polishing aluminum

[steve c]

I have been working away on my latest project, a '59 180...its its still in peices and it's just about time to get the polisher out, its never been polished, so i am starting from rock bottom, you know, 320 grit sandpaper marks, old n numbers etched in the skins, any ideas on the best process and stuff to use?

[Cubdude]

This stuff does a great job on pontoon boats but may be a little corrosive for an airplane.

http://www.zep.com/ProductCatalog/ProductBrowse.asp?img=vehicle&section=21&subSection=595&superSection=0&pageNumber=2

[hardtailjohn]

Steve, from experience, wet sanding will save you lots of polishing time... I usually go through 1500 grit. Do a google search, as it seems to me that someone referenced me to an article a year or so ago, and it was great! Good luck..that's the best year for the 180's in my opinion... and don't forget to post pics!!
JH

[Kenny Chapman]

Go to www.perfectpolish.com. This is a site that is specifically for polishing aiplanes and airstream trailers.

[steve c]

cubdude, anything zep is some potent stuff, i would bet it works good but i have deeper scratches to contend with, i am with john, to wetsand. its probobly the best way to go, i just was hoping there would be a easier way! kenny, i looked at the site, it has some great ideas, i'll bet i end up using alot of them- thanks!i was also looking at some sites where they polish the big birds, way cool equptment! i will probobly wetsand as needed then buff it with a rouge stick first and see how that goes, i am looking for a satin finish, mirror would be too much work in the long run. thanks guys!

[soaringhiggy]

be carful with the zep stuff. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is deadly stuff if it gets on your skin. I do not know the concentration of HF in that mix, but I would be very cautious with it.

The wounds that it causes are very deep and painful.

Dane

[Zzz]

HF reacts with calcium, that's one of the reasons it's so deadly. It will seep thru your tissue until it gets to your bone and then react with that, destroying the bone.

I heard a horror story about a guy that was an artist in NYC who used massive amount of HF, enough to need a barrel. He disposed of it by putting it in a dumpter, and when the trash guy picked it up with the truck, the barrel was either crushed or opened and he got douched with the stuff. Needless to say, he died.

[qmdv]

Hm. Polishing aluminum. Is that not the reason paint was invented. You could fly it to Yuma and find one of those folks that will do the kind of work that I will not do.

Tim

[steve c]

well, i did think about painting the wings and leaving the fues polished, any ideas?
steve---