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Polishing Basics Question

Stockmanreef

Well Known Member
I was going to try to find a thread, but I think it is easier to ask.

I am debating polishing my RV-14. At least polish it until I can paint or want to paint.

What are the basics? I see that invite is used as a polish. Can people suggest tools and equipment needed for the process (links would be nice). There are a whole bunch of grads of Nuvite. Which ones are used on a brand new plane versus after the initial polish? What pads are used-wool?

thanks
ken
 
I have been polishing my RV-8 for 5 years now and have found what works best for me. I have been using California Purple Metal Polish, which seems to be the simplest and best polish compound to use. It works best on a aluminum that isn't heavily oxidized. One tip is that once you have the entire aircraft polished, keep up with it and don't let oxidation form, like under the wings or horizontal stabilizer. I have used typical orbital polishers and cotton rags from Wal-Mart. They come in packs of 18 and I toss them, washing them doesn't seem to work well. For removing oxidized spots or light corrosion, I have used nuvite grade S and a BLACK polishing pad on polishing at 1500 RPM. It takes 4 hrs to polish the tops of both wings, empennage and fuselage....and polishing the bottom of the wings takes about another 4 hours.
 
Polishing Instructions

I learned a great deal from the website https://www.perfectpolish.com/

Go to the "Application Guides" tab and read their information. They are also a good source for materials and tools. I have purchased from them many times over the years.

You can also do a search on YouTube and find a great many instructional videos on aircraft/ aluminum polishing.
 
A second vote here for California Customs purple polish and its matching green de-oxidizing cleaner. I want a 20 foot shine and that's what I have without a huge amount of work. I finish off with a wipe with a "blue shop towel on a roll" and high-purity alcohol.
 
Nuvite was my choice

I tried the California Purple polish and did not like the results. That may say more about my technique than it does the product. Clearly it works for some folks. I switched to Nuvite, a buffer and a Cyclo polisher and got a deeper, more clear reflection (shine.)

Here in my build log you can see three images. In the first image the wing surface to the left is after using Nuvite and a Cyclo, to the right is after using California Purple polish. The last image is after going over the area previously polished with California Purple polish.


http://www.mykitlog.com/users/display_log.php?user=sdahrens&project=248&category=12472&log=248399&row=1

I agree with using the PerfectPolish website. Watch the airstream video it will give you a good head start. If you have detailed questions you can call and we can talk in more depth about the polishing process, time requirements and supplies needed.
 
One thing that goes a bit unmentioned when the discussion of polish comes up is the rolled parts of all control surfaces.

I'm the keeper of my good friend's RV6 which he built. It's beautifully polished. But over the years I noticed pitting was happening on the back side rolled areas of all control surfaces, because you simply can not get back there to maintain it.

Last year I removed all control surfaces and painted just the rolled portions which are unreachable. I used grey color. You can see the paint on close inspection but really only if the controls are deflected in a way. But I am so much happier knowing I've stopped the corrosion back there.

Just a though to remember that those areas needs attention too.
 
Pad direction of rotation

Ken,

Be mindful of the direction of rotation at all times and how you present the buffer to the work. It is incredibly easy to 'catch an edge'. The power of the buffer and associated bonnet can lift and bend aluminium.

I loved the look of my airplane when it was polished.
 
It depends on your level of perfectionism. A 20? shine is good for some people. When I owned my Cessna 140 it would take me 40 hours each spring to get it ready for the season. When I bought it it took about 120 hours (work plus learning curve) to bring it back to life after not being polished for 5 or more years. The Cessna had fabric wings.

Also be very mindful of clothing. I had a sweatshirt sleeve get caught (it wasn?t that loose) and the buffer smacked me twice before I knew what happened.

Nuvite will separate. Buy smaller quantities more often. Learn to use polish sparingly. Too much polish acts as a lubricant instead of a polish. Cut and buff with a wool pad on variable speed straight polisher (I wondered about the foam pads but never tried one). Final grade ?S? with a cyclo and cotton sweatshirt material (perfect polish site) gets the swirls out.

If you have a nice clean un-coated concrete hangar floor it won?t stay that way.

I have a cyclo I would consider selling.
Mark
 
Thanks for the replies. I am getting close to being done with the build at the "hangar" at the house and the plane will be moving to the hangar at 3cm. Then I will be putting on the wings.

I think that I will polish plane prior to moving to airport, then polish wings and control surfaces at the airport.

I will probably paint the plane long term, but I have no time table to putting on paint. Furthermore, I have not really determined a paint scheme yet. I will probably paint anything fiberglass with black flat primer. I have a bunch of black flat vinyl. I might make transitions from the fiberglass on to the metal with this vinyl. So that the plane will have some coolness factor to it.
 
20 ft. shine

Also, another 20 ft. shine method is 50% denatured alcohol, 50% water and a few drops of Dawn detergent. You can spray on and rub off and get it pretty presentable appearing. On my old RV-8, I could clean it in 30 minutes and got positive comments about the shine from those who didn't get up super close.

John
 
You may not know it but EVERYTHING that’s not covered will be coated with black gunk. Build a “paint” booth and cover your floor where you polish. You will not be sorry��
 
I really can't build a paint booth at this point. Or at least I don't want to. How far will the mess spread from the plane if I do this in a garage?

In theory on a nice day, I could pull the plane out of the garage.

Right now, I just need to do a small section near the cowl to get nice an smooth to put on some vinyl.

thanks
ken
 
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