METAL SURFACE

[william halford]

Some of you 170 owner have a so much free time on your hands
that you can keep your plane polished to a mirror finish. (These are the aircraft I use to comb my hair when I crawl out of my tent at Oshkosh) We keep ours clean but do not have the time to maintain that shine. Heck if I have time to polish, I have time to fly.

I was talking to an old timer A&P, he told me that in the Air Force they never polished. They wiped all metal surfaces down with very thin coat 5606 hydraulic fluid. This kept a moisture bearer between the metal and atmosphere. I did try it on the bottom of my Stab & Elevator. The first time I could feel some slight roughness. But the second time a week later all roughness was all gone. Yes there was some luster there. To my surprise the metal had assorb a large portion or this fluid

Before I spend 30 minutes doing all unpainted surfaces to the whole Aircraft I would like to hear from someone out there that has heard of this. Remember this is just a very lightly wipe ...Gary

[GAHorn]

WD-40. I buy it by the gallon. I use it instead of soap when I wash and it keeps the hinges, seals, etc., lubricated as well.

Unpolished since 1996, Over Lake Okanagan in 2006:

[blueldr]

Bill Halford,

If your stabilizer and elevators are porous enough to absorb hydraulic fluid, how about making me the beneficary of your life insurance?