Had a go at polishing up the aluminium today!!

[Cmanby]

So I tried to polish the drivers side side panel up it took 5 hours but got an ok finish just struggling to get the real fine scratches out
Hopefully below link works for picture
https://pin.it/ej67d7hpxdzb4o

[analog_me]

Wd40 and clean cloths work their magic...
What did you use?

[Cmanby]

Started with 600 grit sandpaper as lots of white rust over it. And worked my way up from there I tried using my angle grinder and sandpaper but it was a bit harsh on it not sure what I'm doing really just trial and error

[Trackdayguy]

I suggest a scotch brite and WD40. It gives it a factory dull shine


[url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/aZRy3zYI[/url]

[HAL2016]

Mines 18 years old now ..all alloy apart from wings.. a friend of a friend who works on civilian airliners told me how they keep those holiday jets so shiny up there in the sky’s.
They polish and then wax.
Once you have achieved the shine you want.. give it a few liberal coats of Bilt Hamber Hydra wax and your good for a whole year or even two in my case... Carnauba wax by bilt Hamber brilliant

[BertBert]

HAL2016 said:

Mines 18 years old now ..all alloy apart from wings.. a friend of a friend who works on civilian airliners told me how they keep those holiday jets so shiny up there in the sky’s.
They polish and then wax.
Once you have achieved the shine you want.. give it a few liberal coats of Bilt Hamber Hydra wax and your good for a whole year or even two in my case... Carnauba wax by bilt Hamber brilliant

Ummm, aren't planes normally painted?

[Kawasicki]

BertBert said:

HAL2016 said:

Mines 18 years old now ..all alloy apart from wings.. a friend of a friend who works on civilian airliners told me how they keep those holiday jets so shiny up there in the sky’s.
They polish and then wax.
Once you have achieved the shine you want.. give it a few liberal coats of Bilt Hamber Hydra wax and your good for a whole year or even two in my case... Carnauba wax by bilt Hamber brilliant

Ummm, aren't planes normally painted?

Some bits. Some bits are left raw.

[Trackdayguy]

American Airlines are unpainted

[anonymous-user]

Trackdayguy said:

American Airlines are unpainted

Most of them are painted. They still have some old polished alloy ones being run out but for a few years now they’ve been painting them or buying them already painted.

Particularly for the newer planes; composite doesn’t shine up well.......

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 6th November 14:38

[mickrick]

American Airlines used Nuvite. If you check out my Nuvite II thread, you'll see the process.
You can prep the surface with 3M Microfine, and Ultrafine foam pads before polish.
Also a dual head orbital polisher will give you a mirror like finish with out swirls. Use polar fleece for cloth. Bodyshop muslin cloth with leave scratches.

[BertBert]

Well, well, well. just goes to show (again) that I know nuffink! Apparently, according to a Boeing Scientist, Mr Boe IngScien-Tist "The net operating cost of polished airplanes, calculated as a percentage of the total operating cost, is between 0.06 percent and 0.30 percent more than the total operating cost of fully painted airplanes."
Bert

• Dan Hansen

Principal Engineer
Scientist
Airframe Design
Boeing Long Beach
Division

[mickrick]

Well that's very interesting Bert
However, as I don't pay myself, I'll keep polishing.
It's cheaper and lighter than paint, and if I polish enough, the car will get lighter....