Trim polishing
Senior User
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 282
Likes: 1
From: Nanaimo, BC
If you don't want to go the route of stripping the anodizing for a show quality type job, and are happy with a driver quality job, I have been using Diamond Brite polish by Better Built, available at Lowes (best polish for my airstream trailer and I've tried almost all of them), I smear some on the trim, then use a small wool buffing wheel on a dremel tool and buff out the trim, emblems, etc. Keep working the buffing wheel until all the residue is gone. Seems to work pretty good, and if the shine comes up good enough to satisfy you then great, if not then you have to decide whether you want to strip it. There is only so much you can do to shine up old anodizing though.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 24,552
Likes: 74
From: Creedmoor, North Carolina
If you don't want to go the route of stripping the anodizing for a show quality type job, and are happy with a driver quality job, I have been using Diamond Brite polish by Better Built, available at Lowes (best polish for my airstream trailer and I've tried almost all of them), I smear some on the trim, then use a small wool buffing wheel on a dremel tool and buff out the trim, emblems, etc. Keep working the buffing wheel until all the residue is gone. Seems to work pretty good, and if the shine comes up good enough to satisfy you then great, if not then you have to decide whether you want to strip it. There is only so much you can do to shine up old anodizing though.
John :-x06
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New User
Joined: Nov 2008
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From: OHIO
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Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,060
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From: Glendale Arizona
When one considers the time and effort to polish and make straight a set of used trim that will need constant up keep to be shiny. plus disposal of the oven cleaner in a legal way so as not to have your nosy neighbor calling on you, a brand new set for 520 bucks is quite reasonable and already is polished and anodized and will out last the redone pieces and comes with all new mounting hardware.
Garbz
Garbz
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Joe Kucinski
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
If the anodize is in fairly decent condition may try polish and buffer, have not used the 'diamond brite' modeleh mentioned but heard it's good. There are reproduction replacements you may want to consider, just remove the ole and replace with the repo. That being said, the trim, grill, headlamps and turn signal trim, etc. are made of an alum alloy and tarnishes at a fairly fast rate, thus the need for a protective coating, either reanodize, expensive if able to find plater who does it; strip, polish, paint to desired flavor, or just strip and paint. Salvaged a 65 grill from wrecking yard in poor condition, after quote from plater to reanodize decided on a 'do it myselfer'. Used stripper, she was'nt too expensive, worked out numerous dents, sanded (med to super fine), polished, then couple coats aerosol clear paint, specific for alum. There are a variety of simular products, Eastwood has a few. Very labor intensive. Recall a member posted pic's of a grill he painted and from what I could see, looked good, certainly less labor intensive, may even have bookmarked the pic. Anyhow, 
Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,375
Likes: 5
From: seattle
the anodizing, though ugly on OE pieces usually...its doing one HUGE thing...protecting the metal itself....put a soda can in a bit of water...just enough to bury the bottom...let it sit a few days...or a cpl weeks and see what it looks like after...gotta keep adding water if its kept inside due to the evaporation...
its interesting just how fast it goes from pretty to pretty sad...
Dave, where was this plater at...drop me an email as Im looking for a plater for my goodies...and we all know theres lots of aluminum goodies on the 63-6 trucks...65-6 in particular...by my count, if you add them all up on a fully trimmed out CC truck theres 31 aluminum trim pieces...30 excluding the hazard dash flasher light bezel and lense.
- cs65
its interesting just how fast it goes from pretty to pretty sad...
Dave, where was this plater at...drop me an email as Im looking for a plater for my goodies...and we all know theres lots of aluminum goodies on the 63-6 trucks...65-6 in particular...by my count, if you add them all up on a fully trimmed out CC truck theres 31 aluminum trim pieces...30 excluding the hazard dash flasher light bezel and lense.
- cs65
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 6,305
Likes: 18
From: Boulder Creek, Ca
Seem to recall discussion with plater who mentioned the anodize process is not the same as the original and therefore the pieces come out with slightly different finish?
cs, check email
cs, check email
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