RobertGary1 Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 Yesterday I put 3 coats of brazilian carnauba wax on my plane. Afterwards I was expecting to have a bunch of residue to wipe off but I have virtually none. Does that mean the paint was "dry" and absorbed it all? The plane looks shiny and feels smooth. -Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Igor_U Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 I don't know. But question I have is: How much speed gain did you get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTaylor Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 2 hours ago, RobertGary1 said: Yesterday I put 3 coats of brazilian carnauba wax on my plane. Afterwards I was expecting to have a bunch of residue to wipe off but I have virtually none. Does that mean the paint was "dry" and absorbed it all? The plane looks shiny and feels smooth. -Robert I am assuming you used paste wax and not liquid or spray wax. If it was liquid or spray they are so dilute there is usually very little residue. Did you polish between putting each coat of wax on? As Mr. Miyagi says; wax on, wax off. Some of the wax would have filled in imperfections but most would should have been removed between each successive coat. Most aircraft take very little wax, you need to apply only a thin coat that should have some, but not much residue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertGary1 Posted April 30, 2018 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 Just now, TTaylor said: I am assuming you used paste wax and not spray wax. Did you polish between putting each coat of wax on? As Mr. Miyagi says; wax on, wax off. Some of the wax would have filled in imperfections but most would should have been removed between each successive coat. Most aircraft take very little wax, you need to apply only a thin coat that should have some but, not much residue. This was a paste and I use a 10” electric orbital applicator. -Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 If you used an orbital buffer to apply it, there's probably little residue anyway--most of it get absorbed in your pad or blown off as particles, and you only need to go back to buff, not remove wax. At least that's been my experience on my car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Releew Posted April 30, 2018 Report Share Posted April 30, 2018 That is a topical wax.....meaning it has no cleaning agent (pumas) to cut. It sits on the surface. If it beads water it worked..... For a cutting wax look a the label for Wax/Cleaner. The logic is that it cuts the surface of the paint, removes grime/oxidation and fills the pores with wax. Kind a like buffing and polishing in one step. For the best possible result to restore a finish is to use a Dual Action Buffer with a light duty compound then come back with a good wax, like you just used. Keep in mind when you are cutting, (buffing with compound) you are actually removing a microscopic layer of paint, so don't get carried away or its going to get too shiny as in aluminum shiny...... If you are experienced with a buffer they now have circular buffers with an offset shank that rotates and oscillates. Like a Dual Action but more in a circular mode. If you use one of these, STAY OFF the PROTRUDING RIVETS..... Paint will come right off! Rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 All of this is why I use Aero Cosmetics Wash n Wax, and only do it once. I did wipe off the pollen before redoing the plane two weeks ago (spread over three days). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLCarter Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 I waxed my plane once, I would rather remove my instrument panel and straighten all the wires than do it again. +1 for the Aero Cosmetices Wash-N-Wax, and when needs hand waxing there is a guy on the field that will do it for $100.00 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertGary1 Posted May 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 9 hours ago, RLCarter said: I waxed my plane once, I would rather remove my instrument panel and straighten all the wires than do it again. +1 for the Aero Cosmetices Wash-N-Wax, and when needs hand waxing there is a guy on the field that will do it for $100.00 I don’t think a wash and wax product really waxes the plane to the same level of protection as an expensive Brazilian caruba wax. My goal is uv protection for the paint With the orbital applicator it’s not too hard, no elbow grease really required -Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steingar Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 I don't think that Carnuba wax will stay on very long at Mooney speeds. I use Polymer waxes myself. I got some stuff from Plane Perfect that I just love. Pricey as all get out, but I've never seen such a deep shine on anything before. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLCarter Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 1 hour ago, RobertGary1 said: I don’t think a wash and wax product really waxes the plane to the same level of protection as an expensive Brazilian caruba wax. My goal is uv protection for the paint With the orbital applicator it’s not too hard, no elbow grease really required -Robert I agree, the wash n wax does offer UV protection but not as much as a good wax. I actually wax the plane yearly and use the wash n wax weekly or as needed though out the year to keep up with dust, bugs, finger prints..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 3 hours ago, steingar said: I don't think that Carnuba wax will stay on very long at Mooney speeds. I use Polymer waxes myself. I got some stuff from Plane Perfect that I just love. Pricey as all get out, but I've never seen such a deep shine on anything before. Especially for somebody looking for good, long-lasting UV protection, a polymer is probably going to be vastly superior to a carnauba wax. I'm in the process of sorting this out myself. My airplane was heavily oxidized from sitting outside in Nevada for a couple of decades, and I've managed to polish a decent finish back into it and bring the colors back out. I haven't wanted to put carnauba on it since it doesn't last very long (and is often a lot more work), so have been researching polymers that are suitable for aircraft. So far I'm leaning toward Meguiars premium finish stuff, and I haven't found a reason not to do it yet. At some point I'll have to polish the whole thing again and then wax it with something, I just want it to be something that will actually last a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTaylor Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 I use a good paste wax on the whole air[plane at least once a year. After most flights I wash the leading edges and wipe on some spray wax to minimize the bugs sticking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 Does anyone use a clay bar on their plane? I've thought about it, but my God, what a pain in the butt it would be... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy95W Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 Instead of a clay bar, I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound as a much easier option. Worked very well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 20 minutes ago, Andy95W said: Instead of a clay bar, I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound as a much easier option. Worked very well. I guess I'm just one of those people who doesn't believe in polishing compound--I don't like the idea of removing any of the clear coat or paint, so the clay bar was a good alternative. I get freaked out enough polishing the windshield... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark89114 Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 My understanding is you are supposed to clay bar before polishing and waxing. It is supposed to remove the embedded particles before you go and polish and grind them into the paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaylw314 Posted May 1, 2018 Report Share Posted May 1, 2018 2 hours ago, Mark89114 said: My understanding is you are supposed to clay bar before polishing and waxing. It is supposed to remove the embedded particles before you go and polish and grind them into the paint. I used to use a clay bar before waxing when my car was new. It would keep stains from getting sealed under the car wax, but I never used polish. I know some people would use polish to get rid of the layer of grime, but clay bar and enough elbow grease seemed a safer bet to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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