Re: [A/S] Polishing woes

["Tuna"]

been having trouble posting to the list, but i'll give it a try - i'll make
the assumption that you've been posting to the vintage airstream club's
list, and i've missed those posts - and that you've been through tom
patterson's archives... i've not heard of this problem before in the two
years or so that i've been reading these lists, so this is pure
speculation...
a) is it possible that there is clearcoat residue remaining? sounds
unlikely, since you seem to have been very thoroughgoing in your pursuit of
the elusive mirror-finish...
b) do you change your polishing pads frequently enough? you may be
(inadvertently) burnishing that black 'mud' into the aluminum, only to have
it re-emerge soon after - how long does it take... again, seems unlikely, i
know.
c) the environmental acidity chas mentioned... seems a bit of a 'reach', but
i guess anything's possible... how long does it take for the 'gray fog' to
appear?
d) 'experts' disagree about the following - but it seems worth checking
into... 'alclad' aluminum's 'cladding' is supposed to have an outer layer of
softer or 'purer' aluminum, which is what one is polishing when the
clearcoat has been removed... suppose this trailer has been polished once or
more times in the past... perhaps what you're experiencing is the effect of
having effectively removed this cladding...

i'd be inclined to concentrate my efforts on one or two (small) areas and
use some ammonia (i think charlie burke mentioned this method of clearcoat
removal), and satisfy myself that there is no trace of clearcoat, and clean
and polish and clean and polish that small area until the haze doesn't
appear - unless your environment is seriously acidic as chas suggested -
then a wax coat a.s.a.p., to see if it prevents the re-emergence of the
discoloration...

that's all i can think of... i hope we all can resolve this issue - i really
feel for you, this must be an enormously frustrating experience...

Tuna
Reno, NV
WBCCI/VAC #8862
'48 Trailwind (shell)