[VAC] Polishing advice from Dan

[Cynthia Grant <Cynthia.Grant@xxxxxxx>]

Here are some postings from a polishing fanatic on an aviation list that I 
mentioned in another message (forwarded with his permission).  In addition 
to the info in his postings below, he also refers people to the 
perfectpolish web site (http://www.perfectpolish.com).   His 
airplane is a shining thing of beauty, so he practices what he preaches.  
Enjoy!

Cynthia


-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel A McNeill [mailto:DMCNEIL@calweb.com]
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2001 12:19 PM
To: picker@tstar.net; luscombe
Subject: Re: Luscombe: aluminum polish


Hi Linnard,

And welcome my brother to the quest for the perfect and most enlightened 
state of polish! As it happens, I DO know the best method and technique to 
polish aluminum airplanes. Others will have different opinions and methods 
but they are universally uninformed, ignorant and in desperate need of 
salvation. I shall save you from this awful fate. Here is a summary of what 
you need to do (taken from a previous sermon but always ifascinating 
nonetheless)...



Nuvite is the best aluminum polish available. 
The Cyclo buffer is the best polishing machine available.
Cotton fleece sweatshirt material is the ONLY material to use for
polishing aluminum.
 
Sources:
Nuvite can be bought directly from the company. Phone (800) 394-8351.
They have tech reps who will help you choose the right grade of polish
(Nushine IIS is the final grade of polish. Coarser polishes are
available depending on the aluminum's initial condition). The polish is
expensive at about $46/lb. but one pound will polish a Luscombe many
times. The SwiftParts website also sells Nuvite online. Go to
<http://www.swiftparts.com/> http://www.swiftparts.com/ and click on
"Exchange". They also have a very good video tape on polishing methods.
It is well worth the $30 in the confidence it will give you to go at the
airplane.
 
The Cyclo buffer can be purchased online at
<http://store.yahoo.com/tolae/index.html>
http://store.yahoo.com/tolae/index.html . Click on "detailing
equipment". They have the best price on this machine. Get the aluminum
body machine. It is industrial quality and will last a lifetime (they
have a new fiberglass bodied machine for less money but I'm a little
skeptical about how that will hold up...). An advantage of the aluminum
bodied machine is that you can polish the polisher! Not that any normal
person would choose to do that... no, that would definitely be a little
peculiar (...he said with a nervous and slightly guilty chuckle). You
can also hand polish using the Nuvite, but you won't last for long. It
is serious work using a machine... by hand is masochistic. 
 
The sweatshirt material is wherever you can find it. Use the fleece side
to polish with. For a good laugh and a look at the dark side of
"Extreme" polish fanaticism, check out
<http://www.perfectpolish.com/index.htm#PerfectPolish>
http://www.perfectpolish.com/index.htm#PerfectPolish . This guy is
seriously disturbed... my kind of people. However, I get my rags from an
industrial rag supplier.
 
American Textile Mills
PO Box 4941 Kansas City, MO
64120
phone(800)800-7247
I use K-562 washed white fleece knit wipers $29.70 for 50 pounds
(shipping is nearly as costly as the rags... a local supplier is best if
you can find one).



So Linnard, are you ready to give yourself over completely to the lure of 
polished aluminum? By the way, I see your signature has a "D.C." appendage. 
Can I assume you are a chiropractor? If so, where do you live? I could use a 
good adjustment after a few hours using the Cyclo...

Dan



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Daniel A. McNeill [mailto:DMCNEIL@calweb.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 06, 2000 9:59 PM
> To: Ron Shank; luscombe@topica.com
> Subject: Re: Luscombe: Polishing
> 
> 
> Ron,
> 
> I use Nuvite products exclusively.
> http://www.nuvite.thomasregister.com/olc/nuvite/home.htm
> 
> I've tried everything else....nothing comes close to the 
> quality finish this
> stuff yields. There are several grades of polishing 
> compound...you need to
> call them and tell them what you have. They are extremely friendly and
> helpful folks and will steer you to the correct compound (I'm 
> using Nushine
> S which is their finish polish...the aluminum looks like a mirror).
> 
> Also, you really need to use a power polisher of some kind. 
> The Cyclo dual
> head random orbit polisher is best but a bit spendy at $300. 
> Any auto type
> polisher will work to start with. Even a grinder used 
> judiciously is OK. Use
> cotton rags/buffing heads only!!! Anything else will cause 
> more scratching
> in the aluminum than it will remove. The Cyclo polisher folks 
> don't make a
> cotton buff...I cover the wool buffs with cotton sweatshirt 
> material. Sounds
> like you just need to cut through a layer of oxidation to 
> reach a clean
> surface....
> 
> Dan
>

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel A McNeill [mailto:DMCNEIL@calweb.com]
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2000 11:58 AM
To: Luscombe Folks
Subject: Luscombe: Swift Polish Tape


Hey All,

Since the Olympics are over for another four years, I needed some 
entertainment to hold me over. So, I bought the Swift boys polishing tape 
thinking it would be full of Nuvite sniffing hairy guys with big honkin 
buffers. And it is.

 The tape has pretty good production values and is well done. It is a little 
short. But, it covers all the high points and gives good demonstrations of 
the various techniques used to obtain that mirror finish. I learned a few 
things too! They give lots of tips on machines and the various grades of 
Nuvite (they use ONLY Nuvite...) and how to use each. So, if you have an 
extra $30 burning a hole in your Spandex exercise shorts, and you enjoy 
watching big hairy guys with power tools, the Swift Polish Tape is pretty 
entertaining. It will probably be a PBS series in the near future... This 
Old Buffer or Getting in Touch With Your Inner Polisher... who knows...

Dan

p.s. The Swift Boys have a pretty good online store where you can buy the 
tape and polishing supplies at... http://www.swiftparts.com/  You just 
need to ignore the fact that they put the wing in the wrong place on their 
airplanes... otherwise they're okay folks.


-----Original Message-----
Subject: Luscombe: L'Aire du Nuvite

Bob wrote...

"...Yea, Dan is a tricky dude, could probably have a cup of his latte' and
get a hint of Nuvite taste..."

Well Bob, you could probably smell the Nuvite fumes coming out of my pores
from 50 yards these days. I've been polishing a Cessna 195. It was terribly
neglected for many years but no more. It is once again becoming the naked
shiny thing it was meant to be.

And I have a new favorite tool. This airplane needed the full tilt complete
Nuvite work up starting with the oxide busting G6. This is serious stuff and
requires a serious tool with a whole lot more torque and power than that
delicate and dainty Cyclo. I needed a big ass grinder/polisher. I bought a
Fein variable speed, constant torque, electronically controlled jewel of
German tool manufacturing prowess. It weighs a mere 5 lbs. (very important
when polishing undersides of wings and fuselage bellies, etc.) and has
enough torque to wrench the airplane right out of it's wheel chocks. This
thing is way cool.

And I need to put in a plug for the online tool seller, Coastal Tool
http://www.coastaltool.com/  These folks are great... fast service... quick
email response (5 minutes!!!)... and the best prices around by far (at least
for this tool). I would recommend them without hesitation. If you buy
anything from them, tell them I sent you. The Nuvite cheapskates haven't
given me anything free yet but maybe these new guys will cough up a free
tape measure or something...

Dan