Aluminum Cleaning Suggestions

Okay what are your favorite methods for keeping that alumanorthwillieduckridge nice and shiny?Personally I just soap and water then lightly wipe it down with hydraulic oil.This is more of a preventative for salt though.Any tips

I keep My Wooldridge looking good the same way you do, but I spray on WD-40 and rub it in. Preferably on a warm sunny day.

I use the rocks on the Solduc! Sometimes though they leave bad streaking.

Bob D

Led, first I wash it after every trip, second I apply mother's and a bit of elbow grease on the polished - unpainted half of my hull twice a year. Once you get it there it's easy to keep up,my 21' supervee hull and lots of diamond plate takes 2 hour........mirror finish....

OK, I've got to ask,

What do you do if you bought your boat used and it wasn't kept "mirror polish finish" but more like "white spots from saltwater?" I've heard try white vinegar, try Mothers, try 3M aluminum boat polish, try Flitz or something like that, hell, I've even heard use brillo-type things or Scotchbrites.

The 3M polish seemed to work pretty good, but it took ALOT of elbow grease... more than I wanted to do... I did a little spot and said the hell with it.

So my question is, has anyone ever "restored" the mirror finish to a boat that has been let go? I'm ready to use an orbital buffer or something to get it where I want. Once you get it back to where you want, do you wax it, or are you guys saying you just use the WD-40 or hydraulic oil?

My Custom Weld appreciates any info you give.

-N.

StorminN, good luck, I have a friend that bought a used supervee like mine, which was never polished before, he's got it close but it's still alittle cloudy. Not sure it will buff the rest of the way out, he's been trying for a year, rubbed it out 3 times.

A neighbor of mine brings his dump truck home and polishes the boxes, and wheels with a 7" grinder with a buffing wheel attached. He gets a mirror finish using Flitz. The stuff is expensive. But, he swears by it. I also bought a used boat (Duckworth) which was used in the salt alot and has gone to s---. Just haven't gotten around to trying his method. Next week I take the trailer in to have it sand blasted, and powder coated. So while the boat is on blocks in my garage I'll try it then. I'll let ya know how it turns out. Can't wait to get into some springers!!

The guys at Wooldridge told me if the finish got bad to rub the boat with Scotch brite with the grain direction. If you use an orbital, you loose the origonal grain in the aluminum. Sounds like a pain either way...

Really like the Mothers idea, Is it a regular marine wax, or automotive wax?

I have an older Woolridge, it dull quickly. The BEST and EASIEST is a spay by Mothers for aluminum. Many car stores will tell you Mothers only makes the paste, not true. Just spray on, it foams slightly,(smell powerful) and wash off. Bright as new. Give it a try.

Cyclops, let me know, I'm super curious... email me if you'd like...
norm@mervin.com

-N.

Mothers Aluminum spray huh,okay I'll try that.I once tried an orbital buffer on a fairly oxidized Hewes and it sure did make some cool designs

Never dull works the best..It takes very little rubbing and it will look like a mirror.Then go over it with some WD-40..TM

use a random orbit buffer with a wool pad. go to les schwab and get some "heavy metal" polish. they make it in 3 different grits. i polish my Duckworth once a year with the fine grit. i use ths boat in the salt a lot and it buffs out to a mirror finish.