Cleaning A White Tailboom Without Water

[s61fixer]

Our fleet of B3's have white tailbooms. We are rarely in access of water in the summer, let alone winter. Can anyone help with some ideas of what to use to get my boom looking like new without having water. I have heard WD40, JetA, Ether.....But have been kind of hesitant to try these options.

[Heliian]

I don't bother too much in the winter but in the summer you should have enough water available. If there's a shower in your camp, you have enough water, if not, yikes. Soap and water is the only thing i'll ever use to clean. WD-40 and jet fuel will be a disatrous mess, ether will evaporate way too quickly, so I think someone might be pulling your leg. Use a spray bottle of soap and water to keep the T/R blades clean and use the same on the tailboom when you have time. People who paint tailbooms white are lacking in common sense.

[flingwinger]

Spray bottle of soap and water will work, just takes a while. In the winter grab a few jugs of windshield washer fluid, works well for wash and rinse.

[s61fixer]

I don't bother too much in the winter but in the summer you should have enough water available. If there's a shower in your camp, you have enough water, if not, yikes. Soap and water is the only thing i'll ever use to clean. WD-40 and jet fuel will be a disatrous mess, ether will evaporate way too quickly, so I think someone might be pulling your leg. Use a spray bottle of soap and water to keep the T/R blades clean and use the same on the tailboom when you have time. People who paint tailbooms white are lacking in common sense.

 

THANK YOU ! I will stick to the a/c soap and water. Have you ever heard of using white scotchbrite (very fine) on the boom? To me that has about as much common sense as painting a tailboom white.

[Helieagle]

THANK YOU ! I will stick to the a/c soap and water. Have you ever heard of using white scotchbrite (very fine) on the boom? To me that has about as much common sense as painting a tailboom white.

 

 

 

I always found having the tailboom Polished, kept the Exhaust(Blackness) Easy to wipe off with Soap and Water in Spray bottle. But Always had to keep up with Daily Wiping.

[skullcap]

I always found having the tailboom Polished, kept the Exhaust(Blackness) Easy to wipe off with Soap and Water in Spray bottle. But Always had to keep up with Daily Wiping.

 

 

Agree wholeheartedly, wax on wax off every few days or good wax will last a few weeks, and the tail is easily wiped off. Have seen scotchbrite used,,,the paint was wrecked and the soot burned it brown for ever,,,alot of the newer paint with a clear coat on it has to be treated well and will last a long time. We have a machine painted with ppg car paint and has not lasted under tail pipe well at all, but apparently the newer clear coats take the heat better.

 

And yes WD-40 does work well in winter although is pricey and when it gets warm and there is dust is bad news.

[marc]

Agree much easier to wipe daily. A lot of the soot will even come off with dry cloths. When there is absolutely no water, prist plastic/glass cleaner aresol spray can has worked after getting the majority off with dry cloths.

[BAH]

Maybe try waterless hand cleaner on a rag, without the abrasive pumice (of course). Use it like you would use wax.

[oneil250]

Aeroglaze works great! Just smear it on, and wipe it off. No water needed.

[Zazu]

Flew a white B2 for a couple seasons...always carried a couple bottles of Nu-Finish. Orange bottle, but don't know the maker off the top of my head. Worked really well.