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for information on, aviation polishing products, techniques, aircraft
polish & speciality aircraft polishing equipment.
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:
- QUIET: Most of the current air driven drum polishers
that operate in the over 1 hp range, produce motor noise levels,
at or above, 95 decibels (a Boeing 747 is about 145 decibels
on take off). SPEC Machines™, have been designed
& tested to operate, at full throttle ("free"),
below 75 decibels at a distance of 1.5 meters, (4ft).
This is a huge plus, in not only reducing overall fatigue for
the operator, but for those working on other tasks, in the same
area. For comparison : Common
noise levels in decibels:
Normal conversation -50-60
A loud radio -65-75
A busy street -78-85
A heavy truck about 7 metres (23 ft) away -95-100
A pighouse at feeding time -110
A chain saw -115-120
A jet aircraft taking off 25 metres (82 ft) away ->140
- VERSATILE: Interchangeble configurations. SPEC
Machines™ are easily changed in configuration simply
using a standard 1/4" Allen type key. The air motor or "heart"
of the machine can be attached to any one of the three
drum sizes with one, 1/4" Grade 8, Allen bolt. The drum/motor
assembly can be attatched to either of the two types of
handles. The control handle is adjustable to assure full, safe
and accurate operator control of the tool, regardless of the
type of operation, all with a 1/4" Allen key.
- SIMPLE: SPEC Machines™ utilize "standard"
parts. For instance, replacement air motor blades for the Atlas
Copco™ air motor are available world wide at any Atlas Copco™
dealer or representitive.
- POWERFUL: SPEC Machines™ use exclusively,
an Atlas Copco™ "LZB" industrial air motor with
"sealed & isolated" double gear reduction
units, producing 2 hp @ 2100 rpm and 5.5 ft/lbs of torque, (at
the DRUM) with an air consumption of 35 cfm @ 91 psi.. Important
to note: Similar units, available on the market, operate in the
over 3000 RPM range and at lower torque outputs. The lower rpm
(2100 rpm)with higher torque output SPEC Machines units, allow
for far less stress on the polishing pads and parts, and allow
more forgiving and exacting operator control.
- INDUSTRIAL DEPENDABILITY: SPEC Machines™
use Torington®, RHP™ or SKF™ Brand, Heavy Duty,
industrial "roller type" bearings in the drum to motor
contact surface, riding on a special, hardened "tool steel"
race. Aside from an occasional light grease application, these
bearings are maintainence free and extremely durable. They are
completely isolated from any air flow, entering or exhausting
the air motor, eliminating any bearing contamination.
The DHW® Composite drums (4" and 5" X 7")
are capable of absorbing an incredible amount of force from a
direct impact, ie: accidental dropping of the unit or hitting
the edge or corner of a steel work table. They will remain round
and true, for vibration free performance. (Aluminium drums can
easily come out of balance producing vibrations at high speed
that is damaging to the equipment and produces fatigue and difficulty
for the operator, plus an eneven finish on the surface.)
- SAFE: Operator saftey is of prime concern. The manner
in which "DRUM" type polishers operate, allow the operator
to work in a natural standing position, controlling only the
rate at which the machine moves away from the operator,
across the surface. Circular polishing on large surfaces, require
unnatural operator twisting, resulting in potential back problems
and loss of tool control.
- All SPEC Machines™ units come with a complete
1 year warranty on all parts, except air muffler &
motor blades. Any warranty repair or replacement of parts
shall be done at NO CHARGE within the warranty period.
Subsequent suggested annual inspection & or tune up's - Customer
is charged for parts only, no labour charges will be applied
for life of equipment, (as long as customer is original owner
of equipment.)
Spare equipment is kept in stock for immediate (within 24 hrs)
replacement, in the unlikely event of equipment failure.
- Proudly Designed, Engineered &
Built in Quebec, CANADA.
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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