Maintenance of windscreen and paint?

[DBVZ]

Two maintenance questions:

1. I have been seeing ads for a product to clear up the outer cover on car headlights. I wondered if it would work to clear up similar hazing of the plexi windows of aircraft. Has anyone tried it, and with what success? Other products that work?

2. What is the best product to use on the paint to protect it, add some shine, and reduce the wind resistance a little? Something short of a repaint.

Thanks.

[Av8r3400]

I have LP Aeroplastics molded windshield, bubble doors and rear window, I use Pledge furniture polish. Works good at cleaning and leaves a light wax coating making future cleaning easier. If you have crazing, your only option is to replace the glass.

I use mild soap and water to clean the paint (poly tone). A sponge and a soft brush on a broom handle are my weapons of choice.

[HighWing]

One thought here. I had a gallon of Aero Gloss and gave a sample to the Lancair neighbor to try. He used it on one wing leading edge as a test and went flying. When he came back and debugged his wings, his comment was that he wished he had done it on the whole airplane and left one wing undone for the comparison. His comment was was a bit of water and a rag and the bugs wiped off the Aero Gloss wing and he had to scrub everywhere else.

Lowell

[wannafly]

I am using Rejex on all my leading edges, wing,stab, spinner and prop. It is very slick stuff. I have a damp cloth I use it right after a flight and the bugs wipe off easily. If I let them dry on they still come off but a little more effort is needed. Easy to put on:D

[Av8r_Sed]

I just used http://www.teamkitfox.com/Forums/data:image/jpeg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wBDAAUDBAQEAwUEBAQFBQUGBwwIBwcHBw8LCwkMEQ8SEhEPER ETFhwXExQaFRERGCEYGh0dHx8fExciJCIeJBweHx7/2wBDAQUFBQcGBw4ICA4eFBEUHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh 4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh4eHh7/wAARCABQAFADASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAGgAAAgMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgFBgcDBP/EADsQAAECBAMEBwYCCwAAAAAAAAECAwAEBREGEiEHCDE1EyJBU XJzsRQyYXGBwTSyFRYjN1JUgoORs9H/xAAZAQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDBAX/xAAiEQACAwACAgEFAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDESExEkETMlFxkfD/2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/AHLggggCKxVyk+NMVERbsVcqPjTFStEsGW7V9r0rgLECaTMUl6 aUqVRMhSFgApUpSfpYpjwbNNucjjXFEnh9igzMq/MlZC1vApSlKFLJ4a+7aKrvS7PcYYixTKV2g0KaqMk3IIYcWwAo pWHHCRl48FDsiH3adm+NaXtBlMQVXDc9I06WaeC3ZhGSxLZSBY 6nVXdG4s0DRRacIcuc80+gisRaMI8uc80+giYgmYIIIsBBBBAE VinlR8YivBMnJy7czPLKs+qG0jj84sWKOVnxiMS3nMW1bBezmV rVGTLKmkuttWfQVpyqJvoCNdInNYL5UMQNOjo2mFhA4C9o6Uit dB1ejOU8RmhMndte1lD7bCqRSw457gTJqN9Aq/v8LKBvwiXq21vaJSqY/NP1ijtOBlC2GkSIzKUQkqBupWgJIBFwbdl45O6tYvJc9Fqub6Q 5LyJKcaW9LnonAkqKew29IlsJ8vc80+gheN13aBijGs5Um8QTb T6GpIONhEuhuyibE9UC8MRhTl7nmn0EdcxkEvBBBFAIIIIAi8U crPjTC6b6v7nWiRfLMS5t/UYYvFHKz40wu++gkr2OKCRezst+eMXYFYpuPXFoEoKS3lQ1Zlt CgkdVGgOnDiQALjvJ1jxyTz1Rl35qovTSLHMwgJs3nuhSSQQQo BIWbKvew+JjjhKlzE4hKabJ+0ToCVJCEZ1FZUrq27soude0RMY rpNTws/LM1aSMvMzLHSpl78EapGfW/EHq2T848kaK65P4o8n3q7K6ql81nGfTHhvfTaxvOPf43Bgdz85 a9U5crKyzSWwSRY3UtSjcdlioj6CGlwpy9zzT6CFQ3PH3Xse4q KnCtr2VHQ3SAchWog6d4N/rDXYU5e55p9BHpims3s+NfOM7HKCxel9iYgggizkEEEEAReJ+V nxiF+3whfZA+R2OS35xDBYl5YfGIwDe+F9j818Fy3+xMYuwYDs KmK2ia6SSacfmZpaGmVOPpQgNNkFaQDqdDeyf4RePBtHfcrVdU zOWdclFuZgy6hGt8iUhSzokhvPmAVfNqNbxLy6KrhVvDiG6TMI qskyr2dIyqQXHDfMuxNussCxt2RVzaYemJgN1xCVryMOSrSkoW 0nqNlXAE5QBxib7nVDEbXXGUvL37/v0bPubdMcYYhU9KplT7CwhLab5QlJKRYkkn3eN4bLCnL3PNPoI VDc0yfrTiG0xNPrTKNJcU+kAhWdVwOsdIa/Cv4BzzT6CEXuMPsl4IIIswIIIIAjMS8sPjEY9t+o03XsEfo+Sp 66i4XZZxUsh1LZdQh1ClJClEAaAxsGKApVLITxzpil1AVBZSG2 mVZRYErKftEvsbgpVY2fbRqrOvOHD9VlWXEFCG1VVt9xCcwOUu KVqNBwAgpOxzH4Q223S52VAsCRPSw0Fu0G44fHs4w1IFXB0lWT 83B/yOrSqz/Lyyf7p+yYxqLWNFOcm9M53cNmVewHVKtO1Z2WU1PNNpaShwqWk pKic2lu0ag9/CN/wt+Ac80+giosGplV3X2Up7kJJP+SftFswoCKe5c3/AGp9BFdkkxBBBGg//9k= (http://www.google.com/search?q=meguiars+plastx&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=1vX&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&ei=gdIPTrvMGMmvsAKniviyBg&sa=X&oi=product_result_group&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQzAMwAA)Meguiar's; Plastx (http://www.acehardware.com/entry.point?entry=1451526&source=CAFGL_DF:1451526:ACE&CAWELAID=109371460) on my Lexan. followed by Lemon Pledge with good results. This was mainly to remove minor residue and some light scratches left when I removed the 20 year old protective paper with paint over it.

-- Paul S

[cap01]

paul , what did you use to remove the paper from the lexan ? i have some just like that with the paper stuck on . for a better use , i used some of it for the mockup of the instrument panel since the paper wouldnt come off .

[Av8r_Sed]

I'm afraid I just used dilligence. I did try a heat gun on some sections with only a minor improvement. On my tutledeck, one panel took me two hours including the use of a putty knife out of despiration. I guess it's just paying my dues for not getting this done years ago.

-- Paul S

[cap01]

paul , the windows in my doors and turtle back were already installed with the paper still on . naturally the paper wouldnt come off . i also worked for hours , even tried wd-40 . i did get the paper removed but the window looked like crap so i replaced them all . i was left with a full sheet of 17 year old lexan with paper stuck on it . luckily the protective film came off the flaperons with no problem .

[Av8r_Sed]

Fortunately, mine came out OK after the polishing. At leat the windsheild wasn't installed. It was easier working with it flat.

[chefwarthog]

On my Quad I use Rain-X on my lexan windshild it cover light scratches and + it is water repellant, so no need wiper you see througt rain it's great product.

http://www.youtube.com/RainXproducts#p/a/u/2/1***8Vw7rk8

Eric

[toekh]

I made my own windshields from a 2 mm polycarbonate sheet. The sheet cost about $ 80. It took me about 3 hours to copy my old windshield to the new sheet and cut it out with a dremel tool. Polycarbonate has plastic cover and is simple to rip off from the sheet.
I don’t say that this will work for you, but try Autosol metal polish on a little area of your old ugly windshield or door window. Rub it real hard with a soft cloth and then polish it with some common floating car wax. It sounds real crazy but I think you are going to be surprised by the result ;)

[jiott]

After reading all the old posts on this subject, it seems that Pledge (lemon) furniture polish and a clean microfiber cloth is very popular for cleaning and waxing the Acrylic windshield, doors, turtledeck and fibergalss parts. Is it also good to use on the aerothane painted fabric, or is there something better for cleaning and waxing the fabric?

Jim

[jiott]

I'm tickling this thread again because I got no replies to my last question: Is pledge also good to use on the painted (aerothane) fabric parts of the airplane, or is there something better?

Jim

[DesertFox4]

Jim, I was told to only use carnauba wax on my polytone paint. Works great.
Not sure if the same is recommended for the aerothane. Someone should know.

[Dick B in KY]

I used Mequires carnuba paste wax on my SS with PolyTone. A little elbow grease, but the result is a slick finish.

Dick B

[Dave S]

Hi Jott,

If a person reads through the Poly Fiber Manual, a person will find that they cover this issue with regard to polytone; but there is scant information on Aerothane.

Polytone is more like lacquer in that it is a non-polymerizing solvent/evaporation only product which makes it such a good product for easy repairs; but, it does not have the solvent resistance, for the same reasons, when compared to a polymerizing product like aerothane.

Aerothane, properly applied, is about the most solvent resistant product out there so there is little worry about how a cleaner/ polisher/wax with its compliment of solvents would affect Aerothane. I routinely use a rag with MEK to clean up difficult to remove grunt on the finish (just don't get MEK on the backside of the fabric!).

Here is the conclusion I have come to. The difference between Aerothane and Auto Body catalyzed urethanes with regard to cleaning, polishing and waxing is negligible to non-existant. In my opinion, a person is perfectly safe using whatever cleaner/polisher/wax they would use on their urethane painted car for an Aerothane painted aircraft. The real difference between auto body urethanes and aerothane is that aerothane lacks the fillers so it does not crack on fabric like auto urethane would...but that does not affect what kind of care products you would use on it.

Having said that.....the previous posts which warn against silicon based products should be listened to if a person may be applying any paint in the future.

If you use something on your car and like the results, the same product should work out as well on an aerothane painted surface:). FYI - a lot of Street Rodders do ther final touch-up at car gatherings with Lemon Pledge. Just stay away from silicon products.

Sincerely,

Dave S
KF7 Trigear
912ULS Warp Drive
St Paul, MN

[jiott]

I appreciate these replies. Sounds like maybe a good auto carnauba wax is the way to go on the Aerothane, although I am still open to other opinions.

Hopefully Lemon Pledge can go over the top of the carnauba wax. Earlier in this thread I find many guys use the Pledge on their leading edges and props before a flight. It makes the bugs, grass stain, and dirt come off really easy after the flight.

Jim