TERBObob

My Feedback: (21)

Always mod my own props ( no ... I am not a guru ... just try doing my own ) and was getting this one ready for a new hull and experimented with something and after about 2 minutes ... here is the results .
NICE and EASY .... unless you after a SUPER MAXed out shine ... seems this stuff works REALLY good and FAST . and gives a REALLY good shine without hours of work , or busting your chops and thought I'd share with those who like shine , but NOT the long tedious work involved with buffing .

FROGMAN524

My Feedback: (5)

that's pretty nice terbobob, so you just applied it with a cloth or something and that was the result? I'll have to get me some of that. oh and, if you're looking for a supermax shine, how do you do that? a buffer wheel and what? thanks, Ken.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

A buffer wheel and ruge (sp?) (there are different grades of compound available where you buy buffing wheels). Wear leather gloves as the prop heats up quick and be VERY CAREFUL where you put the edge of the prop. It will grab the wheel and fly accross the room. It will also cut a finger tip off if your not lucky.

I mount my props on a mandrel (a screwdriver with 2 drive dogs (one each side) to hold the prop secure. Much more leverage holding a screwdriver. But in all reality - use Bobs method - Much better than a trip to the ER if your unlucky !!

I use to take 4-5 hours working up a prop with a dremel - now I can do it in 20 minutes

FROGMAN524

My Feedback: (5)

Could I use something like Mother's mag polish with a dremel? I don't have a table mounted grinder that I could attach a wheel too so I'll either use Bob's method or try that. Ken.

Vertical3-D

My Feedback: (20)

yeah, the mag and aluminum stuff works great on aluminum but i dunno howd it do on berylium copper, try it, let us know, yeah a little buffer wheel for a dremel works great on small polishing jobs,,,

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Another trick for my kid to try. He's been working on his own "Secret Sauce" that even he won't tell me what's in it. We've tried a lot of things, Mother's Aluminum and Billet polishes, Eagle One, Brasso plus more than I can think of on props and pipes.
Has anyone tried Simichrome?

vsop

You will see next to the polishing wheels from the dremel polishing compounds.. if not go to the clerk and ask where you can find polishing compounds.. Once there you will see tons of diffrent types. Just pick one for the metal you are working with, and for best results you will want at least 2 diffrent levels. One to get any major scratchs out and the other to get the mirror finish.

But be warned it will take you a while with a dremel to get the whole thing to have that finish.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

Ken - I dont have a bench mounted polishing wheel either. I use a pedistal drill (can be used for 100's of jobs). I got a small one from sears on sale for about $65. Insert an abrasive disk (either a flap wheel or brillo pad - $6 at walmart) or polishing wheel (about $6 from sears) and your in business.

I have spend way too many hours using a dremel. Dont get me wrong - the dremel is great but the wheels are more expensive than large wheels and last a fraction of the time. One large polishing wheel and a stick of Ruge ($10 total) will polish 100+ props and do it in a few hours. The brillo pad you see pictured is about 2/3rds gone. It has done 50 props (including stainless) as well as a bunch of other sanding jobs.

You may think it is a lot of money but in reality when you compare it to a dremel is is cheep!!

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

I like to use the blue silicone wheels from Dremel to help get the small pits out and then move onto hand sanding. After that, the final is a flelt dremel pad w/rouge and then buff.

On some props, I like the satin look with the wheel like Matty has shown. But for the most part, I like them to be as near perfect as I can get them.





Props shown are just a few in the collection.

Prop Shop 7016 - 2 stainless
Prop Shop 6717 - 3 stainless
Prop Shop 7016 - 3 bc

This is all fun to me.

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

Here's one that I call my Zebra 280

Prather 280 that was worked to almost perfection & then hit with a wheel like Mat has shown. Gets a little attention in the prop box.

The three blade is an ABC 2716.

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

Btw, for a final buff my drug of choice is Eagle One aluminum wheel cleaner. You can put it on the felt wheel and go to town on anything you want.

Like a lot of the painters say, "its all in the preparation". But with props, you've got to be careful not to disrupt the contours of the face. Then again, most of mine are not shown as race props, but for the guys that like a prop to compliment their rig. Race & mod props don't get the attention of being in the buff

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

You either have small hands or that is the largest 2716 I have seen (I was cleaning two up tonight for Del).

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

You're right. Its a 29'something. Was rushing with this post & forgot it[&:] . You'll see that theirs no writting on the hub just my tick marks. The ABC props are nice as they come pretty thin to start.


***Sorry Bob, just noticed you was talking about knocking the bark type of shine. Still fun to show off the gems once in a while though***

CadillacDTS2001

run it up and down in wet sand !

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Andy Brown and the other Pro's say that a polished prop loses a MPH ot 2 but I can't see putting all of the work into a nice looking boat and having a prop turning green hanging off the transom.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

Hey Ron,

I have a few Andy Brown props that actually look like they have machine marks across the face. I was tempted to give them a shine but held back.

Even though my props are not the mirrors that PHCM shows I keep them in a lubricated padded propbox to minimize how much they tarnish. I have also been known to treat each prop with PTFE from time to time (even more contrary to the preachings of Andy B).

There are certainly different opinions with regard to fluid flow on smooth and rough surfaces. I know a lot of racers who lightly sand the running surface of their boats (1000 grit) for a slight gain (helps break surface tension). Stands to reason that the same would apply to a prop (that certainly travels a lot quicker through the water than a hull does over it !!)

vsop

Also if you already own an air compressor, you can buy a cheap die grinder/polisher for cheap and the pads are real cheap as well.
I'm looking at making a tool that will hold the prop and then the tool will be mounted in the vise. This way I can just use the wheel on it with out watching the prop go flying out of my hand.

oh and everyone should already know enough not to wear loose fit clothing or braclets, etc when working with any tool that rotates at a high rate of speed. A dremel lucky enough does not have much mass behind it, but a larger wheel can hurt you bad if you get caught up in it.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

I do have a mini belt sander that tends to be a bit too aggressive at removing material. I use the brillo pad to put an edge on the prop without eating too much prop. Controlled removal of material is key. There are plenty of air tools that will make it an easier job. I just dont have a compressor setup (a bit loud).

[link=http://www.berylliumdisease.net/]Speaking of safety concerns - it may pay to read up on Berillium Disease[/link] !!! [] []

vsop

When ever I am doing any work that creates any particles/dust I wear a NIOSH approved resperator. It also helps that my family owns an environmental remediation company. So I have access to air scrubbers and filters when ever I need.

I suggest for anyone that is doing anything that creates small particles to use at the very least a N95 (its those paper ones, but make sure it says NIOSH N95 certified on it).

Berillium is just one of a thousand diseases you can get. Silica in concretes and such are just as bad. Aluminum is another really bad one for the human body. Solders with lead and even the ones that are lead free have really bad chemicals that you breathe in when soldering. And lets not even touch the solvents or glues we use. Try reading the MSD for all the items you use and you will see that working inside with out a fan and exhaust vent is very bad for your health on most products.

While I am an IT guy, I do have my EPA and state Supervisor licenses for Asbestos, Lead, etc remediation.

Justaddwata

My Feedback: (3)

I am figuring the few years spend exposed to Asbestos will get me long before Belillium has a chance. Better to fully live half a life than to half live a full one.