Washing and waxing planes

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MrHman

Filing Flight Plan
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Columbia, SC
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MrHman
Hey guys
i'm a student in college looking for some work during school. I am a mate on sport-fishing boats in the summertime. As a result I have experience washing, waxing, polishing. Was thinking about offering a wash/waxing service to the private airport here. What are your go to products? i.e. degreasers, polish, soap. On the boats I use orpine soap, woody wax on the metal, mcguires wax, lots of microfiber towels, chamois, and squeegee. My friend recommended buying a creeper. Are there any sensitive areas to be especially mindful of and what is your method on the windows. All advice is appreciated! Thanks
 
Welcome,I use many of the same marine products on my aircraft. Most aircraft are easy to detail. I do everything by hand ,I stay away from power buffers.
 
Nothing special, just be aware of pitot and static ports, also the windows are plexi, read up on that.

Remember airplanes are expensive, just wear a polo shirt with some logo, tuck it into some kaki shorts and charge WAAY more than you would a car, they'll pay.
 
What's worse, scraping off tons of leading edge bugs or massive amounts of dried fish blood?

Search, lots of info on this site. Use the right plexi cleaner and a microfiber for the windows. Normal car soap works fine for the wings/fuselage. The belly will be greasy. Search for proper methods to degrease an airplane's belly
 
h.hoell72@gmail.com said:
Hey guys
i'm a student in college looking for some work during school. I am a mate on sport-fishing boats in the summertime. As a result I have experience washing, waxing, polishing. Was thinking about offering a wash/waxing service to the private airport here. What are your go to products? i.e. degreasers, polish, soap. On the boats I use orpine soap, woody wax on the metal, mcguires wax, lots of microfiber towels, chamois, and squeegee. My friend recommended buying a creeper. Are there any sensitive areas to be especially mindful of and what is your method on the windows. All advice is appreciated! Thanks
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First post....

Welcome to POA....

:cheers::cheers:
 
h.hoell72@gmail.com said:
Hey guys
i'm a student in college looking for some work during school. I am a mate on sport-fishing boats in the summertime. As a result I have experience washing, waxing, polishing. Was thinking about offering a wash/waxing service to the private airport here. What are your go to products? i.e. degreasers, polish, soap. On the boats I use orpine soap, woody wax on the metal, mcguires wax, lots of microfiber towels, chamois, and squeegee. My friend recommended buying a creeper. Are there any sensitive areas to be especially mindful of and what is your method on the windows. All advice is appreciated! Thanks
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I would use Roll Off for all the up front / initial cleaning.. get it a West Marine...
Use elbow grease to wax and polish planes... Powered buffers can and will do more damage then you will ever be able to pay for in your lifetime..:yikes:...:sad: IMHO...... YMMV..
 
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h.hoell72@gmail.com said:
Hey guys
i'm a student in college looking for some work during school. I am a mate on sport-fishing boats in the summertime. As a result I have experience washing, waxing, polishing. Was thinking about offering a wash/waxing service to the private airport here. What are your go to products? i.e. degreasers, polish, soap. On the boats I use orpine soap, woody wax on the metal, mcguires wax, lots of microfiber towels, chamois, and squeegee. My friend recommended buying a creeper. Are there any sensitive areas to be especially mindful of and what is your method on the windows. All advice is appreciated! Thanks
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For a surface that is good, Collenite no. 845 Insulator Wax. It is my degreaser, window cleaner, vinyl dressing, and top coat wax. If I need to remove oxidatition I use Finnese It and Perfect It products with Superbuff II pads on a high speed buffer (I like 4500rpm, but it's hard to find light weight machines that do more than 3600), but any good compound and glaze works. In fact I prefer Liquid Ebony glaze, but it's hard to get anymore.

I use the same products on boats and have been running yachts for over 30 years. As for soap, Palmolive Dish Liquid and chamois dry.

If you run into stains in the paint and exhaust residue, Flitz works on that, it also works on the exhaust stains on the boat hull.
 
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N801BH said:
I would use Roll Off for all the up front / initial cleaning.. get it a West Marine...
Use elbow grease to wax and polish planes... Powered buffers can and will do more damage then you will ever be able to pay for in your lifetime..:yikes:...:sad: IMHO...... YMMV..
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Meh, buffers don't take much skill, especially with the three pack paint systems. This stuff ain't lacquer, even old style acrylic enamels were pretty hard to burn. There's really not much to catch buffing a plane, just don't try to buff onto a thin edge and there's not much else to damage. Antennas don't get hurt, in fact I buff them. The ELT whip yo want to stay off and work carefully around an ADF cable and it's pretty simple. The only thing that sucks is if the bottom of the wings and belly need buffing. That kills me anymore, I'm sore for a week.:lol:

James brought up one to remember and that is the static port. I put green 3M tape over it before I start so there's no way I get crap in it, and it's obvious so I don't forget to remove it.

If you know how to use a buffer, there is always good money to be made. You'll bust your ass for it, but I get paid well for using it.

Also the majority of plexi window damages I can fix quickly with a buffer without having to get the Micromesh kit out and start wet sanding. Plexi is where the 4500 rpm machine pays off really well. You can also spin a rag wheel on one and polish up aluminum and stainless with rouge sticks in a jiffy. I can put an incredible finish on a spinner in less than 5 minutes.

IMO, if you don't have a buffer in your kit, you're a dilettante in the business. If you show up with an orbital machine, I'm sending you to the house, because you are clueless. If you show up with clay bars, I'm going to make sure you understand it's a flat rate regardless if it takes you 4-5 days or 4-5 hours, because I can do most any non cabin class GA plane in 4-5 hours. If you're afraid to use a buffer and bring clay, I'm fine with that, but I don't pay you extra to be scared.
 
One note--build your business through word of mouth and don't advertise. If you do good work, you'll get all the work you'll ever want.
 
Lots of micro fiber towels and don't use Armor all ... not on my plane. Use this for plastics, leather, and tires but not Plexi!

303-vinyl.jpg



For polishing aluminum I use Zephyr Pro 40. Nuvite is too GD expensive and over rated. Use only a Cyclo Orbital polisher. Unless you know what you're doing, a buffer can burn, Cyclo's will not burn no matter how long or hard you hammer it. I use a buffer to go over it lightly and fast after the orbital.

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Edit in: I forgot to add I use a 10 to 1 water to denatured alcohol on polished aluminum for touching up. It brings the shine right back and gets rid of looky-loo hand prints. Everyone wants to grab or lean on the wing struts damnit! :mad2::lol:
 
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Along with the creeper you mentioned, get some protective eyewear. You will need to spray something on the belly to degrease it, and it will thereafter drip in your eyes.

As for the degreaser, there are many products, but be sure it is noncorrosive, e.g., not Simple Green, although Aviation Simple Green is good. A gallon might last through a few dozen customers.

You won't need the squeejee.
 
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NoHeat said:
Along with the creeper you mentioned, get some protective eyewear. You will need to spray something on the belly to degrease it, and it will thereafter drip in your eyes.

As for the degreaser, there are many products, but be sure it is noncorrosive, e.g., not Simple Green, although Aviation Simple Green is good. A gallon might last through a few dozen customers.

You won't need the squeejee.
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I use Collenite Insulator Wax to degrease a belly after giving it a wash or wipe down with a dry rag. No drips, no muss, no fuss, simplest way to do it besides a steam cleaner.
 
I did plane washing one summer. I did the top half for free, and charged out the @#$%& for the bottom half. Inside was a base price depending on the size of the plane plus hourly. Most people that only wanted the top half washed would tip, some wouldn't. I still did my best either way.

One summer of plane washing paid for my CFI and CFII. Would have done MEI but someone tested the gear warning horn on the plane while landing. It wasn't working.

And as someone mentioned, word of mouth advertising kept me busy from sunup to sundown. While working someone would always walk up and ask how much.
 
Simple Green aviation to wash, Colonite 845 to wax and lots of microfiber cloth! I use water and a microfiber cloth on the "glass." Always rub the glass in the direction of flight.

Remove all rings and watches and if you wear a belt turn it around so the bucket is away for the plane.
 
Watch for pointy antennas that can poke you in the eye or get broken. Don't move props. Your friend is right--you will definitely need a creeper.

Tim
 
timrb said:
Watch for pointy antennas that can poke you in the eye or get broken. Don't move props. Your friend is right--you will definitely need a creeper.

Tim
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Would you polish the propeller hub or is it not worth it because you might move the prop..?
 
MrHman said:
Would you polish the propeller hub or is it not worth it because you might move the prop..?
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:sigh: Yes, you polish spinners, that's probably the most important part to get right. You can move props, you just have to take care not to be in the swing of the blade and be aware that when you pull through a compression stroke, there is always the potential for the engine to start.

BTW, I always make sure to leave the prop with one blade pointed down so any water that gets in the spinner, runs right out. This is mostly important on planes that sit outside. If you get rain then freeze and there is a puddle turned to ice in the spinner, start up can be rather exciting.:lol:
 
Thanks iHenning... How do you go about waxing the higher parts of the plane that are out of reach?
 
Also be aware that a significant percentage of pilots, including me, won't let anyone else touch their plane. Don't take the rejection personally, it's just that many of us feel that the game we're playing is far too serious to take the chance.
 
timwinters said:
Also be aware that a significant percentage of pilots, including me, won't let anyone else touch their plane. Don't take the rejection personally, it's just that many of us feel that the game we're playing is far too serious to take the chance.
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You're the only one allowed to rub it. :) (LOL!)
 
Some airports don't allow washing on premises and others don't allow businesses to operate on their property without insurance and permission. Hopefully your airport isn't one of them but you should at least introduce yourself to the airport manager before starting your first job there to make sure it won't be a problem.

Keith
 
kmacht said:
Some airports don't allow washing on premises and others don't allow businesses to operate on their property without insurance and permission. Hopefully your airport isn't one of them but you should at least introduce yourself to the airport manager before starting your first job there to make sure it won't be a problem.



Keith
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Or be prepared to bribe him or her. LOL.
 
The best advice I should have given OP is don't invest a bunch until you've washed a plane or three.
 
MrHman said:
Thanks iHenning... How do you go about waxing the higher parts of the plane that are out of reach?
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Ladder or scaffold. Cabin class planes I'll walk on top of carefully and barefoot. One thing about standing on top of a plane working is to put a tail stand under it.:lol:
 
Having never used anything but a floor buffer, is it difficult to do? I was thinking of doing the same this summer as well. I have plenty of elbow grease but at the same time, if a buffer is what some/most use, I might have to invest in one. What kind of price would you pay and what kind of service would you require? $$$ wash, wax, detail or? Interior or exterior or both?
 
overdrive148 said:
Having never used anything but a floor buffer, is it difficult to do? I was thinking of doing the same this summer as well. I have plenty of elbow grease but at the same time, if a buffer is what some/most use, I might have to invest in one. What kind of price would you pay and what kind of service would you require? $$$ wash, wax, detail or? Interior or exterior or both?
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The Dewalt with variable speed (you will want starting out) is usually around $275. You want a Buffer/Polisher, not Grinder. Grinders are cheaper but typically faster and the good ones are even heavier.

The faster the buffer spins, the better and faster it does the job, but the more it wears on your wrists and forearms, and more importantly for a beginner, the faster it's spinning the easier you tear stuff up and burn or buff through paint. You want to be turning around 2000 rpm starting out.

As for difficult, it is physically demanding and requires some training.
 
MrHman said:
Would you polish the propeller hub or is it not worth it because you might move the prop..?
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Oh, I suppose you could move the prop if you wanted to. God knows people do it every day without drama. Just be aware that you are betting your life that the P-lead is working and/or that the ignition is turned off.

If you must move the prop, be sure all body parts are well away from it in case the engine pops when the impulse coupler clicks. Personally, I would just try not to do it.

Tim
 
Don't use paper towels on plastic windshields. They will scratch them. Use cotton T shirts.
 
I applaud the initiative of the OP but as I feel he's gotten only softball answers as of yet I will step it up a notch.

From the OP I gather he has not washed or waxed an aircraft before. He has yet to qualify himself. I've been around boats as far back as I remember. I'm 56. Our family has owned tens of different boats. I've worked and/or maintained some very nice yachts for others. I fished commercially for nearly a decade and I worked the sport boats for 6 years. I've owned 3 aircraft. Washing/waxing boat parts on a sport boat is nothing like the same on an aircraft.

As in marine, in aviation everything is expensive but more so for the latter. And the parts are more delicate. Even if you charge $400/per W&W, you'll still be in the hole after 10 of those jobs after breaking an antenna on ONE aircraft. And yes, word will get around. You won't work in this town again, kid. I'd much rather scrub fish blood than a dried bug leading edge because of built to last fiberglass I don't have to take as much care. Aircraft maintenance, or housekeeping or whatever, requires much more care. Even the antennas on boats are much more robust than on an aircraft.

The OP has the initiative and the desire but does not have the experience nor the ability to cover damages. Speaking of which, does he plan on carrying some form of liability insurance? Is he bondable?

Burning or even burnishing the paint or swirls in the plexi is gonna' cost a bunch. Carelessly letting an aircraft door or panel swing open too far or slamming it shut can cause damage to a variety of expensive parts. And perhaps those parts are hard to find or in any case will likely result in grounding the aircraft much to the dismay of everyone. There is too much at stake for someone to let their plane to be the guinea pig for OJT.

I suggest hiring on with a FBO if even as 1099 status. Learn the biz under supervision before dumping a lot of money into an endeavor of which little is known. Don't be discouraged and don't give up. But know what you are getting into before you get into it.
 
You've been in California too long Richard. :rofl:

Antennas are not fragile in the slightest, they live on the outsides of airplanes God's sake.:lol:

GA planes in general are not fragile.
 
Henning said:
You've been in California too long Richard. :rofl:

Antennas are not fragile in the slightest, they live on the outsides of airplanes God's sake.:lol:

GA planes in general are not fragile.
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I reckon it looks like I am pulling back on my comment but I was actually thinking of the base attachment and the material covering. Thin aluminum compares to heavy 'glass how?
 
Richard said:
I reckon it looks like I am pulling back on my comment but I was actually thinking of the base attachment and the material covering. Thin aluminum compares to heavy 'glass how?
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It's not that thin, and I can damage gelcoat 5 times easier than I can damage aluminum. Planes are tough, aluminum is tough, that's why the plane is built out to of it.

Yeah, you have to be careful about catching on things, but I buff into the bases of antennaes and even buff the antennas themselves all the time. It's just basics care and deliberation. Don't get in a rush, don't let the buffer stop moving, and don't buff onto an edge or corner; always have the rotation off the edge.

It usually takes me 10 minutes to teach new crew how to buff.
 
Thanks guys.

In all fairness to the OP, no one (besides me) has ever touched my plane.

Polishing is a learned skill.


 
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