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SPEC Machines™

Industrial "Hand Held" Surface Polishing Equipment.

(Please accept my apologies for the poor quality of some of the pictures on this page. They will be updated soon. Thank you very much for your understanding. Paul Embury.)

Our ongoing commitment is in providing our customers with the finest products possible. SPEC Distribution Inc. has undertaken the task of designing developing & manufacturing the most advanced, reliable, & versatile industrial "hand held" large surface polishing machines, available on the market today. They may look like others but have been designed with important internal differences. We have taken all the best features of the currently available "DRUM" type polishers on the market and improved on them. We have designed and built this equipment with extensive and valuable input from our customers in the industrial polishing markets, such as: BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE Inc., SKYWAVE Polishing (formerly California Custom Cleaning, Aviation Division), AVIONET INC., AEROSPACE WELDING Inc., & AIR CANADA to name a few.

Below you will find information on our machines and information on the use of "DRUM" type polishers.

Features and Benefits of the SPEC Machines™ DRUM Polishers are:

The pictures above & below, show the SPEC Machines™ Model "SA" in a few of it's interchangeable configurations. Above, is with a 4"X7" Cotton Finishing pad on the DHW™ 4" X 7" (#SPEC47) Composite drum. With a simple standard 1/4" allen key and one 1/4 Grade 8 Allen bolt, the Model "SA" can be converted to either of the configurations below, shown with the specially designed drum (#SPEC37) that will accept either a 4"(shown below on left) or 6" wide X 8" diameter, 3M™ Scotchbrite® drum, for "SATIN" finishes or as in the right side, using the same drum, it can accept single or multiple, (stacked) standard 1/2"wide X 8" Diameter polishing wheels, (available in many types & varieties) for tool mark repair, heavy material alteration, surface "texturing" etc.

The upper control handle is fully adjustable, (using the same standard 1/4" allen key) to assure proper and safe operator control "over center" with different pads for different operations.


SPEC Machines™ come with a Parker Hannifin™ "EZ-Mate" quick connect-disconnect SAFETY throttle. This unique design allows the throttle to be part of the air line, independent of the tool. Similar systems require a throttle with each tool. In a scenario where you have three types of tools but only one air line, you simply plug the tool directly to the line and you have instant throttle control. As an added saftey feature, the tool can only be connected (or disconnected) with the throttle in the CLOSED position. This prevents accidental connections to a 2 hp, open throttled machine, spinning at 2000 +RPM. (The results can be quite exciting.Trust me, I know!) The "EZ-Mate" has venting ports, that "exhaust" down stream air to atmosphere, so disconnect is at ZERO pressure, thereby eliminating dangerous "HOSE WHIP". The "EZ-Mate" is not only safe but allows the operator "precision" speed control of the tool.

Shown below is the SPEC Machines™ Model "LA" with the 5" X 7" drum and SPEC57 pads. This configuration is for polishing very large surfaces from a "stand off" distance or standing position. For instance, aircraft fuselage sides and crowns or in the case of the top wing surfaces, the operator can be in a comfortable standing position, as opposed to "hunched over" when using circular type polishers. The use of an optional 2 ft extension allows for a greater (and safer) "reach" (see pics below). The tool actually becomes "weightless" on fuselage sides and crowns as it will "climb" or "walk" away from the operator. All the operator has to do, is control the speed or rate, of the walk or climb. The control handle (shown in the extended position below) can be easily re-positioned for maximim operator comfort and control.

Below demonstrates the "Safe Reach Capabilities" of the SPEC Machines™ "DRUM" type polishing machines.

The picture on the top left is of the horizontal tail on a DeHavilland "DASH 8". It is approximately 30 ft (15 meters) high and you can only get the lift so close to your work. The center picture demonstrates the "reach" of a SPEC Machine™ in a rather tight area for a scissor truck or similar. The picture on the far right shows a polishing operation on a wide body AIRBUS A330-300 using one of the drum buffers with 2, 2 ft (61 cm) extension handles attatched. This truly demonstrates the safe "reach capability" of the SPEC Machines™ polishers. Try maneuvering a lift between the fuselage and engine nacelle without sweating about hitting the aircraft. Accomplishing these jobs, with anything less than a "DRUM" type polisher, with a 2 ft (61 cm) extension handle(s) installed, is not only almost impossible, but downright dangerous. The less you have to maneuver a lift around & next to the aircraft, the less chance for "an accident" and the job becomes quicker and more importantly far safer for all concerned.

"Drum" Type Buffer in use on paint on a deHavilland TWIN OTTER.

Note: Difference on polished sections of paint.
Below: "DRUM" type polishers in use:

<Leading edge polishing

<Paint Polishing

 

 

 

 

 

< Plexiglas™ Polishing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

<"stand up" operations on a BOMBARDIER Aerospace Challenger 700

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above: Paint "rejuvenation" on an AIRBUS A330-300
A B
C D

Note the above sequence, from top right clockwise. Aluminium Polishing. As the drum buffer is pulled down, (the "cut" stroke), the polish is applied and leaves a black residue. As the buffer moves back up, (the "color" stroke), pict B & C, the black residue dissapears, resulting in a highly polished finish, without the conventional "wipe out" step.
The aircraft shown is a 1940's North American T-6 "TEXAN" belonging to the Canadian Warplane Heritage in Mt. Hope, Ontario. The polishing is by SKYWAVE Polishing of Toronto. The polish is ROLITE™ "AP-300"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the right: One pass (cut & color) with a "DRUM" type polisher. What is rather interesting about this series of pictures, is; note the sticker and the yellow painted tip. No damage to each. This truly attests to how safe "DRUM" type of polishing is, to any given surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Above: Engine inlet rings. A proper polishing not only looks attractive, but allows for proper and effecient airflow and eliminates the onset of corrosion.
Below we find some difficult work at best. The alloy involved, by design, has to withstand extremely high temperatures and thererefore is very difficult to bring to a bright finish. That being said, the right products, equipment and techniques were able to acomplish the task.


Below: An example of what can be accomplished with the proper polish, equipment and techniques.


To see the SPEC Machines™ "Detailer", a smaller "mini" drum type polisher for smaller parts / areas, click here.
For more information on your specific needs and on "DRUM" Type Surface Polishing Technology, please E-Mail us, at your convenience.(Please put: SPEC Machine Information Request, in the subject line. It helps weed out the TONS of spam we get.)
or, telephone (450) 458-2304 (Eastern Standard Time) - Fax# (450) 458-0065 (Eastern Standard Time)

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