Waxing your RV

[jdmrv7a]

I recently had my plane waxed by some airport pro's. After washing they applied the wax/sealer with a Harbor Freight cheapo 10" electric buffer. It dries to a haze and you change the pad and it polish's off easy. Super slick finish that last 6 months plus.

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-M216...946849&sr=8-14

After flying I make quick work of getting the bugs off with the matching Synthetic Detailer spray. Amazon shows it on sale, darn, I missed the sale.

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-M216...946849&sr=8-14

I plan to do it myself from now on.

[jdmrv7a]

This is the detail spray wax.

https://www.amazon.com/MEGUIARS-D156...80946815&sr=8-

[Skid]

Originally Posted by bkervaski

We used a liquid wax from Meguires.

I also use the Lucas speed wax regularly. It doesn't hold up like regular wax but it does a great job and I love the way it smells ... like bubblegum or something.

I haven?t used Meguires, I use Rejex. Goes on/off easily and does not leave residue in the rivet heads.

[Scott Hersha]

It?s amazing how many ways there are to do the same thing. I tried to do a quantitative study on polishing products. I polished my RV8 taildragger wings with different products and then had a race to the trailing edge with tissue paper on each surface to see which one would slide off the wing first. The surface coated with Rejex won every time. I tried Wash-Wax-All, Meguiars, Turtle Wax, NuFinish, Mothers, and a few others, and Rejex won every time. Does that mean it?s better? I didn?t see any speed gain from using it over others...... bottom line - if you?re anal enough to wax your wings almost every time you fly (like me), it doesn?t matter what you use to do it. They are all pretty much the same. If you only wax/polish your airplane one a year........ I think you need help, and it still doesn?t matter what kind of wax or polish you use, but use something.

[WingsOnWheels]

I use the Mothers waterless wash and shine, it works great. I have used the McGuire's waterless wash and shine as well. It is also good, but just not as good as the Mothers.

Never been cut and buffed, just staright paint, done by me (and I am an amature painter).

[Northernliving]

Originally Posted by bkervaski

We just waxed our 14 ... the wifey was quick to point out, with some obvious disappointment, that I "misrepresented how much work waxing an airplane would be"

So much surface area...

What are you guys doing to protect your paint?

I mostly use Aero Cosmetics waterless Wash Wax All
https://www.amazon.com/Waterless-Oun...0990664&sr=8-2

and probably once per month use the Chemical Guys Chemical Guys Optical Select High Gloss Spray Sealant
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

They I use lemmon pledge on the plexy/canopy.

all with plentry of micro cloths.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Can't imagine using old fashon wax with as good and easy as these prodcuts are. So easy, I ususally get my bride to "help" after we tuck the plane back in the hangar. 15-30 minutes and you are done - depending on bug causualties.

[Planecrazy232]

I use this stuff. Bugs wipe off after flights.
https://www.amazon.com/Waterless-Oun...0996231&sr=8-5

[gerrychuck]

Fukkenwax! This is not a joke; it is a real product; a waterless cleaner/polish that I have had excellent results with. Not cheap, but takes the bugs off the leading edges very nicely and leaves a nice slippery, shiny surface. Went to my local supplier a couple of weeks ago and they aren't able to sell it any more, though. Not sure what the story is on that.

[RV6_flyer]

Over the past 22+ years, I have used most of the above products and find that I like whatever I happen to have for the car or just used on the airplane.

Yes my airplane is painted with automotive paint.

[rocketbob]

The detailers I know have moved away from wax and use ceramic coatings. I've used it on my cars and its amazing. Just recently started using it on my airplanes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY-8KyRrOuE

This is what I use:
https://www.amazon.com/Technicians-C.../dp/B07NBNJB4L
https://www.amazon.com/Technicians-C.../dp/B07N8GBHTS

The caveat with using this stuff is the surface has to be very clean otherwise it will lock dirt into the pores of the paint surface.