Collonite 840 cleaner....oh my!

Unit74

Unit74

Final Approach
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Unit74
I bought a Combo pack on Amazon with the 840 cleaner and the 845 insulator wax. It was a couple bugs more over the 845 itself so I said why not.

My new plane has some haziness to the paint and I gave it a go to see what it would do. I **** you not, that stuff is magic. With a foam applicator, just a spot the size of a quarter on the foam cleaned up about a foot square of paint and made it almost like new. I was like, no effing way this is real deal. I let it haze up and used a micro fiber cloth to wipe off. That paint hasn't looked that good since it rolled out of the paint shop.

I was totally blown away. I have used all sorts of products to try and clean up hazy paint. Like Mr. Miagi said, wax on, wax off. That's all it took. No rubbing, buffing, tired knuckles or anything. Don't believe me? If you have some hazy paint, spend $24 for the two bottle kit with the foam applicator and micro cloth on Amazon and try it.


I honestly feel it can take a hazy 5 paint airplane to an 8 it you put in the work. It's that good.
 
Great stuff does great on boats also
 
Does the cleaner have an MSDS or ingredient sheet?

I do worry a bit using cleaners not known to be aluminum-safe. A lot of people jumped on the Simple Green bandwagon years ago because it worked well at home on things, and didn't know the crap ATE aluminum. (And SG came out with an "Aviation" version shortly after the videos of SG dissolving aluminum showed up on the Internet...)

So what's in the stuff? I love the wax (thanks to Henning) on vehicles and haven't had time to do the airplane with it, but I'm leery of spraying airplanes with stuff I don't know is safe for them.
 
Oh side note. Don't accidentally get the wax on black rubber or plastic surfaces... Like LineX or RhinoLiner bed liners on pickup trucks.

I did near the edges and yes, it's just wax and doesn't harm it, but it leaves an opaque film that's really visible on the black, and of course, then it erodes away slowly.

Here's the interesting part, this is a good way to see how long an application lasts, and I still had haze on the edges of the LineX over a year later. And that was with hitting it with pretty hot water at very high pressure a few times to basically "melt" it off of the liner.

That 845 is impressive stuff. Love it.
 
Makes me nervous as well trying something I haven't used previously, but they do specifically mention both aircraft and aluminum under the applications section/Tech PDF for the 840 product: http://www.collinite.com/automotive-wax/pre-wax-cleaner/
  • Coated, non-coated and non-painted metals; aluminum, chrome, brass, copper, and stainless steel
  • Automotive, aeronautical/aircraft, marine and RV application
However, it also says NOT for use on the following:
  • Dark clear coat paint or painted metals
 
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The 845 does a great job of increasing your aircraft's dielectric constant.
 
I use the wax, didn't know that they had a cleaner as well. In my Amazon cart.
 
denverpilot said:
Does the cleaner have an MSDS or ingredient sheet?

I do worry a bit using cleaners not known to be aluminum-safe. A lot of people jumped on the Simple Green bandwagon years ago because it worked well at home on things, and didn't know the crap ATE aluminum. (And SG came out with an "Aviation" version shortly after the videos of SG dissolving aluminum showed up on the Internet...)

So what's in the stuff? I love the wax (thanks to Henning) on vehicles and haven't had time to do the airplane with it, but I'm leery of spraying airplanes with stuff I don't know is safe for them.
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It has a lighter fluid smell, I can tell you that much.
 
Just using the 840 on faded paint. This **** is legit. Left half of brown paint done, right left untouched.
 

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The before and after was much more dramatic than the pic. I ended up doing it about 5-6 times and it really came out well. Once I got the 845 on it was just under spectacular. From 30ft, you think it was fresh paint.
 
denverpilot said:
Does the cleaner have an MSDS or ingredient sheet?
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http://www.collinite.com/assets/Uploads/MSDS-PDFs/845msds.pdf

Unit74 said:
It has a lighter fluid smell, I can tell you that much.
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Yes. Because this is the only ingredient they list on their MSDS.

http://www.shell.com/business-custo...-hydrotreated-light-cas-64742-47-8-str-en.pdf

GeorgeC said:
Urge to polish airplane... rising...
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We have created a full line of products to satisfy this urge. Created for and tested on airplanes including the important steps of working and being safe on aluminum, fabric and composite.

http://planeperfect.us

Several PoAers have allowed us to put their opinions here:
http://planeperfect.us/pages/frontpage
 
IOW why spend $24 when you can spend 5 times that buying stuff that's marketed specifically to pilots.

:rolleyes:
 
Mostly designed to dissolve old wax. Not surprising. Also does pretty good on any oily stuff on the surface (common problem with aircraft). Any liquid (carnauba) was is going to have a light petroleum carrier (including the 845).
 
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A wool pad 7" rotary buffer at about 2000rpm and some 3M perfect-it rubbing compound is probably the best way to bring a 20-30 year old paint job back to life. I just finished up with my 30 year old 24' boat and i've done a couple older cars. My $40 harbor freight buffer is still truckin.
 
timwinters said:
IOW why spend $24 when you can spend 5 times that buying stuff that's marketed specifically to pilots.
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Always good to hear from you Tim, every single time we answer a question. Sorry you don't like our stuff, though I'm not aware of you ever having tried it. Most people who have actually tried it love it and think we're a good value for price, after all repeat customers are something like 75% of our business. Just added a new testimonial a couple minutes ago from a Baron owner.

http://planeperfect.us/pages/frontpage
 
rwellner98 said:
Always good to hear from you Tim, every single time I use a question as an excuse to peddle my product outside the classifieds.
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FTFY.

In case you haven't noticed that's a pet peeve of mine. It's a violation of the ROC. The MC lets it slide, but that doesn't mean I can't voice my disapproval...every time I get a chance. You, Shane, Jay, I'm an equal opportunity objector.

You'll not get negative feedback from me if you place your blatant ads in the classifieds where they belong because for me to do so would also be a violation of the ROC.
 
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Is the collonite product a 'cleaning wax' with a mild abrasive or does it just plaster over the chalky appearance ?
 
timwinters said:
In case you haven't noticed that's a pet peeve of mine.
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Agreed. Vendors should put their free ads in the classifieds and not abuse the other parts of the forum by touting or even mentioning what they offer to sell.
 
weilke said:
Is the collonite product a 'cleaning wax' with a mild abrasive or does it just plaster over the chalky appearance ?
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Having some here in the garage, and having put it on the cars, it's definitely not abrasive.

It's a barely emulsified oily substance in the hand, and a warm day or the heat of your hand or even a buffer will have it melting into a runny oily substance. It's lighter than say, a typical tub of old school carnauba wax, by a long ways.

Not sure what you mean by "plaster over the chalky appearance". If you're asking if it would do the traditional job of a stiffer wax at helping remove a chalky layer on top of old oxidized paint, I doubt it. Maybe it'd help remove it with a buffer, but not by hand. It'd just make the bad paint look shiny.

Most folks I've seen good looking photos of stuff they revived with it, did it with a buffer. It probably acts more like a lubricant and a carrier for stuff knocked off by the buffer than it assists in actually pulling it up like a stiffer wax the old school way would do. But...

Considering that it's petroleum based and much of the gook that's stuck to paint on cars and airplanes is often stuck on there with something petroleum based also, it probably helps loosen that gunk up since it would mix with it nicely, unlike say, something silicon based. If the top clear coat layer is intact on the car/airplane, it's probably actin more as a cleaner and top coat, than a oxidization remover. There's better stuff to revive old style of paint with no clear coat.

I'd say after playing with it, it'll spiff up paint that isn't too far gone nicely, and leave a shiny surface that also acts as a protectant against further oxidation, until it wears off. And it wears off very slowly, so applications wouldn't have to be as frequent as say, a traditional old school wax job.

If you used it as a cleaner it would leave something to be desired. Which is probably why they also have the cleaner product.
 
rwellner98 said:
....

Created for and tested on airplanes including the important steps of working and being safe on aluminum, fabric and composite.
....
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So, as this topic is exclusively about 845 wax, are you commenting that 845 is UNSAFE for use on aircraft??? ...or was this just a spam advertisement for your product?

I just don't understand your post
 
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James331 said:
So, as this topic is exclusively about 845 wax, are you commenting that 845 is UNSAFE for use on aircraft???
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Yeah, it could have been more clear. I screwed up the quote. I put that line under one about someone thirsting to clean, it was meant to be a follow up to:

"I do worry a bit using cleaners not known to be aluminum-safe. A lot of people jumped on the Simple Green bandwagon years ago because it worked well at home on things, and didn't know the crap ATE aluminum. (And SG came out with an "Aviation" version shortly after the videos of SG dissolving aluminum showed up on the Internet...)"

Aluminum safety is a concern, as the poster of the quote above correctly points out. (pH is a concern here and original simple green is very alkaline, like most household cleaners)

Some composites melt if they aren't properly cleaned. (pH again, a big concern)

We have tested many competing products in our lab, but not 845, so I can't comment about corrosion or other safety issues. What I can say is that reading their MSDS sheets, which I linked above, you find out that the only ingredient they list is a petroleum distillate with approximately the same weight as gasoline (gasoline is c4-c12 and their carbon number is c9-c16. For comparison, diesel is c12 - c20). So that appears to be where it gets its ability to cut through grease and the reason it smells "like lighter fluid". The only ingredient they list is, basically, lighter fluid.

I didn't catch that mistake until you mentioned it. Sorry about that. Hopefully my comment makes more sense now that you know what it was meant to be in reply to.
 
845 is the wax, a light petroleum solvent and carnauba. 840 is the cleaner.
 
flyingron said:
845 is the wax, a light petroleum solvent and carnauba. 840 is the cleaner.
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If it lasts as long as some here have claimed, it is unlikely to be carnauba. Carnauba is 60's technology that only lasts 4-6 weeks in normal conditions.
 
The manufacturer describes it as a "Carnauba/polymer blend"
 
I gotta say.... A vendor who doesn't know his competitor won't last long. Maybe it's time to do some research instead of pimping a product? "My stuff is the best. I know this because it's mine. The othe guys? I have no idea what they are doing, but mine is the best."
 
Unit74 said:
I gotta say.... A vendor who doesn't know his competitor won't last long. Maybe it's time to do some research instead of pimping a product? "My stuff is the best. I know this because it's mine. The othe guys? I have no idea what they are doing, but mine is the best."
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I think you've overstated the case pretty dramatically. We did know their MSDS sheets (and shared them with PoA). We did know their history. We did know that they are selling heavy gasoline or light diesel as a cleaning product. We didn't say we have the best, though clearly that is our goal and our customer feedback says we're on point in pursuing that goal. We said that we had tested our products on airplanes and formulated for the needs of aviators. But, yes, we clearly had a gap on the surprising bit that they are using carnauba, will close it and appreciate learning about it. We also have a product with carnauba, btw. We created it because the market demands it. Not because carnauba is that good compared to more modern sealants.
 
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They are NOT selling gasoline as a cleaning product. While I like your product, you're outright lying in an attempt to disparage a competitor and that doesn't make you look very good.
 
flyingron said:
They are NOT selling gasoline as a cleaning product. While I like your product, you're outright lying in an attempt to disparage a competitor and that doesn't make you look very good.
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Please review their MSDS, which I linked above and repeat here:
http://www.collinite.com/assets/Uploads/MSDS-PDFs/845msds.pdf

CAS 64742-47-8 is a distillate that overlaps with the heavy end of gasoline and the light end of diesel in the refining process. And I'll further note that I only brought that up as an explanation to another commenters note that it smells like lighter fluid. Mine was not an unsolicited comment, it was an explanation of an observation. You prefer to call it a "light petroleum solvent" and that's at least as accurate a statement. Probably more. I tried to simplify by analogy so people would know where it was in the distillate stack and seem to have not just failed to provide clarity, but in fact seem to have offended some, including you - someone with an opinion we definitely value. I assure you it wasn't intended as dirty pool. It was intended to help people understand what the product is made of because people were wondering about safety and ingredients, areas we care about a lot. This is why our company exists. We needed good, safe stuff for our planes and couldn't find it. Since it came across otherwise I apologize and will try to do better in the future.
 
rwellner98 said:
Please review their MSDS, which I linked above and repeat here:
http://www.collinite.com/assets/Uploads/MSDS-PDFs/845msds.pdf

CAS 64742-47-8 is a distillate that overlaps with the heavy end of gasoline and the light end of diesel in the refining process. And I'll further note that I only brought that up as an explanation to another commenters note that it smells like lighter fluid. Mine was not an unsolicited comment, it was an explanation of an observation. You prefer to call it a "light petroleum solvent" and that's at least as accurate a statement. Probably more. I tried to simplify by analogy so people would know where it was in the distillate stack and seem to have not just failed to provide clarity, but in fact seem to have offended some, including you - someone with an opinion we definitely value. I assure you it wasn't intended as dirty pool. It was intended to help people understand what the product is made of because people were wondering about safety and ingredients, areas we care about a lot. This is why our company exists. We needed good, safe stuff for our planes and couldn't find it. Since it came across otherwise I apologize and will try to do better in the future.
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Look at the specific gravity of the product. Compare it to the specific gravity of diesel. Care to "adjust" your comments?
 
CAS 64742-47-8 is deodorized kerosene. It is NOT gasoline in any stretch of the imagination.
 
Most carnauba waxes last 6 months, not 6 weeks. The cheap OTC crap doesn't last, but if you buy a quality product it will.
 
Clark1961 said:
Look at the specific gravity of the product. Compare it to the specific gravity of diesel. Care to "adjust" your comments?
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Why don't you make it easier on the rest of us? Instead of oblique comments to the poster why not just TELL us what the data sheets told YOU and then explain it to us, the poor unwashed masses? That way we can make an intelligent (?) decision as to what the arguments are all about.

Quite frankly, I don't care if they are using octane (or decane, or dammitol for that matter) if it works and is not injurious to my airplane.

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
Why don't you make it easier on the rest of us? Instead of oblique comments to the poster why not just TELL us what the data sheets told YOU and then explain it to us, the poor unwashed masses? That way we can make an intelligent (?) decision as to what the arguments are all about.

Quite frankly, I don't care if they are using octane (or decane, or dammitol for that matter) if it works and is not injurious to my airplane.
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I'm making a point with someone who is posing as an expert. The solvent is important for health and safety reasons.
 
According to Shell's MSDS: "It consists of hydrocarbons having carbon numbers
predominantly in the range of C9 through C16"

Source: http://www.shell.com/business-custo...-hydrotreated-light-cas-64742-47-8-str-en.pdf

According to IEA-AMF: The hydrocarbons of gasoline contain typically 4-12 carbon atoms [...] whereas diesel fuel contains hydrocarbons with approximately 12–20 carbon atoms

Source:
http://www.iea-amf.org/content/fuel_information/diesel_gasoline
http://www.iea-amf.org/content/fuel_information/diesel_gasoline
Ron pointed out that CAS 64742-47-8 is also listed as a deodorized kerosene. Kerosene has a carbon range of 12-15 that overlaps with diesel.

Source: http://www.asminternational.org/documents/10192/1942086/gas.pdf/90b64865-ad5d-45be-893f-20aacc7b90d5
http://www.asminternational.org/documents/10192/1942086/gas.pdf/90b64865-ad5d-45be-893f-20aacc7b90d5
So, in order:
Gasoline is C4-C12
CAS 64742-47-8 is C9-C16 according to the MSDS
Kerosene is C12-C15 (which CAS 64742-47-8 might be, with the MSDS just giving a broader range for unknown reasons)
Diesel is C12-C20

Readers can decide for themselves whether that makes CAS 64742-47-8 more like gas, kerosene, diesel or something else.
 
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