Can you really polish a turd? I am giving it the old college try!

[1trickpony]

I am trying to polish up a milk can that I had given to me. Worst case scenario, I will just paint it and pinstripe it.
I am hoping to polish it up and have it bastardized up with pin stripping.
Here goes nothing.


I took Paint stripper, and after a couple coats this is what I got.

Then I hit it with 60 grit. I am thinking I will have to sand blast all the little dimples to get the rest of the paint out. I am not worried about the all the little dimples, Might try to get some of the bigger ones out, but I think they give it character.


Then I hit a little spot with 100 grit just to see if it is worth my time. I think with A LOT more TIME it will come around like I would like.


I hit the little area I hit with some polish a couple times and this is what I have. Not the finished product, and everything is done by hand as of right now.

All in all I like what I am seeing. Right now I would say there is about 1 hour worth off time and maybe $10 in to this project. Hopefully I can get good at polishing something like this up, so I can move on to what I really want to do, A beer keg. Don't know why, just always wanted to do one.
Eventually I will make a seat for the top, and then use it for a stool in the garage.

[STINEY]

Not too shabby.

On a related point.......as a kid in the 70's, man EVERYONE had an old milkcan with the same eagle and patriots on it. Seriously. I always thought they were cool, and still do, but what was the deal? I remember all the bicentenial celebrations, but what gives with the milkcans?

Our friends even had cast iron eagles mounted to their custom van. My mom still has a matching eagle mounted over one of her doorways. Cool times.

[1trickpony]

I forgot to mention that while sanding it I found stamping on it. It says
Superior St. Paul
415
40QTS LIQUID
Sealed 8-6-B

[Stich496]

what was wrong with the paint on it..

[DanStokes]

Looks like you're on the right track.

And yes - any Mythbusters fan knows you CAN polish a turd - Jamie did it.

Dan

[Thumpin455]

I polish turds too, and cut them up and replace parts with other turd parts...

I like the idea, polishing takes FOREVER and two days... but it looks so damn nice when its done.

[1trickpony]

what was wrong with the paint on it..

There was nothing really wrong with the paint on the milk can. I am just kinda doing this for some garage art. And I really wasn't feeling the theme that was on there. This is just something I can do in my spare time and I don't have to order parts for it.

Body guys... Some of the bigger dents on this I would like to pull. My question is, can I use one of those spot welder guns and a puller on this? Or do you think the metal is too thin? I have used one before just don't know if its possible?

[1trickpony]

Small update... I went to my Uncle's house to borrow his sand blaster.... Came home with another milk can. I think I may get tired of sanding these. Could have grabbed more of them but figured I would just start with these and see where it goes.

I think I may figure out a way to mount an old iron tractor seat to the top for a seat. He had a couple there and it doesn't look like too much work and will be just right on top of the can.

[DanStokes]

If you're careful you should be able to push the dents out from the inside. I'm thinking a big crowbar - use it with the curved side toward the outside of the can like a spoon so you don't make a crease as those are a SOB to get flat again. You may need to cut a block to push against so you don't bend the neck of the can. Just old body man tricks.

Dan