Plating, Polishing and Powder Coating

[Colonel]

I like to clean stuff up, and keep it clean.  That way, you can see immediately if
there are cracks or leaks or anything else that needs fixing, because the sooner
you fix it, the smaller a job it is.

I get sad, when I take the covers off, and I see a dirty, filthy engine.  Your life
depends on that engine.  At least, mine does.  Why don't you take better care
of it?

[img width=500 height=430][/img]

That's the engine of the Maule I've been flying since 1971, which I know, makes
me pretty inexperienced to the anonymous internet experts.  48 years I've been
operating that engine, which has never been split open, and has the original cylinders
on it.

The aluminum is polished and then wiped down with corrosion-X or ACF-50 -
that's the intake on the top, and the baffles.

Note the 12 valve covers.  Chrome plating used to be a thing, but the eco-nazis
have gotten rid of most of the shops that did it.  You still see lots of gleaming
chrome on Harleys, so someone must do it.

Plating is actually a 3-stage process.  The 12 valve covers above on the TCM
IO-360 are just nickel plated.  They have a slight brown color, compared to chrome,
but it's cheaper, because you skip the final chrome plating stage.  Note that the
current used for chrome plating is MUCH higher than for nickel plating, so the
chances of hydrogen embrittlement is higher.

WIth all the plating shops gone, I looked around for an alternative, and I found this:

[img width=500 height=485][/img]

That's powder coating.  Doesn't cost much, and it creates a fantastically durable
surface which oddly doesn't chip.  I highly recommend powder coating.

[img width=500 height=262][/img]

Note that some douches on the internet - I think it was our favorite website, again -
attacked me for painting my valve covers.  They threatened to report me to TC
Enforcement, because "Lycoming didn't put that paint on".  Sigh.  What the fuck
is wrong with those people?

Anyways, I take very good care of my dogs and my engines.  I love them all,
and feel free to attack me - again - for it.

[img width=375 height=500][/img]

PS  Feel free to google 05K22600 before you crap on me from a great height.  Again.

[img width=500 height=500]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JGgAAOSw ... s-l640.jpg[/img]

[cgzro]

I recently had some of the flat black paneling inside my plane powder coated (the one the throttle goes through and which wears due to your arm rubbing on it), its looks fantastic and holds up great. I'm actually going to have the gear leg fairings powered coated this winter and new fairings made up. The stuff flexes beautifully and they have very nice high gloss finishes available now and its cheaper and faster than getting the 2-parts/cromate etc. done.