Polishing / cleaning bare aluminum?

[Kooshball]

For those of you with experience maintaining bare aluminum aircraft exteriors is there a preferred, one-step process / chemical that works well? I understand that to get a mirror shine takes quite a lot of time and effort but I am interested in knowing what the best 1-step process is for maintaining bare aluminum.

Thx!

[Snowflake]

Originally Posted by Kooshball

For those of you with experience maintaining bare aluminum aircraft exteriors is there a preferred, one-step process / chemical that works well? I understand that to get a mirror shine takes quite a lot of time and effort but I am interested in knowing what the best 1-step process is for maintaining bare aluminum.

The simple one-step process for maintaining bare aluminum is *paint*.

[Northernliving]

Originally Posted by Kooshball

For those of you with experience maintaining bare aluminum aircraft exteriors is there a preferred, one-step process / chemical that works well? I understand that to get a mirror shine takes quite a lot of time and effort but I am interested in knowing what the best 1-step process is for maintaining bare aluminum.

Thx!

I?ve seen Rollite or Nuvite at the shows. I use Purple polish on my gear and like it.
https://www.amazon.com/California-Cu...45301981&psc=1

[Thermos]

Related question - do any of these polishes (Rolite, Nuvite, Purple, etc) impact the ability to paint the airplane later on? I'd like to buff out some small scuffs/scratches but plan to paint eventually, and I've heard that some treatments that contain silicone might cause problems with paint.

Dave

[lr172]

Originally Posted by Thermos

Related question - do any of these polishes (Rolite, Nuvite, Purple, etc) impact the ability to paint the airplane later on? I'd like to buff out some small scuffs/scratches but plan to paint eventually, and I've heard that some treatments that contain silicone might cause problems with paint.

Dave

Silicone creates big problems with paint application. If you plan to paint some day, avoid silicone like the plague. VERY difficult to remove.

[Vern]

I own a 1947 Luscombe that I have been flying and polishing for over 50 years.
I use the Nuvite process. Depending on how the skins are, you might want to do an initial polish then finish up with grade S.

Although the best process is well documented on a cd sold by the Swift Association in Athens, Tn., you can do a pretty good jog with a $49 7" Harbor Freight polisher using wool bonnets.

Apply polish sparingly to a 2'x2' area max. Then buff it to shine with the wool bonnets held at a slight angle so the edge of the bonnet does the polishing. You will be left with a mess on the floor and skin. Put mineral spirits in a spray bottle and clear up the black residue on the skin.

[rzbill]

Originally Posted by Kooshball

For those of you with experience maintaining bare aluminum aircraft exteriors is there a preferred, one-step process / chemical that works well? I understand that to get a mirror shine takes quite a lot of time and effort but I am interested in knowing what the best 1-step process is for maintaining bare aluminum.

Thx!

Starting from scratch involves a lot more than a one step process. You may already know that but it is more than just time watching a spinning buff. Grit selection is very important to success. A common error is to select too fine a grit to start.

Even maintaining a polish is not necessarily a single step. First step in my opinion is to keep the plane in a hangar. Outside storage will ruin your work in short order. If you choose Nuvite, grade S is the maintenance grit like Vern said. Cleanup can involve mineral spirits or corn starch which I prefer. Minor bug removal can be rag and water or magic eraser pads depending on polish level and pad grit.

[Kooshball]

Thx folks. I?m not needing to start from scratch; just try and reasonably maintain a surface that was last polished a few years ago.

[Jeff Vaughan]

Try Nuvite Nuimage. It is designed for your needs

[alpinelakespilot2000]

Originally Posted by Thermos

Related question - do any of these polishes (Rolite, Nuvite, Purple, etc) impact the ability to paint the airplane later on? I'd like to buff out some small scuffs/scratches but plan to paint eventually, and I've heard that some treatments that contain silicone might cause problems with paint.Dave

FWIW, here's an email exchange I just had with California Custom:

From:
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2020 2:05 PM
To: info@californiacustom.com
Subject: Any silicon in Califronia Purple polish or deoxidizer

Dear California Custom:
Can you tell me if either the California Custom Purple Polish or Deoxidizer includes any silicon that may interfere with the later painting of an aluminum surface?
Thanks so much,
Steve


Hi Steve,

Those products don?t contain silicone. You may prep for painting in the future as you otherwise would.

Regards,

Mike
California Custom Products, Inc.