Aluminum Shine in No Time

There is a way to make metal parts look even nicer than they do coming out of your aircraft kit’s shipping box—and the method is fast, easy, and inexpensive.

The brackets, gussets, angles, and tubes that make up the components of many airframe designs are the parts that can benefit. And let’s not forget surface skins made from aluminum. This does NOT apply to components made from “clad” aluminum material, which is already super shiny from the factory. Rather, 6061-T6 aluminum is perfect for benefiting from this process.

I’m talking about the fast and easy way to make aluminum bright by way of spinning Scotch-Brite discs with a handheld air tool. And they are not just for polishing—I use them for deburring, too! If you are familiar with using a handheld Scotch-Brite pad for scuffing up surfaces, this process uses the same principle except with a high-speed spinning action. Instead of scuffing up a surface, it buffs the surface to an immediate shine.

Demonstrating the procedure for buffing is not easy without a video, but the results can be appreciated with photos. The result of just a few seconds of buffing can be seen in these pictures. The amount of surface conditioning is controlled by the pressure and duration of buffing. The grain of the metal or mill finish (fine lines left over from manufacturing) can be removed entirely. Swirl marks will be left on the surface to some degree, depending on the skill of the operator.

The pads themselves are known as Scotch-Brite Roloc Surface Conditioning Discs. The Roloc part (3M invention) is the fastening system for the pads that is used. The pad is installed and removed with a quarter twist onto the holder. There is a plastic, threaded button on the pads that makes this happen. It is very easy and fast to change pads.

There are three popular grades of Scotch-Brite that we can use: Blue AVFN (fine), Maroon AMED (medium), and Brown ACRS (coarse). By experimenting with these grades, you can become an expert at eliminating swirls (or adding them for a decorative finish!). There are several size diameters for these pads, with 2- and 3-inch being the more popular. A simple holding device that accepts the Roloc pad needs to be inserted into your air tool. Select one that matches the diameter of the pads you are using.

While the 3M company is the original creator of this Roloc and Scotch-Brite system, you may or may not be surprised that there is a large aftermarket of third-party discs with the “same” material and disc attachment system. Where can you find these? Amazon, of course. Search for “Roloc pads.” As you can imagine, the prices are substantially less than the 3M equivalents. You get what you pay for, but I have found them to be a good value.

Once you have played with these things, you will have discovered a useful, powerful tool for conditioning aluminum parts. It is quite effective in deburring sharp edges in tight places.