Rear Spar HS-609PP Finishing

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:31 am

Anyone have a good method for smoothing HS-609PP to a satin finish besides sanding with 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper? I am tempted to go buy a table belt/disc sander.

tshort · Post by **tshort** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:34 am

It's really not too bad if you start with 200 then 320 then 400. I went over it with a scotchbrite polishing wheel first to get rid of the corrosion, a file to get rid of the tooling marks, and then the above.

I'd be careful with power sanding, would be easy to remove too much.

I do, however, have some interesting blisters from the sandpaper!

Thomas

tshort · Post by **tshort** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:36 am

BTW, I do have one of the disc / belt sanders which I used to make the radius on the ends... I don't think you can even get 400 grit (or even 320) for that machine.
It works great for rounding the ends of the heavy aluminum stock, though.

Thomas

bmurrish · Post by **bmurrish** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:46 am

I know this sounds like a bad thing to say, but I am glad to hear I am not the only one that had corrosion on the rear spars. I thought it may have been from my shipping box being soaked. I tried using my 6" scotch-brite wheel on my bench grinder, but it seems difficult to keep it flat. I also learned you gotta watch out for the wheel on the other side. I cringed when I felt it hit, but luckily no damage. I might try using a vibrating sander with some 400 grit.

tshort · Post by **tshort** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:20 pm

You can get the edge of the stiffener on the scotchbrite wheel - just take it at a 45 degree angle to the edge of the wheel - assuming you have the guards off (i.e.if you are facing the grinder, the stiffener will go from your left side across the edge of the right wheel at a 45 degree angle).
Shouldn't interfere with the other wheel...

I think that stuff will corrode pretty quickly with just ambient humidity ... hopefully mine won't before I get it primed!!

Thomas