grit then start polishing with buffing compound.No free magic solutions here just allot of work.Some use buffing compound from the beginning. I have had better luck with the sand paper approach starting in steps from 1000 up to 2000 before compound.  Bob

[PP]

My stainless looked like anodized aluminum when I first purchased the beast. I started with 400 grit and worked my way up to the 2000 grit before advancing to the buffing wheels and a series of 3 different compounds. It took me almost 2 years of wet sanding, but she sure looks pretty now! And like Bob said, once you get it to that mirror finish, it doesn't take much to maintain it. Now I just have to put a little compound on a wooly pad mounted on the cordless drill and within an hour she looks like a mirror again Of course, I wash it first. Good luck, Will

[chev49]

sometimes you have to start with 400 grit... or one time i started with a 36 grit wheel on a pitted panel on aluminum... and i normally go to 2000.. Same with plastics, color sanding paint n the like, cept for the media used.

[luvrbus]

3M extra cut 3000 takes a lot of work out of polishing the stainless siding to a mirror finish so does a 2500 or 3000 grit diamond wet pad


good luck 

[robertglines1]

Had for gotten about the 2500 and 3000 have used them in 3 inch disc on 90 degree air grinder/pad with velcro pad. Boy they really fly when they come loose LOL. 

[RICH GREGG]

Soon as I get her all back to stainless looking forward to trying all these tips thanks guys
Richard

[rusty]

I use California custom products on my Eagle both the aluminum and stainless steel. It works good but I started with shiny surfaces. I polish the bus three or four times a year. I use to use Mothers products but I think California products are better. It also keeps the anodized aluminum a lot brighter.

Good Luck Wayne

[RICH GREGG]

It is a good thing the stainless has been covered since new so in wow when paint is removed looks new can't wait to mirrow shine dreaming in MD. Richard

[chuckd]

When I see my friends tow trucks being shined I always ask him: "don't you know the sign of a good tow truck is that it is dirty!"
When I asked about Calif Custom I did so because it was easy to use.  If I spent 40 hours polishing my stainless I would be in the loony bin.  My ADD kicks in after about an hour!  My stainless ends up being bright but not a mirror, guess I will have to rethink buffing etc.  When I searched a few months ago, some one mentioned using a particular 3M buffing pad.  Does anyone use 3M pads, and do you have the number?

thanks for all the resonses

chuckd - who would much rather be driving the bus than polishing it - dirt is good 

[robertglines1]

lots of work first time! after that not much at all. But first time is a bear.sorry no short cut here.Sub out first time maybe.

[Ed Hackenbruch]

PO did mine in Mexico sometime in the mid 1980s.  Said it took two guys a week using buffers and jewelers rouge and cost him $200.  I asked him what i needed to do to maintain it and he said, "wash it once in awhile".  i said "is that all?",  and he said that i could wax it if i wanted to.   I wash it about twice a year and use Turtle Wax Wash & Shine".  Dump some in a bucket with water, wash it, rinse it off and forget it. Have never hand waxed it or used a buffer on it.  I have learned that when i open a bay door on the sunny side of the bus, to close my eyes so i don't blind myself.   Even when it is dirty people have remarked on how shiny it is.

[robertglines1]

The sanding cuts time by more than 1/2 or more but still takes many hrs and is messy. I use same spotless wash we use on boat and that's all to keep shinny.