Shining custom made materials

scandtours

scandtours
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Messages
2,325
Location
Cyprus
Aircraft
Bensen,Brock, Parsons Tandem
Nicolas, (Aviomania) or Aviomania Nicolas, does not sell any custom made parts for Genesis not shining. He puts much effort on details and he loves everything what he is fabricating. (specially with gyros.)
The fisished of the painted parts is something else too.
I see this almost every day
 

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He's a craftsman and he does fine work.
 
Nicolas deserves high 5's, slaps on the back...and many kudos for his artmanship. John Rountree really is going to have a beautiful gyro ...and I cant wait to see it.


Stan
 
Yaw Mon, Nicolas's designs and workmanship really ROCK!!!!!
 
In a split second my interest can be captured by a nicely detailed manufactured product.

Nicolas, (Aviomania) has always captured my attention when he builds something. Then if the underlying craftsmanship of the components stands up to scrutiny , the split seconds can drag out to minutes and hours.

Very nice components by Nicolas, just my observation having followed his work for months and years. I was captured in a split second. Still here today.
 
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

OK, not to throw water on the fire, but having spent the first 20 years of my working life "shining" metal, I have to add a caution. Any buffing process that has the potential to create a mirror shine also has the potential to build up enough heat to completely remove the temper from tempered metals (eg: 6061 T6).

I feel certain that those with experience in parts fabrication already know this and are really careful not to build up heat in the polishing process. This is a caution to all the "try it at home" folks. Even a cheapo shop buffing motor with a cotton wheel and simple white or brown compound from Home Depot or the local hardware store can heat a piece of aluminum to the melting point. It can de-temper portions of the material as hot-spots occur from too much pressure and the "need for gettin' it done" sets in.

So...shiney is cool..but be careful to take it slow. It is a shame to pay for T6 and not end up with it.
 
Jon- Excellent point about cointrolling heat. When I shined my blades, I mentioned in the first few posts how I made sure the aluminum only was warm, and never real warm. I tried a scrap and went after it letting the polishing material go away, and I could get the aluminum very warm, but could still hold my hand on it. I wasn't going to ruin a buffing bonnet just to see how hot I could get the aluminum. I also had bonded aluminum to consider also. I occasionally pulled the buffer off and felt the aluminum. Barely warm is the highest I recorded. Stan
 
Stan,

Good job. I held short of recommending people use their hand as a temperature sensor. But a hand makes a great sensor if you don't scald yourself...at which point the exercise has failed. Bonded aluminum is an even greater risk, as epoxies and other bonding agents soften with heat.

It's pretty hard (but not impossible) to get into real trouble with a bonnet buffer. My concern is generally with turning-arbour wheel buffers. It only takes a second to melt aluminum with a cotton buffing wheel and brown buffing stick compound. Less than a second with black. You should use white with aluminum, but home hardware folks generally end up with brown, as white is usually only sold for commercial use. For some reason, home wheel buffing kits usually come with black, brown and red. They'll work, but aren't really the right choice for aluminum. Red is remarkably messy and really too fine for aluminum.

That said, you can wheel buff or bonnet buff even material as soft and delicate as plastic if you use proper care. It is just another of the many things you have to keep in mind when you meddle in materials.
 
Any buffing process that has the potential to create a mirror shine also has the potential to build up enough heat to completely remove the temper from tempered metals (eg: 6061 T6).


So...shiney is cool..but be careful to take it slow. It is a shame to pay for T6 and not end up with it.

Genesis Rotorhead is not made of alumunum 6061 T6. Acktually this grade is FOR AIRCRAFT USE too.
Some reasons why 6061 T6 is used on gyros are:
The least expensive and most versatile of the heat-treatable aluminum alloys. It has most of the good qualities of aluminum. It offers a range of good mechanical properties and good corrosion resistance. It can be fabricated by most of the commonly used techniques. In the annealed condition it has good workability. In the T4 condition fairly severe forming operations may be accomplished. The full T6 properties may be obtained by artificial aging. It is welded by all methods and can be furnace brazed. It is available in the clad form (“Alclad”) with a thin surface layer of high purity aluminum to improve both appearance and corrosion resistance. Applications.This grade is used for a wide variety of products and applications from truck bodies and frames to screw machine parts and structural components. 6061 is used where appearance and better corrosion resistance with good strength are required.
Following grades are for AIRCAFT USE
http://www.metalspecialty.com/pages/specAEROfr.html

How Nicolas shines the parts without building up heat...ok, I believe he will explain.
 
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What grade alumiunm is the head made of?
 
What grade alumiunm is the head made of?

If I remember correct is 7075. This is one of the highest strength aluminum alloys available. Its strength-to weight ratio is excellent and it is ideally used for highly stressed parts.
 
Wow... now i have seen picks of the shiny staff......

thank for the nice comments.

Gil.. the shiny parts we do for the gyros we give ready assembled... but yes this is the head we sell and can supply it shining...allthougth the head is not on in the picture!!! :eek:

Aluminum tempering is done at temperatures of 800* F + ...... any significant change in its properties starts at 250 -300* F.

the trick in shining with out generating enough heat is to have a lot of pieces to shine, work Little in each one and hold them with your necked hands... if you can hold it is not hot!!! :)

Yes care is taken when polished.

The metal, as Giorgos sead, is 7075 T6 with a tensile strength of 77000 psi compared to 42000 psi that 6061 T6 has. We use the same thickness on the parts.

Does it need to be 7075?? .... No. Is it better to use 7075??? ...... Yes.

The cost deference for me.... it does not justify NOT to use 7075.
 
Giorgos,

Allow me to clarify one point. I have the utmost respect for Nicolas, his workmanship and products. I have no doubt that he uses approved methods to create his factory finishes. I feel the same about most of the well-know gyroplane part manufacturers and contributors.

My caution is directed specifically to the home-builder and amateur mechanic who may try to emulate the high shine or factory finish without being aware of the potential for harm to the material.
 
Giorgos,

Allow me to clarify one point. I have the utmost respect for Nicolas, his workmanship and products. I have no doubt that he uses approved methods to create his factory finishes. I feel the same about most of the well-know gyroplane part manufacturers and contributors.

My caution is directed specifically to the home-builder and amateur mechanic who may try to emulate the high shine or factory finish without being aware of the potential for harm to the material.


I dodn't think there is anybody who disagrees with you, Jon
What you write is VERY CORRECT.
As Nicolas also said (if you can hold it is not hot) is correct too. Leave your gyro outside in the sun for some minutes and touch it. You will not be able to hold it.
On the other hand shining areas (I believe, we didn't test it) opserve less heat as it reflects the sun rays like a mirrow.
Paint helps too of course.
 
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Giorgos,

Indeed....I think polished aluminum looks great. I wasn't trying to be argumentative, just make point that it should be done with care, especially if one has never polished metal before.
 
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