Brass cleaning suggestions needed

[luckyron1]

We have a 2000 Wanderlodge LXI with a lot of brass fixtures, including
hinges, etc. My wife has tried Brasso alone and in combination with
steel wool and it still won't come clean. The areas that are most in
need of cleaning are in the bathroom, shower and above the
micro/convention oven. Seems moisture has caused most of the
discoloration.

Would appreciate knowing about products you've tried that have worked.
Brass looks really nice, but we'd sure prefer stainless steel.

Thanks. Ron & Ruth

[dspithaler@...]

In a message dated 9/24/2005 9:10:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
warbucks@... writes:

Its rather easy to differentiate solid brass from brass plated. Solid
brass if covered with lacquer will get darker with age and brass
plated with discolor eventually showing the steel underneath. If you
are lucky its solid brass and you can polish it to a more beautiful
finish then it was originally. Just take it off the wall or where
ever its hung, remove the wires etc and get a buffing wheel with some
brass polish that you can get at any store. You can also get a can of
brass polish at almost any super market.

If it is brass plated steel and it is discolored I don't know anyway
of rejuvenating it. Call Bennie at Bluebird and he might be able to
tell you whether its plated or not. Or get the name off it and do a
search on the Internet and find out.

I have a complete polishing station in my shop with about 10
different grades of polishing compounds. Even started to do my
Alcoa's but boy was it a job. Finally gave up and bought new ones.
Anyone need a set of front Alcoa's that are stud centered for $150 for the
pair?

Tom
1982 FC35
Vernon Center,NY

At 06:33 PM 9/24/2005, you wrote:
>Ron & Ruth,
>
>FWIW, not much brass and very little stainless in our vintage 'Bird.
>The fixtures you mentioned may be brass plated and/or lacquered


The other way you can tell all brass & brass plate is pure brass will not
attract to a magnet the same with stainless & aluminum. That is the way that I
can tell the difference in them. Unless the pure brass is sealed with
something it will take a polishing all the time to keep it looking good. I have
the
Baldwin lockset's in my house that is guaranteed for life & they have a
special finish on them. They are pure brass.
Don
89 SP 36' & 79 FC 33' For sale
Butler, PA


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Jim Owens]

Ron & Ruth,

FWIW, not much brass and very little stainless in our vintage 'Bird.
The fixtures you mentioned may be brass plated and/or lacquered - my
experience has been that's difficult to remedy. You might try Cameo,
Bon Ami or Bar Keeper's Friend (follow mfgrs instructions)- stay away
from abrasive cleaners with silica! (Comet, Ajax, etc.)

If you have solid brass in the bath/kitchen you may have to remove the
fixtures and treat them to several grades of metal polish on a good
buffing wheel. Supplies available at your local hardware store, home
improvement center and possibly Sears. Smaller items might be polished
in place using a Dremel tool with small wheels - tedious and time
consuming...

Good luck and happy polishing.

Jim Owens
77 FC33SB (Gas)
Lake of the Ozarks, MO

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "luckyron1"
wrote:
> We have a 2000 Wanderlodge LXI with a lot of brass fixtures,
including
> hinges, etc. My wife has tried Brasso alone and in combination with
> steel wool and it still won't come clean. The areas that are most
in
> need of cleaning are in the bathroom, shower and above the
> micro/convention oven. Seems moisture has caused most of the
> discoloration.
>
> Would appreciate knowing about products you've tried that have
worked.
> Brass looks really nice, but we'd sure prefer stainless steel.
>
> Thanks. Ron & Ruth

[Tom Warner]

Its rather easy to differentiate solid brass from brass plated. Solid
brass if covered with laquer will get darker with age and brass
plated with discolor eventually showing the steel underneath. If you
are lucky its solid brass and you can polish it to a more beautiful
finish then it was originally. Just take it off the wall or where
ever its hung, remove the wires etc and get a buffing wheel with some
brass polish that you can get at any store. You can also get a can of
brass polish at almost any super market.

If it is brass plated steel and it is discolored I dont know anyway
of rejuevenating it. Call Bennie at Bluebird and he might be able to
tell you whether its plated or not. Or get the name off it and do a
search on the internet and find out.

I have a complete polishing station in my shop with about 10
different grades of polishing compounds. Even started to do my
Alcoas but boy was it a job. Finally gave up and bought new ones.
Anyone need a set of front Alcoas that are stud centered for $150 for the pair?

Tom
1982 FC35
Vernon Center,NY

At 06:33 PM 9/24/2005, you wrote:
>Ron & Ruth,
>
>FWIW, not much brass and very little stainless in our vintage 'Bird.
>The fixtures you mentioned may be brass plated and/or lacquered - my
>experience has been that's difficult to remedy. You might try Cameo,
>Bon Ami or Bar Keeper's Friend (follow mfgrs instructions)- stay away
>from abrasive cleaners with silica! (Comet, Ajax, etc.)
>
>If you have solid brass in the bath/kitchen you may have to remove the
>fixtures and treat them to several grades of metal polish on a good
>buffing wheel. Supplies available at your local hardware store, home
>improvement center and possibly Sears. Smaller items might be polished
>in place using a Dremel tool with small wheels - tedious and time
>consuming...
>
>Good luck and happy polishing.
>
>Jim Owens
>77 FC33SB (Gas)
>Lake of the Ozarks, MO
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "luckyron1"
>wrote:
> > We have a 2000 Wanderlodge LXI with a lot of brass fixtures,
>including
> > hinges, etc. My wife has tried Brasso alone and in combination with
> > steel wool and it still won't come clean. The areas that are most
>in
> > need of cleaning are in the bathroom, shower and above the
> > micro/convention oven. Seems moisture has caused most of the
> > discoloration.
> >
> > Would appreciate knowing about products you've tried that have
>worked.
> > Brass looks really nice, but we'd sure prefer stainless steel.
> >
> > Thanks. Ron & Ruth
>
>
>
>
>SPONSORED LINKS
><http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Recr...;vehi\
cles&w2=Wanderlodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=\
Used+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=DAUkCKkU7Dzhn_\
ObWmSYTw>Recreational
>vehicles
><http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Wand...w2=Wa\
nderlodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=Used+recre\
ational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=Z-8HJdysB3QLPj9U0JvqYQ>W\
anderlodge
><http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Auto...3;veh\
icles&w2=Wanderlodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5\
=Used+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=IF4u_5wI8Pmy3\
4cC1O9CxA>Automotive
>maintenance
><http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Recr...tiona\
l+vehicles&w2=Wanderlodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+deal\
er&w5=Used+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=z6_Xahae\
YHfELr6o72IW1A>Recreational
>vehicle dealer
><http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Used...ional\
+vehicles&w2=Wanderlodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+deale\
r&w5=Used+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=UGEY5km4L\
-kXbDI4ZSadEw>Used
>recreational vehicles
><http://groups.yahoo.com/gads?t=ms&k=Auto...vehic\
les&w2=Wanderlodge&w3=Automotive+maintenance&w4=Recreational+vehicle+dealer&w5=U\
sed+recreational+vehicles&w6=Automotive+radiators&c=6&s=163&.sig=ePNVMmISsCWgTnM\
q_4GlXA>Automotive
>radiators
>
>
>----------
>YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
>
> * Visit your group
> "<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WanderlodgeForum>WanderlodgeForum" on the web.
> *
> * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> *
>
Wanderl\
odgeForum-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> *
> * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
>
>----------

[Bob Lawrence]

Our 84 PT36 had what we thought was stainless in the bathroom. Turns
out to be just steel. I went to the local marine store and bought piano
hinges for the door and for the compartment under the sink. They are
two different sizes. Only cost about $29 each.
Went tru the rest of the bus and changed the others also and used
stainesss screws to boot.

Bob Lawrence
84 PT36 (Whirlybird)
Tacoma, Wa.

> Would appreciate knowing about products you've tried that have
worked.
> Brass looks really nice, but we'd sure prefer stainless steel.
>
> Thanks. Ron & Ruth