Patina
- Thread starter AnnaSteve
- Start date
Ours is starting to look pretty grungy, can you wait a few more weeks until it's really bad?
Actually, I Walbernized ours last fall, but it was my 1st attempt so it doesn't look too uniform. You can see some pictures of how it looks in my gallery posts - Side tent shots - none of them are too detailed, though.
Ken
Ken
re: How often to Walbernize
Oh, I see. I'm not sure about how often, but my guess is that Walbernizing once a year will probably do the trick, unless it gets hit with bird droppings or something. Hopefully, somebody with real Walbernizing expertise will jump in here and give us the answer.
Ken
Oh, I see. I'm not sure about how often, but my guess is that Walbernizing once a year will probably do the trick, unless it gets hit with bird droppings or something. Hopefully, somebody with real Walbernizing expertise will jump in here and give us the answer.
Ken
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Here is some new info copied from the Camp-Inn Facebook page:
New News on the cleaning with Walbernize: After extensive testing we learned a few tricks. One of the big problems with the Walbernize is it is intended for a mirror polished surface. The brushed surface of the Camp-Inn, especially if it has ANY pits (either etched or stones) is far from mirror.
The Walbernize seems to get into the microscopic texture of the brushed surface and makes buffing it difficult. The result is darker blotchy areas that never seem to buff out. Any pits make this problem even worse.
Well, here is the trick! After cleaning with Walbernize, wipe off the excess and don't bother with the buffing step.
Instead, take a paper towel, fold it up, and dampen with lacquer thinner. (not wet, just damp) Put the folded towel over the mouth of the container and tip it for just a second.
One simple wipe will remove the Walbernize residue. Flip the paper towel and wipe a new area. Refold and wipe until the towel is used up. Use a fresh towel and lacquer thinner as touch up. (wipe in a single action, not back and forth or circles, experiment, see what works for you.)
The only negative is that it will remove any protective properties of the Walbernize. The original finish is bare aluminum, so it will be returned to the original bare metal state.
We took some pictures and videos of restoring a badly damaged finish, it came out pretty nice. We will be posting them in the not too distant future. (when we get time) This person (who will remain unnamed) used the "Aluminum Cleaner" setting at the car wash without testing it on a small inconspicuous area first. Don't try this at home kids (or anywhere else for that matter)! It made the whole trailer white and blotchy. He kept getting asked if that was one of the old originals.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Craig
Here is some new info copied from the Camp-Inn Facebook page:
New News on the cleaning with Walbernize: After extensive testing we learned a few tricks. One of the big problems with the Walbernize is it is intended for a mirror polished surface. The brushed surface of the Camp-Inn, especially if it has ANY pits (either etched or stones) is far from mirror.
The Walbernize seems to get into the microscopic texture of the brushed surface and makes buffing it difficult. The result is darker blotchy areas that never seem to buff out. Any pits make this problem even worse.
Well, here is the trick! After cleaning with Walbernize, wipe off the excess and don't bother with the buffing step.
Instead, take a paper towel, fold it up, and dampen with lacquer thinner. (not wet, just damp) Put the folded towel over the mouth of the container and tip it for just a second.
One simple wipe will remove the Walbernize residue. Flip the paper towel and wipe a new area. Refold and wipe until the towel is used up. Use a fresh towel and lacquer thinner as touch up. (wipe in a single action, not back and forth or circles, experiment, see what works for you.)
The only negative is that it will remove any protective properties of the Walbernize. The original finish is bare aluminum, so it will be returned to the original bare metal state.
We took some pictures and videos of restoring a badly damaged finish, it came out pretty nice. We will be posting them in the not too distant future. (when we get time) This person (who will remain unnamed) used the "Aluminum Cleaner" setting at the car wash without testing it on a small inconspicuous area first. Don't try this at home kids (or anywhere else for that matter)! It made the whole trailer white and blotchy. He kept getting asked if that was one of the old originals.
Let me know if you have more questions.
Craig
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Craig,
Is there any recommendation for what to do to protect the finish once the lacquer thinner has been used? Or is it a trade off between appearance and/or protection?
Thanks,
Ken
Craig,
Is there any recommendation for what to do to protect the finish once the lacquer thinner has been used? Or is it a trade off between appearance and/or protection?
Thanks,
Ken
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Thanks for the info - I guess it's a good thing I never got around to buying those two buffers.
Caution note on lacquer thinner:
This stuff is not compatible with the human body. A friend of mine was cleaning a paint gun barehanded and injected some into his thumb. He almost died, but they cut off the end of him thumb instead and saved him.
Use good thick latex gloves and even then you get only about ten minutes of use before it eats through the gloves. Replace them often. Just imagine what it would be doing to your hands without them. You may also want to wear safety glasses. It's easy to get some in your eyes when splashing it around on a wet rag and VERY painful.
Thanks for the info - I guess it's a good thing I never got around to buying those two buffers.
Caution note on lacquer thinner:
This stuff is not compatible with the human body. A friend of mine was cleaning a paint gun barehanded and injected some into his thumb. He almost died, but they cut off the end of him thumb instead and saved him.
Use good thick latex gloves and even then you get only about ten minutes of use before it eats through the gloves. Replace them often. Just imagine what it would be doing to your hands without them. You may also want to wear safety glasses. It's easy to get some in your eyes when splashing it around on a wet rag and VERY painful.
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Anna & Steve,
If you look on the Camp-Inn website under Teardrop Trips then under "Walburnize" you will see this picture of a badly stained CI:
Here's the after pic:
It took an hour to get the hatch to this point, but that included using the buffer. If you just did the lacquer thinner after Walburnizing, the total time would be about a half hour.
When Craig finds the pictures of the REALLY bad one that he talked about (that used the car wash aluminum polish) I will post them...It was by FAR much worse than the above one and the after results were pretty amazing.
Our rentals have been Walburnized with the buffer once a year and they stay looking great.
Anna & Steve,
If you look on the Camp-Inn website under Teardrop Trips then under "Walburnize" you will see this picture of a badly stained CI:
Here's the after pic:
It took an hour to get the hatch to this point, but that included using the buffer. If you just did the lacquer thinner after Walburnizing, the total time would be about a half hour.
When Craig finds the pictures of the REALLY bad one that he talked about (that used the car wash aluminum polish) I will post them...It was by FAR much worse than the above one and the after results were pretty amazing.
Our rentals have been Walburnized with the buffer once a year and they stay looking great.
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Thanks Betsey. My suggestion to Cary that my Teardrop be the one used at the 7th Annual CampInn CampOutt to show how to properly Walbernize still stands.
Thanks Betsey. My suggestion to Cary that my Teardrop be the one used at the 7th Annual CampInn CampOutt to show how to properly Walbernize still stands.
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Evan, did you post just to try and catch up?
Ken
Evan, did you post just to try and catch up?
Ken
Kent Kanipe
Novice
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Here are a couple of leads for someone who wants to do some research. First to get it clean.....it appears we have a local shop that specializes in cleaning the aluminum on trucks and trailers (big rigs). Look in your area for a similar shop. A fellow I know says there is a spray-on wash-off product they use to fully restore the finish. At least such a shop could make recommendations and when I get the time I'm going to locate the shop and talk with them. Second, a protective coat is then required to keep things looking nice and the product for that may be Shark Hidehttp://www.airforums.com/forums/f474/shark-hide-protectant-42667.html . This guy uses it on his boats and this link is to an Airstream Fourm. Anyway, hope this helps and provides a project for someone.
Kent
Here are a couple of leads for someone who wants to do some research. First to get it clean.....it appears we have a local shop that specializes in cleaning the aluminum on trucks and trailers (big rigs). Look in your area for a similar shop. A fellow I know says there is a spray-on wash-off product they use to fully restore the finish. At least such a shop could make recommendations and when I get the time I'm going to locate the shop and talk with them. Second, a protective coat is then required to keep things looking nice and the product for that may be Shark Hidehttp://www.airforums.com/forums/f474/shark-hide-protectant-42667.html . This guy uses it on his boats and this link is to an Airstream Fourm. Anyway, hope this helps and provides a project for someone.
Kent
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Cary Winch
Camp-Inn Staff
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Kent,
Be very leery of the spray on aluminum cleaners. What we have seen so far is they will discolor the metal on your trailer. Anything that is called a metal whitener. I have seen it be used to remove bad stains before buffing. But, either way you will have to Walbernize the metal afterwards.
Cary
Kent,
Be very leery of the spray on aluminum cleaners. What we have seen so far is they will discolor the metal on your trailer. Anything that is called a metal whitener. I have seen it be used to remove bad stains before buffing. But, either way you will have to Walbernize the metal afterwards.
Cary
Kent Kanipe
Novice
Re: Patina & Walbernizing
Cary, I agree about being careful. Still, these guys may have something to offer, just need someone to do the research. I read more about the shark hide and it appears folks have mixed results. Just because my guy uses it on his boat does not necessarily make it appropriate for my trailer! My first trust is the research and experience Camp-Inn has to offer. If you build them then you are likely good at caring for them.
Thanks Cary,
Kent
Cary, I agree about being careful. Still, these guys may have something to offer, just need someone to do the research. I read more about the shark hide and it appears folks have mixed results. Just because my guy uses it on his boat does not necessarily make it appropriate for my trailer! My first trust is the research and experience Camp-Inn has to offer. If you build them then you are likely good at caring for them.
Thanks Cary,
Kent