Ooooohhhh! Shiny shiny!!!

AggieMike88

AggieMike88

Touchdown! Greaser!
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The original "I don't know it all" of aviation.
I've read with interest the different threads and discussions about owners repainting their aircraft. Provided me with a good overview of the process, costs, what to look for, and more.

What if after purchasing a nice, older aircraft, my desire was going back to the polished aluminum look? How different is that from a "normal" paint job? What steps are involved?
 
Just hope you don't find an excessive amount of "aerodynamic filler" (Bondo) when you start stripping. Some have been repainted for a reason other than renewed lustre.
 
wabower said:
Just hope you don't find an excessive amount of "aerodynamic filler" (Bondo) when you start stripping. Some have been repainted for a reason other than renewed lustre.
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Good point. And I can't use the simple tool available that I use to discover bondo in doors and fenders since the primary aircraft surface is aluminum.
 
If you go the polished route, make sure there's adequate corrosion protection.
 
> my desire was going back to the polished aluminum look? How different is that
> from a "normal" paint job? What steps are involved?

Since you said shiny-shiny; not bare metal/dull ... your new hobby will be "polishing."

Kind'a like the T-Bone owner I met, with a wonderful 4,000' turf strip. I inquired about
his other hobbies. He said, "mowing grass."
 
AggieMike88 said:
I've read with interest the different threads and discussions about owners repainting their aircraft. Provided me with a good overview of the process, costs, what to look for, and more.

What if after purchasing a nice, older aircraft, my desire was going back to the polished aluminum look? How different is that from a "normal" paint job? What steps are involved?
Click to expand...
The aircraft that came from the factory polished and are now painted were painted for a good reason. the aircraft that were painted at the factory were scuffed prior to the painting and are not polishable. by the time you get the scratches out, you have lost the Alclad coating and the base metal doesn't shine very well.
 
Tom-D said:
The aircraft that came from the factory polished and are now painted were painted for a good reason. the aircraft that were painted at the factory were scuffed prior to the painting and are not polishable. by the time you get the scratches out, you have lost the Alclad coating and the base metal doesn't shine very well.
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Tom, I expected you to mention the Stewart Systems aluminum coating stuff, too.
 
Continued good info. Would "chrome paint" be a possible option?
 
Just think how cool it would look to engine turn the entire plane and clear coat it.
 
Let us know how much you like it after the yearly polish. Most of the unpainted aircraft I've seen were in pointed need of it.
 
MAKG1 said:
You're an experienced auto guy.

Do you really like the look of fake chrome?
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Admittedly, I've seen it mostly on small applications (mostly interior items). And yes, that looked good.

Like many transportation paint jobs, much is gonna depend on skill of painter.
 
My Cessna 180 was partially painted at the factory. The parts that were painted polish fine.
Tom-D said:
The aircraft that came from the factory polished and are now painted were painted for a good reason. the aircraft that were painted at the factory were scuffed prior to the painting and are not polishable. by the time you get the scratches out, you have lost the Alclad coating and the base metal doesn't shine very well.
Click to expand...
 
Depends on the pickiness of the owner. An occasional wash and some glass polish will preserve enough shine to elicit ooohs and ahhhs from the peanut gallery. If you're trying to win OSH, not so much. Stated differently, if I wanted your bleeping opinion about the polish job I'd take the tire tool out from under the seat while I asked if you thought it was the prettiest thing you have ever seen. :wink2:

steingar said:
Let us know how much you like it after the yearly polish. Most of the unpainted aircraft I've seen were in pointed need of it.
Click to expand...
 
wabower said:
My Cessna 180 was partially painted at the factory. The parts that were painted polish fine.
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Cessna did not scuff any portion of the aircraft they were delivering polished.
 
Polished aluminum can look great. but it does require polishing and watch out for corrosion.

I had a polished spinner once., That was enough fer me.
 
So which is it if they were delivered by the factory partly painted and partly polished? Your posts are not consistent.

Tom-D said:
Cessna did not scuff any portion of the aircraft they were delivering polished.
Click to expand...
 
wabower said:
:mad2:
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how hard is it? when they painted the whole aircraft, they scuffed the whole aircraft.

When they were polishing any part, they didn't scuff any part of it.

But they did etch all aircraft, etching can be polished.
 
AggieMike88 said:
I've read with interest the different threads and discussions about owners repainting their aircraft. Provided me with a good overview of the process, costs, what to look for, and more.

What if after purchasing a nice, older aircraft, my desire was going back to the polished aluminum look? How different is that from a "normal" paint job? What steps are involved?
Click to expand...

I actually looked into this when I bought my 170 with the intent to either return it to the original polished aluminum or paint it. You can do it yourself (some have) and keep the cost down, but it can be a lot of work, or you can find a shop that will do it. If you do find a shop, the cost to do a polished aluminum finish will run about 2 grand more than the comparable paint. While there is some concern about scuffing from previous paint jobs as Tom mentioned, the shop I talked to (Wing Waxers at Big Bear) said they had never seen a plane that they couldn't get to polish up nicely.

I wanted to do the polish, but the shop owner talked me out of it....when I told him I would be parking it outside in San Diego, he said "I'd love to sell you a polished finish, but you really do not want that outside in San Diego."


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Fearless Tower said:
While there is some concern about scuffing from previous paint jobs as Tom mentioned, the shop I talked to (Wing Waxers at Big Bear) said they had never seen a plane that they couldn't get to polish up nicely.
Click to expand...

With how much metal lost?
 
Fearless Tower said:
I wanted to do the polish, but the shop owner talked me out of it....when I told him I would be parking it outside in San Diego, he said "I'd love to sell you a polished finish, but you really do not want that outside in San Diego."
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I don't get that... is he saying that polished Alclad is more vulnerable to UV damage than paint (Sunshine being the only relevant difference I can see between SD and many other cities)?
 
RotorAndWing said:
Salt air, San Diego sits on the coast.
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'''' I don't get that... is he saying that polished Alclad is more vulnerable to UV damage than paint (Sunshine being the only relevant difference I can see between SD and many other cities)?"""

Ocean side, Santa Maria, Monterey bay, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle.

equal "many other cities".
 
Mike, I don't think you know how much time/energy it takes to maintained a polished airplane. Moisture around? Not flying today....
 
bbchien said:
Mike, I don't think you know how much time/energy it takes to maintained a polished airplane. Moisture around? Not flying today....
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Doc is right, rain spots are way hard to get off..
 
C'mon Bruce, who are we kidding? How many trips have I missed due to any of that? Nobody said they need to be shined up to OSH show quality every day of the year--or even the decade.

bbchien said:
Mike, I don't think you know how much time/energy it takes to maintained a polished airplane. Moisture around? Not flying today....
Click to expand...
 
Airplanes are not scuffed or sanded at the factory to prep the aluminum for paint. It is a two stage acid etch that does remove the alclad coating and give the metal some tooth to hold the paint. It is very possible to strip an airplane and do a spectacular polish job on it but it is a LOT of work. Also don't polish a low wing airplane as the glare of the wings will blind you. Don
 
One year at Oshkosh I camped next to an energetic couple who had a gorgeous Luscombe they evidently wanted to win. It was immaculate, but the first couple hours of every day they spent shining and polishing the thing.
 
steingar said:
One year at Oshkosh I camped next to an energetic couple who had a gorgeous Luscombe they evidently wanted to win. It was immaculate, but the first couple hours of every day they spent shining and polishing the thing.
Click to expand...

Those are good times to own a high-wing and have a cooler full of beer so you can enjoy watching. Haha.
 
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