Polishing the spinner

[Strutwipe]

Hi All,

I found a crack in StrutWipe Tommy's spinner on a preflight, hmm...maybe start doing post-flight? Anyways, got the crack repaired by K&K Precision Welding at a reasonable rate with a quick turn around. I would highly recommend them. Since they had to strip an area to weld, I've decided to strip the rest and go with the polish look. I'm dumb enough to do this but I'm also smart enough to ask for opinions on best best approach.

 

[TailWheelChamp]

The quickest way to polish a spinner is with the engine turning at a slow idle. Quick hand movements in and out with the proper timing to avoid the blades

(are we still talking about airplanes?)

 

[texasclouds]

I wet sanded mine down to 3000 grit sandpaper, then buffed with my Shop Smith 5/8” arbor and buffing wheel using brown, grey, white compounds (compounds from harbor freight, buffing wheels from Lowes). It probably cost me $100 is sandpaper, wheels, and polish. Protecting it with Mothers polish.

 

[AKBill]

Just use car mag wheel polish, buff till your hearts content

 

[texasclouds]

Here is a before and after on some economy aluminum hubcaps I polished:

 

[wanttaja]

The quickest way to polish a spinner is with the engine turning at a slow idle. Quick hand movements in and out with the proper timing to avoid the blades

I'm surprised no one else posted this. Where's 6PC when you really need him?

Ron Wanttaja

 

[GRG55]

...I've decided to strip the rest and go with the polish look...ask for opinions on best best approach.

Send it to @texasclouds

 

[Salty]

Someone once told me not to do it too much, or you'll go blind.

 

[Strutwipe]

I wet sanded mine down to3000 grit, then buffed with my Shop Smith brown, grey, white compounds (compounds from harbor freight, buffing wheels from Lowes).

View attachment 94582

Beautiful aircraft!

 

[texasclouds]

The reason I polished was because of the cost and expertise needed to properly spray paint with a quality paint with hardener added. Local body shops were too busy to mess with my little part. I didn’t want to buy a spray gun only to have drips or orange peel.

 

[Strutwipe]

The reason I polished was because of the cost and expertise needed to properly spray paint with a quality paint with hardener added. Local body shops were too busy to mess with my little part. I didn’t want to buy a spray gun only to have drips or orange peel.

I totally agree and I thought the video was hilarious. Here are the main reasons I want to polish this sucker out. First, what if it cracks again? Second, I think that the polish look is awesome and elegant and StrutWipe Tommy needs a lot of cultural enhancement. Third, I'm stripping off the paint and going with the polish look for the airframe. Might as well take advantage of living in Tucson with its dry heat and why carry the extra weight? Once the polishing is done, I'm going to slap the StrutWipe logo on the side. This is going to be totally rad!

 

[texasclouds]

Far out, dude!

 

[Getonit]

I was under the impression spinners couldn’t or shouldn’t be welded? Or maybe that was the spinner bulkhead?

 

[Silvaire]

Just try not to get too carried away

 

[ElPaso Pilot]

I was under the impression spinners couldn’t or shouldn’t be welded? Or maybe that was the spinner bulkhead?

From their website:

"We now have an FAA approved repair procedure for all makes and models of aircraft spinner cone repair and backing plates. Certificate number XKKR436L. K and K Precision Welding worked with the FAA for two years testing several scenarios with a 100% success rate. All spinner cones and backing plates are returned with a maintenance release and yellow tag."

https://www.precision-welding.com/specialties


There are a couple of other shops that are approved, too. I had a weld repair on mine that's going good for probably 12 years now...