Choosing The Right Airplane Buffer And Buffing Pad

Why Using A Buffer Is The Right Decision  

Most airplanes that get regularly polished get their detailing done about once or twice per year. Some people believe that polishing a vehicle by hand, even one as large as an aircraft, is the right way to go. While polishing by hand or not is certainly a choice to be made by the owner of the aircraft, there is no question that using a buffing tool is the more efficient way to go.
Using a buffer for polishing, especially for a vehicle as large as an aircraft, will help to yield maximum results when it comes to minimizing corrosion, dirt, and other debris that tend to build up on the exterior walling of aircrafts. That’s because buffers typically polish particles evenly as well as thoroughly. When polishing by hand, it’s much more difficult to keep an even and thorough amount pressure on the exterior walling throughout the entire process. Buffers can generate thousands of oscillations per minute safely and effectively. It can be difficult to impossible to duplicate the same kind of efficiency or effectiveness by hand.
Buffers are generally used with buffering pads that can improve polishing power. There are a variety of buffers and buffering pads available, and aircraft owners should choose the one that fits their own particular needs.
Typically, airplane owners polish their planes with buffers that are between 6 and 9 inches in length. For maximum efficiency, you’ll want a buffer with a higher end of oscillations per minute—and some of the best can reach as high as 6,800 per minute. There are a variety of lightweight options for comfort, and there are also several customization choices that allow for variable speed dials, counter balance, and even two position side handles. Choosing the right buffer for your airplane is as easy as finding the specifications and accessories that fit your aircraft’s polishing needs.

Deciding On The Right Buffer Pad

Just as there are a plethora of buffers to choose from, there are also a wide variety of buffing pads to choose from as well. Buffing pads are essential to getting a good polish, and you’ll want to make sure that you match up the kind of polish that you desire with the proper buffing pad. At Bright Work Polish, we offer several buffing pads for your polishing needs. Among the most aggressive buffing pads that we offer are the Wool Polishing Pad and the Wool Synthetic Finishing Pad. We also offer other buffing essentials such as hook backing plates. Determining which buffing pad is right for your aircraft depends on the type of finish that you desire, as well as which buffer you are using.
There is also the question of which size pad do you want to use. Smaller pads will typically give you greater control and maneuverability, but larger pads can be more efficient and reduce the amount of time spend on any particular job. If you are working in small spaces that require a lot of maneuverability, than you might want to use a smaller buffing pad. However, smaller pads can also fill up with product quicker than larger pads, which can mean more downtime and stops during the polishing process. Larger pads work just as you would expect—they cover a larger surface area faster than smaller pads. For this reason, they are often used during airplane polishing sessions. However, larger buffing pads are typically less effective in small areas, even though they are efficient in large areas.
If you can’t decide which size buffing pad that you’d like to go with, the 5.5 inch pads generally work well as a nice medium. Pads this size are generally large enough to cover a large surface area, and they are also small enough to be effective in small spaces. Pads this size allow you to get your work completed relatively quickly, giving you some of the best features of both sized buffing pads. Choosing the right buffing pad is totally up to you and your own individual needs as it comes to polishing your aircraft.

Getting The Most Out Your Airplane

Choosing the right buffer and buffing pad is important when it comes to figuring out how you are going to get the most out of your airplane. If you want to get the most out of your investment, then you need to polish your aircraft at least twice a year, using your preferred buffer and buffing pad in order to get the most out of your airplane. Aircraft that are regularly polished have a number of advantages over those that are not—such as improved fuel efficiency, lowered levels of exterior corrosion, lowered levels of oxidation,  less down time for scheduled cleanings, and a smaller carbon footprint.
In order to maximize the positives that come with polishing an airplane, you’ll want to make sure that you choose the right buffer and buffing pad for your aircraft’s specific needs. Each aircraft can be maximized with different buffer and buffing pad combinations, and there is some personal preference in there too when it comes to the size of the buffing pad. Choosing the right combination can be difficult, but it’s essential to making sure that your airplane is getting the most out of its polish and deep clean. Make sure that your airplane gets all of the benefits of a good polish, and pick the buffing essentials that fit the needs of your aircraft.