rubbing out

Looking for advice on technique ...
I am starting to rub out a finished plane, and am not sure I am happy with the result. What techniques do y'all use for rubbing out the finish, and what do you expect to see happen as the process goes along?
--jt

John Thompson

LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-04 AT 06:57 PM (CST)
 
>Looking for advice on technique ...
> I am starting to rub out a finished plane, and am not sure
>I am happy with the result. What techniques do y'all use
>for rubbing out the finish, and what do you expect to see
>happen as the process goes along?
> --jt
>
>John Thompson
>
>http://members.aol.com/johnt4051/northwestcl.html

Here is how I do it. First get warm water in a bowl and add a few drops of dish soap. Then using the water sand with 1500 grit sand paper then 2000. Then I use blue disposable towels on a roll and 3M liquid rubbing compound with a lot of elbow grease. Then use micro finishing compound and the same elbow grease. I use Turtle wax with Carnauba in it for a shine.
[photo not recovered: 40e081a443de9f01.jpg]
I built both these planes in the last 6 months
[photo not recovered: 419c281f26c50481.jpg]

Robert's work is outstanding, no doubt.

However, for those of us not as skilled, a final clear coat of epoxy will give the same result. KlassKote seems to be the best choice currently. Epoxy will result in an impervious finish with an everlasting "wet" look. It does add weight.

I was never able to do the rubout thing. I remember reading Steve Wooley's Cobra article and his description of shelving a doped plane for an entire season(?) before attempting the rubout.

>Robert's work is outstanding, no doubt.
>
>However, for those of us not as skilled, a final clear coat
>of epoxy will give the same result. KlassKote seems to be
>the best choice currently. Epoxy will result in an
>impervious finish with an everlasting "wet" look. It does
>add weight.
>
>I was never able to do the rubout thing. I remember reading
>Steve Wooley's Cobra article and his description of shelving
>a doped plane for an entire season(?) before attempting the
>rubout.

Robert is correct. Everything exactly, except for the elbow grease. I use a buffer. It is easy. Takes only about 4 hours once the plane is wet sanded.

I use Perfect III Extra Cut as a substitute for 3m Rubbing Compound if I can. It does not sling red crap all over the place. It is nearly completely mess free and cuts about the same grit. It is way cleaner on the model also.

I buff three times over the same spot and move on. I have basically abondoned any finer grit than Extra Cut unless I do a Nats appearance.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-04 AT 07:36 PM (CST)
 
>
>Robert is correct. Everything exactly, except for the elbow
>grease. I use a buffer. It is easy. Takes only about 4
>hours once the plane is wet sanded.

I had thought about using my buffer untill the thought of it catching the trailing edge or stab edge and turning it into kindeling. As it flew across the room.

>I had thought about using my buffer untill the thought of it
>catching the trailing edge or stab edge and turning it into
>kindeling. As it flew across the room.

Too big brother...
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http://www2.northerntool.com/product/200051274/

OK, 'Zilla. I just sent in my money for a CP7201P.

>However, for those of us not as skilled, a final clear coat
>of epoxy will give the same result. KlassKote seems to be
>the best choice currently.

Bill Wilson has a new clear I am very interested in. It is a new "cheap" clear made for less expensive car finishes. It is an acrylic based urethane (read that---like lacquer). It is apparrently a urethane that atomizes and spreads like dope or lacquer (the biggest problem with urethane is that it is harder to make "flow" evenly).

The acrylic shortens the life on a car but would zero effect on the life of an airplane finish. Dope would not fair well on a car out in the weather, for example. We expect is will still be VERY nitro proof.

Bill reports that it flows out flat even in the thinnest of applications and does not "bunch up" like urethane (splotchy). If that were the case, much less could be used for a smooth application. Could be awesome. I plan on using this clear on Phil's Giles for FM.

LAST EDITED ON Nov-22-04 AT 08:06 PM (CST)
 
The trick with Urathane is to thin it with the right amount of Reducer. For 70 degrees and below for PPG Strato Clear I use DT860 thinned at no more than 20%. HVLP gun at 7 PSI. No over spray and flows great. Give it a try.

3 coats = 1.25- 1.5 oz

Yeah,

Zilla is another one of those super finish guys. Check out his recent post:

http://www.clstunt.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=11383&forum=DCForumID1

Gorgeous.

Thanks for the advice,all.
--jt

John Thompson