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| | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,850 Likes: 266 Member/2500+posts | | Member/2500+posts Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,850 Likes: 266 | I wonder if a good wax job after polishing would inhibit the oxidation on the aluminum, and thereby significantly reduce the polishing requirement? There is actually a modern low maintenance solution. They get a good mirror finish and then clear coat paint. No more oxidization. Done! I've seen it done on two birds now. a Cessna 195 that was absolutely stunning. Hurt your eyes to look at it! Even with sunglasses on! Other was a Globe Swift. Had more painted area (red) but the polished aluminum was unreal.
Last edited by Tactic; 01/06/12 06:23 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,850 Likes: 266 Member/2500+posts | | Member/2500+posts Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,850 Likes: 266 | Man... she looks fast just sitting there!
And if you look at the panel she is climbing with the prop stopped on the ground!!!   | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 11,450 Likes: 952 Member/10,000+ posts! | | Member/10,000+ posts! Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 11,450 Likes: 952 | I wonder if a good wax job after polishing would inhibit the oxidation on the aluminum, and thereby significantly reduce the polishing requirement? There is actually a modern low maintenance solution. They get a good mirror finish and then clear coat paint. No more oxidization. Done! I've seen it done on two birds now. a Cessna 195 that was absolutely stunning. Hurt your eyes to look at it! Even with sunglasses on! Other was a Globe Swift. Had more painted area (red) but the polished aluminum was unreal. Andrew, Good friend owns a 195 he bought in the late '70s. Kept it polished aluminum (with a little accent paint) for years. Finally gave up about ten years ago and painted the airplane. Doesn't look nearly as good now as it did. He knows it. I am NOT going to tell him about the technique you described. Warmest regards, Rick | | | | | Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 18,962 Likes: 3 Member/15,000 posts | | Member/15,000 posts Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 18,962 Likes: 3 | I love the look of it, but I was taught in the military that polished aluminum skin is generally a 'no-no'! Seems more than several VIP aircraft were scrapped over the years due to the cost that would have been incurred in replacing all of the polished skins. Over time, enough aluminum thickness was removed by the constant polishing to affect the structural integrity of the monocoque airframes. However, I could never help but notice that this "rule" was often ignored, even to this day, on the Presidential aircraft and others. Perhaps because the "jets" have thicker skins. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,850 Likes: 266 Member/2500+posts | | Member/2500+posts Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,850 Likes: 266 | I called on this one day before yesterday. Receptionist was very friendly. She said, yes it was still there and yes they do take planes in trade. Salesman was out and so I left a message. I said I was interested and to call me back.  [ Linked Image] [ Linked Image] Not in a hurry to sell I guess...
Last edited by Tactic; 01/08/12 07:14 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 2,316 Likes: 53 Member/1500+posts | | Member/1500+posts Joined: Jan 2010 Posts: 2,316 Likes: 53 | American Airlines polishes its complete fleet of jets! I found an aluminum deoxidizer and purple polish from California Custom Products [ californiacustom.com] that significantly cuts down the effort to keep a polished aluminum plane shiny. You probably still need a mechanical polish job from time to time, but it works well in between.
Henry
N2011X - 1965 C182H
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