AND PARTS THAT SHINE! By NORM PETERSEN Walking the line of airplanes at any major fly-in these days is quite a revelation in the vast n u m b e r of ways in which a dedicated and inspired EAAer can make an airplane stand out from the crowd. Between some very clever paint schemes that are actually subtle

works of art, be it a homebuilt or a restoration, and a gleaming, polished, machine that sparkles in the morning sunshine, all expressions of the owner's personal ideas are open to public scrutiny. And you and 1 are the beneficiaries of this widely diverse set of ideas as we quietly move along the line and admire the b e a u t i f u l w o r k m a n -

Red Baron polish is applied to a Hamilton Standard propeller

mounted on a 220 Continental mounted on the EAA Foundation's Travel Air E-4000.

ship - representing long, long hours of

dedicated work. Way back in 1971, a young man from Akron, Ohio, named Sam Pawlowski (EAA 23077), had the experts exclaiming when he showed up at EAA Oshkosh '71 with his highly polished Pazmany PI.-1 homebuilt! Everyone was aware of the fact that paint could

Once the polish is buffed out and the finish is correctly sealed, the results are quite obvious. Regular inspections and maintenance on the propeller surface are very important from now on. SPORT AVIATION 49

half if not properly heat treated after chroming. Because of this, polished a l u m i n u m is the mainstay of really

bright airplanes. You either polish the

entire airplane or selected parts of the plane to accent the paint scheme. Perhaps the most often polished item on airplanes is the propeller spinner. These are sometimes polished right on the aircraft, however, with the larger spinners, it is easier to remove the spinner (after making a mark with

a felt tip pen on the backing plate and the inside of the spinner to ensure get-

A fitted piece of 2x4 is screwed to the spinner for clamping in a vise while polishing.

hide a mulitude of sins, but to have the

audacity to build a complete aluminum airplane - and then polish it to a brilliant shine - really had the EAA crowd in a tither. Sam's workmanship was not only beautiful, it was completely devoid of mistakes, marks, dents, scratches and all other forms of "homebuilt insignia." In short, it was stunning! The judges awarded Sam the 1971 Grand Champion Homebuilt Award.

The following year, Sam Pawlowski once again flew his highly polished PL1 to Oshkosh. For the only time in the history of EAA, the judges once again awarded the Grand Champion Homebuilt Award to Sam Pawlowski -

consecutive Grand Champion Awards

with an all-metal homebuilt airplane (where every tiny flaw would show), polished to a beautiful shine - a supreme accomplishment t h a t will

never be repeated (the rules have since been changed to allow only one Grand Champion Award per airplane. It then is elected to Past Grand Champion status.) By now, you may have an inkling as to the effect of a really well polished airplane. It not only draws attention from the crowd, but the judges seem to be attracted almost like a magnet. There is a certain something about a

ting the spinner back on the airplane in the exact place) and then have your A P check it over for cracks and splits. Make a jig from a piece of 2x4 that carefully fits inside the spinner (across the back) and fasten with two or four screws through the mounting holes into the ends of the wood. The 2x4 can

then be clamped in a vice with the spin-

ner standing straight up, ready for polishing. If there are milling rings left in the spinner from manufacturing, they can be removed with #600 wet/dry sandpaper using aluminum polish as a lubricant. Spread the polish out evenly using a terrycloth towel. Using an electric (orbital is the best) sander or by hand, work the metal until it begins to feel smooth to the hand. Inspect at regular intervals to ensure that no more metal is being removed than necessary. Once the milling rings are removed, begin with straight polish, using an electric polisher with a 7 to 8 inch pad at 28003000 rpm. Use a 1 in. to 1-1/2 in. thick pile cotton/wool bonnet. Apply about one tablespoon of polish per sq. ft., work the polish around by pulling the trigger at small intervals while moving the polisher about the surface. This will prevent the polish from spattering all over you and the area when the bonnet gets up to full speed. Work the surface until a "satin glaze" type of residue appears. Remove the residue with a clean

terrycloth towel. You should begin to

notice results immediately. When polishing, it is important to use terrycloth type towels which are at least 50% cotbrightly polished surface that attracts the ton. They are more absorbent and the eye. On cars and mo- likelihood of producing scratches will torcycles, bright be minimized. DO NOT USE PAPER chrome plate is used to TOWELS! Repeat the above step a second time catch your attention. (The hot rodders used until a mirror finish is achieved. If necto say, "If it won't go, essary, a random orbital polisher may be used to remove any swirl marks. chrome it!") With airplanes, little chrome is used

because of the possibility of hydrogen With the spinner held vertically, the metal is polished with embrittlement which

an orbital polisher using a cotton/wool bonnet. Notice how the shine is beginning. 50 AUGUST 1993

can reduce strength by

This step may also be done by hand until a final finish is obtained. To prevent the mirror finish from

dulling, seal the spinner surface with one of the new polish sealers that will remove any black residue from the polishing operation and will also stop

Red Baron polish is applied by hand to the first half of an aluminum wheel cover on a KR-21 biplane. Notice the oversize toothbrush and small sponge on a stick, used for the small spaces between rivet heads.

moisture from getting into the pores of the aluminum surface. This will prolong the l i f e of the h i g h l y polished finish. The* last step is to carefully reinstall the polished spinner on the a i r p l a n e with the assistance of your friendly A&P. (I can remember my brother-inlaw, who is also an A&P, always bringing all the s p i n n e r m o u n t i n g screws to a fairly snug fit on his Cessna 310 and then, after making sure the aft edge of the spinner was a b s o l u t e l y flush with the rear bulkhead, he would tighten up the mounting screws with a final twist u n t i l they were tight. The result was a spinner that ran perfectly true and didn't "wobble.") In regard to polished metal propellers, let me say t h a t the major propeller manufacturers take a mighty dim view of the removal of alodined, anodized or painted protective coatings they put on the propellers for corrosion protection. If you, as an indiv i d u a l , decide to polish your metal propeller, please bear in mind that you now have the awesome responsibility of seeing to it that the propeller is well maintained - especially on the surfaces of the blades. This is imperative! Once the factory protection is removed, the blade surfaces are vulnerable to atmospheric acids, dust,

moisture and other elements that lead to corrosion which can destroy the

The final shine is brought out using Red Baron polish and sealant, leaving a long-term mirror shine to the aluminum.

structural integrity

of the blade. Rcgular inspections are a necessity, cspecially keeping an eye open for nicks, dings and surface corrosion. N i c k s and dings should be caref u l l y filed out by your friendly A&P m e c h a n i c before the polishing begins. Place a small amount of polish on a soft cotton towel and using a c i r c u l a r motion with medium pressure, clean and polish the blades u n t i l a smooth, u n i f o r m surface is obtained. This step: (1) removes any The final result is enough to make any red-blooded EAA person old layers of wax swing around and take a close look! Most Fairchild KR-21's which may have didn't look this brilliant coming new from the factory in 1930. SPORT AVIATION 51

been built up through the years, and (2)

prepares a freshly polished uniform surface. Remove the residue (oxidized

pigment) with a clean cotton towel and buff to a high shine. Never use corn starch or flour to remove polished residue from the surface as this will only impregnate the pores with dust - starting the process of microscopic corrosion. Once the prop is blinding you with its brilliance, immediately go over the

surface with a good sealant which will

protect the surface over time. This is a

most important step. Once the sealant

is applied to all areas and well pol-

ished, step back and admire your work!

Other tips and hints on propellers: • Always wipe prop/spinner down after flying to remove any acidic insect spots.

• Inspect prop hub(s) for grease

The new Red Baron Premium Protectant really brings out a soft, supple finish to the naugahyde in the seats of this Fairchild cabin job. Notice the difference in color and sheen.

If you have a really tough piece of aluminum to commence polishing, you may want to start with the new AP-300, before going over to the mirror shine Red Baron. It will "cut in" and get the smooth surface started where other polishes won't handle the job. 52 AUGUST 1993

a n d / o r oil leakage and f i r m n e s s of assembly. • Constant speed propellers should be kept horizontal if stored outside - to prevent water from being pushed into the clamps and hub assembly. • Do not push/pull the airplane by the propeller. Use a towbar! Many aircraft fasteners used on airplanes are made of aluminum or stainless steel. These items clean up very nicely with an old cotton towel stapled to the workbench (4 corners). Dip the item in polish and rub the head across the cloth surface. In no time, you will have a brightly polished item that, when installed, will make your "bird" look even better than new! One more item you should be aware of. A local U.S. manufacturer of buffing pads, Lake Country Mfg., has developed a new polishing pad for electric polishers called "Euro Foam" which has several advantages over wool pads. The cell structure of foam is such that the surface will not load up easily - the pores of the foam allow the micro particles that are removed by polishing, to be absorbed into the pad instead of just laying on the top surface, which is the case with wool pads. When these particles lay on the outside of the pad, they tend to create swirl marks and can actually scratch the aluminum. These new style foam pads are very strong and can be washed over and over again - no messy wool clumps laying on the floor or in the sink. They are available in two distinct forms - YELLOW CUTTING and WHITE. The "yellow cutting" may be used for heavily oxydized (badly faded) paint and (rough) aluminum surfaces while the "white" pad is used for the final high polish on either aluminum or painted surfaces. These pads appear to be a major breakthough in the "world of shiny finishes." Contact EAA for more information on these "woolless wonders." *