Polish the bright Aluminum boat?

[thudpucker]

Do y'all make the outside of your Tin Boat's shiny?
Or paint etc.
Watching the Boeing B-29's of WWII flying off as a big Shiny Tube full of Bad News, the only paint was the Nose Art.
How'd they keep em' so shiny?

[bayoumonster]

phosphoric acid is handy in polishing aluminum boats. To keep them shiny requires careful sanding with progressively finer sandpaper and is incredibly time consuming. Once it's right, it's not so bad to keep it that way but still requires regular work. I would never even consider doing it because of the time and effort spent. I'd rather spend that time fishing or annoying the children and wife, or both at once. BTW, any kind of dents or dings will show up big time on a mirror polished boat.
JMO,
JBJ

[willsjwills]

Marine aluminum alloy and aircraft aluminum alloy are not the same. Boatbuilders use aluminum in the 5052 or5086 alloy. Aircraft aluminum is from the family of 7000, 6000, and 2000 series alloys. Different animals.

[skeetbum]

Acid removes the discolored aluminum and leaves and uneven finish. Polishing after becomes harder because the uneven finish needing to be smoothed out to shine. Polishing is dirty work, and is usually only done once because of it being time consuming. Anything that says apply and rinse for a beautiful shine has acid and will brighten the aluminum and gather dirt and discolor faster the next time. Been dealing with aluminum fuel tanks on the big trucks I drive for 20+ years. If it's a shine you want, bite the bullet and have it polished, or do it yourself and keep the acids away from it and it will last a good while and be easier to bring back once it's time to do it again. Some bigger truck stops have guys that do this for a living and do a very good job and have the tools. Talk with them and they will want to see the boat to see how much work is involved. Good luck with it and keep us posted so the next inquiry will have some more info....Skeet.

[jimp]

read on another forum about using jewelers rouge (sp ?) to polish the tin. I've used something similar on motorcycle rims (cast aluminum rims) but the form/type of rouge I used made it shine, and easier to clean. Check with a Honda motorcycle shop, it comes in small tubes but you could do a test for little $$ to see what it does to the hull.

[skeetbum]

That's right Jimp. The polishers use rouge or compound, depending on who does the work. Rubbing compound(orange) and polishing compound(white) are different grit and can also be used by hand, with lots of elbow grease. You could use this on a small area to see if does what you want.

[Turtlebait]

The rouge comes in several colors(grit),I have the black,brown,red,blue and white.
It would take days for a home owner to polish a boat,a pro could do a dress up in bout half day or day.
All acids will do damage to polished alumu. Some lesser then others,its best done with a power washer as to a bucket and brush.If you mix it wrong you could take all the polished look off it and turn it white looking.I've washed bare alumu. And polished alumu. Bout 20 years now and learned how to flash acid on polished alumu. As for it to do little harm to polished.Flashing(get it on GET it off).
Friend bought a new blazer boat about 2 mouths ago and its needing the water stain off now he knows I can do it but he also knows that things can go wrong when useing acid on polished alumu.,hes a big truck driver or what I call a cowboy trucker,polished everthing rig.
Find a power washing forum on the internet,find fleet washing on that forum and ask your Q'tion.

[genec]

I use the material last week, wish this would have been posted last week,it took away the shine ,giving it a white look,a friend reconmended it. What can I do about it now,use a electric polisher and rouge?

[wilbur]

I wouldnt polish it If I was you. I polished the front of my dump trailer, It took me 3 days and every time I wash it I have to dry it or it will spot like crazy. I got a tracker and I just use some strong soap and a very fine Scotch Brite pad. Its not shiny but looks good.If you do it just go one direction front to back.

[KDAVID1]

nice MACK