Aircraft Brightwork Polishing Equipment
The following polishing procedures are a compilation of many methods developed through our use of our aircraft polishing products in field and lab testing, and from the many customers who have offered their findings through their experiences in the field. Although the following is a recommended procedure, it may not be the only procedure to provide good results. Metal polishing is at least as much an art as a procedure, but we have found that the following method will usually give you outstanding results in the shortest amount of time –and with the least amount of hard work.
Join in the fun, and give your aircraft personalised touch of a truly “knock your socks off”, outstanding polish finish – with the absolute best depth, clarity and image obtainable, anywhere, anyway – period!
The first step for brightwork polishing is making sure you have the right equipment and products for the job at hand. Here’s the products and tools we recommend from our extensive use and tests.
The Nuvite NuShine II Metal Polish System
Believe it or not… users of Nuvite NuShine II have coined the phrase “The Nuvite Look” to describe the excellence of polish jobs on aircraft. …Well, we couldn’t say it better ourselves! “The Better the Polish Job, The Longer It lasts!” It’s true! -once the surface is polished to that clear, deep image Nuvite NuShine II offers, (aka. “That Nuvite Look”) and the more times it gets that Nuvite polish job, the longer it will last. This is because the metal surface becomes better and better. The surface is more “healed”. The Nuvite system of Graded polishes allows you to truly remove embedded oxidation. Oxidation left in the polished surface rapidly increases the breeding of more oxidation, causing the polish job to dull quickly. The cleaner the surface of oxidation, the longer the polish job lasts.
Nuvite’s NuShine II polishes are designed, specifically, to be a “System” of differing polishes – with characteristics that do specific tasks that will save you time and a great deal of effort to accomplish the particular phase of the process leading to the outstanding results you, and we, desire.
Nushine Finishing Grades:
For use after the surface of the metal has been “healed” or prepared with the compounding Grades listed below.
NuShine II Grade S – the finishing grade that gives a really deep, clear image when used as a final finish over a properly prepared, oxidation-free surface. (Here’s “The Nuvite Look”)
NuShine II Grade A – a medium-finish grade that gives a clear, clean shine and can be used as a light compounding grade to remove very slight oxidation, such as when a good polish job starts to slightly degrade. Also useful for hand polishing in tight spots where buffers cannot reach. Will give good finishes with a bright look similar to usual commercial grade polishes, but does not offer the “spectacular look” of NuShine II Grade S.
Nushine Compounding Grades:
Before a polished metal surface can present a really clear deep image, it needs to be prepared for the final finish to “heal the surface”. One or more of the NuShine II Compounding Grades may need to be used before the final “Nuvite Look” can be achieved.
NuShine II Grade C – C is a light compounding grade polish that we recommend using for prep of already polished surfaces prior to using Grade S. Grade C will remove the cloudy/hazy white background (called “undercast”) and other surface dullness found in many otherwise good polish finishes. (See Specific Procedures).
NuShine Grade G6 – When the surface has not been polished or has been allowed to deteriorate, G6 may be a good answer as it will quickly but gently get to a “healed” surface finish. G6 has a high-tech abrasive system that is designed to do a quick, aggressive oxidation cut, and immediately break down to a finer cut, similar to Grade C. Use when there is normal to serious oxidation on the surface of the aluminium, or even when very light surface marks are evident. Can also be used to blend light surface scratches in aluminium and will polish stainless steel.
NuShine II Grade F7 – F7 has a very hard and sharp, but very fine abrasive that continues its compounding action throughout the buffing process. It is best used for blending very light pitting or scratches from aluminium surfaces, polishing new, non-clad, cast, or forged, smooth surface aluminium, or polishing smooth stainless steel or titanium. You can follow F7 with Grade S for the final finish without intermediate steps.
NuShine II Grade F9 – F9 is used where the surface has been damaged by corrosion, has severe pitting, or has had severe stripping processes, including being sanded or scratched by abrasive cloth. Please ask us for specific recommendations, but never use standard commercial grade sanding papers and abrasives – even wet, on aluminium to be polished. Alternatively, there are speciality micro fine surface sanding materials (speciality grade abrasives –not commercial grade sandpapers) that may be helpful in really severe situations prior to using F9.
But F9 is a good surface blender and is useful even for non-clad aluminium, forged and cast aluminium, stainless steel and titanium and anodised surfaces needing special procedures because of the surface hardness. Usually, it is necessary to follow Grade F9 on aluminium with Grade G6 or C for further surface preparation prior to final finishing with Grade S.
Recommended Abrasives for Surface Preparation
SiaAir
A cushioned abrasive disc for rotary buffers and polishers, perfect for preparing new metal surfaces for polishing or removing heavy oxidation from older metals. Available in a range of different grit options including 240, 360, 500, 1000 and 2000 GRIT.
Kanguru ALU-FIX® Oil
A cutting lubrication/control oil for use with the Abralon® abrasive discs, helping to control the depth of the ‘cut’, achieve a uniform scratch pattern and prolong the life of your abrasive pads. Available as Kanguru Oil 5 litres or a Kanguru oil 500ml spray bottle.
Recommended Equipment for Brightwork Polishing
Shop Polishing & Buffer Machines Shop Polishing Tools & Equipment
Buff Pro
The Buff Pro machine is a linear, rotating drum polisher which does not leave swirl marks. It is easy to use and produces results in a very short time. Can be used to polish metal and paint. A selection of wool buffing pads is available.
Rotary Buffers / Polishers
For compounding the surface:
— An inexpensive electric variable speed circular buffer/polisher.
NOTE: no more than 1500 – 2000 rpm should be used.
— Purchase a “Velcro” mount buffing head for the above buffer/polisher if it does not come with Velcro-type backing pad such our Tufted Lambs Wool buffer pads.
Pneumatic Buffers
The Buffmaster Tools ‘Long Arm Buffer’ and ‘Short Arm Buffer’ represent the most efficient way of compounding aircraft leading edges by far.
Recommended Equipment for Finishing the Surface
Cyclo Model 5 dual head orbital Buffer
For finishing, one of the best machines we have seen is the Cyclo Model 5 dual head orbital Buffer. The Cyclo will do a better job, faster and will be easier to use than almost any other buffer we’ve found – an important consideration for the future upkeep of your polish job. It is used in combination with the cotton flannel sheeting below to get the swirl-free, absolute mirror finish. Foam pads are used only as a drive surface for the cotton flannel, which is wrapped across the face of the pads. (See Specific Procedures below)
Cotton flannel to wrap around orbital buffing head for finishing. Another, somewhat less effective option for final fish polishing is an electric orbital (non spinning pad) auto polisher, that can be found at any large retail auto supply store. It is less expensive and will take more time and work, but it will do the job.
Polishing Accessories
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Spur Rake
£ 24.50 excl VAT View product -
Tufted Lambs Wool Bonnet
£ 15.50 excl VAT View product -
Cyclo® Polisher Green Foam Polishing Pads – Pack of 4 Pads
£ 13.75 excl VAT View product -
Cyclo® Polisher Yellow Foam Polishing Pads – Pack of 4 Pads
£ 13.75 excl VAT View product -
Cotton Pads for Pneumatic Short Arm Buffmaster Buffers
£ 32.00 excl VAT View product -
Cotton Pads for Pneumatic Long Arm Buffmaster Buffers & AeroBuf
£ 32.00 excl VAT View product -
Velcro Backing Plate
£ 13.75 excl VAT View product -
Cyclo Pad Wraps
£ 56.95 excl VAT View product
Polishing Procedures
Normal Procedures for Polishing Clad Aluminium
For repair of badly scratched or severely corroded metal, or special needs. Wear old clothes or a throwaway-type smock to save your clothes from black staining. For lightly pitted, very dull metal, with small surface scratches:
Remove any oils, paraffins (from smoke oils) and dirt from the surface before polishing. The surface should be dry with normal humidity conditions for best results.
1. Use Nuvite NuShine II – Grade F9 or G6 polish (depending on surface condition) starting with a new or clean wool compounding pad on circular type buffer 2. Place one finger across the top surface of the polish, just wet your finger with polish (do NOT dip out a quantity of polish –only wet your finger with polish) and put a big, wet “fingerprint” of about half a finger length every 3″ or so over an area of 18″ – 2’ square to be polished.
Work quickly – do not allow the polish to dry.
3. Pat the pad, or place the pad onto the “fingerprinted” area, and smear the polish around a little before turning on the polisher so wet polish does not throw. The polisher should not run more than about 1500—1800 rpm. We do not recommend that higher than 2000 rpm be used due to the increased possibility of excess surface heating.
4. Tilt the pad up very slightly (10-15 degrees or so) so that one side of the pad touches the surface as it spins (do not lay flat). Sweep the polisher back and forth over the surface at a speed of about one to two seconds per foot of travel as it spins. It is not necessary to press hard against the surface. Light, but firm pressure is all that is needed. (If it were a horizontal surface, about the weight of the buffer or very slightly more.) The scratched area may require working back and forth, then up and down, then tracing an “X” pattern over the scratched area several times to blend the scratches. Do not stop the pad movement back and forth and “bear down” on one area to blend the scratch. It can cause too much surface heating.
5. Black residue will form over the buffing area. Continue moving the buffer back and forth/up and down across the surface. After about 30 – 45 seconds, the black residue will begin to lighten and then disappear if you have the correct amount of polish. Continue moving over the area until the black residue is gone and the clean aluminium surface shows. Black residue may remain around the edges of your buffed area, but that will be cleared as we move to the next adjoining area to be buffed. If further work is needed to clear the cloudiness or scratches that remain prominent, repeat the above process.
6. Repeat the above steps on the next adjoining area, and so on until the panel or whole vehicle is complete. When the wool compounding pad “cakes up” (looks shiny) with polish, fluff the nap of the pad by “spurring” with a buffing spur or a screwdriver blade held vertically against the face of the spinning pad.
7. When through with buffing for the day, hand wipe around the areas where residue has built up –rivets, panel lines, etc. to remove any surface polish accumulations of residue from the compounding process before starting with finishing Grade S. Long nap microfiber cloth is very effective when the polish is still fresh and seems to have an affinity for the accumulated polish. Leaving the polish to dry makes the residue harder to remove, and may require mineral spirits.
New, clad aluminium or already polished metal with moderate to severe cloudiness in the reflecting image:
Remove any oils, paraffins (from smoke oils) and dirt from the surface before polishing.
The surface should be dry with normal humidity conditions for best results.
The surface should be dry with normal humidity conditions for best results.
- Use Nuvite NuShine II – Grade G6 or C polish (C if the surface has been recently polished, G6 if it has been a while, or is acid rain damaged) with new or clean wool compounding pad on circular type buffer:
- Place one finger across the top surface of the polish, just wet your finger with polish (do NOT dip out a quantity of polish –only wet your finger with polish) and put a big, wet “fingerprint” of about half a finger length every 3″ or so over an area of 18″ – 2’ square to be polished. Work quickly – do not allow the polish to dry.
- Pat the pad, or place the pad onto the “fingerprinted” area, and smear the polish around a little before turning on the polisher so wet polish does not throw. The polisher should not run more than about 1500-1800 rpm. We do not recommend that higher than 2000 rpm be used.
- Tilt the pad up very slightly (10-15 degrees or so) so that one side of the pad touches the surface as it spins (do not lay flat). Move the polisher over the surface at a speed of about one to two seconds per foot of travel as it spins. It is not necessary to press hard against the surface. Light, but firm pressure is all that is needed. (If it were a horizontal surface, about the weight of the buffer or very slightly more.) Do not stop the pad movement back and forth and “bear down” on one area. It can cause too much surface heating.
- A black residue will form over the buffing area. Continue moving the buffer back and forth/up and down across the surface. After about 30 – 45 seconds, the black residue will begin to lighten and disappear if you have the correct amount of polish. Continue moving over the area until the black residue is gone and the clean aluminium surface shows. Black residue may remain around the edges of your buffed area, but that will be cleared as we move to the next adjoining area to be buffed. If further work is needed to clear the cloudiness, repeat the above process, or if using C, try a pass with G6.
- Repeat the above steps on the next adjoining area, and so on until the panel or whole vehicle is complete. When the wool compounding pad “cakes up” (looks shiny) with polish, fluff the nap of the pad by “spurring” with a buffing spur or a screwdriver blade held vertically against the face of the spinning pad.
- When through with buffing for the day, hand wipe around the areas where residue has built up –rivets, panel lines, etc. to remove any surface polish accumulations of residue from the compounding process before starting with finishing Grade S. Long nap microfiber cloth is very effective when the polish is still fresh and seems to have an affinity for the accumulated polish. Leaving the polish to dry makes the residue harder to remove, and may require mineral spirits.
Brightwork Finishing:
Use Nuvite NuShine II – Grade S polish and cotton flannel material (do not use flannel with any synthetic materials in the nap area – acrylic or polyester, etc.) on orbital (non-spinning pad) polisher. Final finish may be done by hand as well, but machine polishing is generally superior in result.
1.Place one finger across the top surface of the jar of polish, and put a big wet “fingerprint” of about half a finger length every 6″ or so over an area of 18″ – 2’ square to be polished. (Note that this is half the amount of polish used in the compounding grades.)
2. Place sheet of flannel, nap down, on a CLEAN surface and place buffer on it to wrap. Wrap flannel material so that flannel is smooth across the face of the polisher drive pad(s), holding the sheet of flannel with your hand on the grip, being sure to leave any motor air vent opening unobstructed. Pull the cotton flannel tight over the face of the polisher and hold it with your hand as you grip the polisher’s handholds. NOTE: Avoid micro-scratching the surface as you buff. Micro scratching appears after viewing a polished surface in daylight, and a “hologram” effect is seen on the surface. It is caused by dust, residue or other contaminate in the nap of the flannel. Be very cautious to keep the surface of the flannel clean before using.
3. Smear the face of the polisher around the area to be polished before turning on the polisher, then turn it on and again move the polisher over the area at about three seconds per foot of travel. Use only light pressure.
4. Move the polisher back and forth/up and down. Keep the polisher moving as before – work the areas around raised rivets and panel lines some extra, maybe even tipping the pad a small amount on these areas. The black residue will appear as before.
5. After 30 – 45 seconds, the black residue will begin to disappear as you continue buffing over the area, and the bright, clear shine will begin to appear. If residue stays on the surface for more than 60 seconds, for best results, wipe off and re-polish the area using the proper amount of polish.
6. Work back over rivets and panel lines to clean the residue from these areas as well as possible.
7. When the area is clean of surface polish, stop the polisher, move the flannel material to a new, clean spot of the material, and final buff over the area, continuing the cleaning and brightening of the finish and picking up any light residue caught around rivets and panel lines. Continue with the same process over the next area, and so on.
8. Using clean “microfiber” polishing cloth, work the areas close in around rivet heads and panel lines to clean the small amount of residue after final fishing. Continually move your fingers on the cloth slightly so that a clean spot is used to clean residue at all times. Removed residue can leave marks if rubbed into next area to be cleaned. Be careful not to drag any polish out onto the clean, clear, open panel polish image.
9. If needed, a final pass may be made after the final cleaning of residue. Use a brand new flannel cloth, and use long sweeping passes to final “fluff buff” the surface. If the flannel picks up residue, be sure to move to a new, ”virgin” area of the flannel so that micro scratching does not occur.
10. Step back and enjoy your handiwork! You’ve now got “The Nuvite Look!”
You can download this guide as a PDF to keep handy whenever you need it – Download here.
If you have any further questions or require any product recommendations, help with aircraft polishing or want to talk to our team about any specific issues then please contact our team today who are experienced and on hand to offer help and guidance.
