Cleaning Inboard Props...

[gregmercer]

How do you guys go about cleaning or getting off a seasons worth of junk off your bronze/nibral props?

I tried using a random orbital sander with 220 grit paper but its going very sllooowww.

Is there a quicker way? Anyone use a wire wheel on a drill? Any other tricks?

[Frosty]

Orbital with 220???????

Try a 4 inch grinder with an 80 disc or even 40. You can get down to 18 on those 4 inch grinders but thats a bit too much.

You could rip the crap off with 18 and then finish off with 80.

For anti fouling the smoothest paper I will have would be 80.

I would use 220 on the RR bonnet before buffing up.

[Landlubber]

We normally just use a paint scraper to clean off all the crap, it is rare that you would have to use anything abrasive, but when we do use abrasives we use the 3M scotch brite pads on velcro backings, they are great. The purple ones will take the stains out of your character.

[TollyWally]

"The purple ones will take the stains out of your character"

I wish I'd said that!

Never grind on your props. Scotch Brites go, course to fine; brown, purple, blue, gray. Stick with blue, at the most. Finish with gray, maybe. Maybe even buff, if you´re anal. If you have ground on a high value prop (you said NiBral) take it to a pro to be repaired. Really - it will make a world of difference. What is this junk on your prop? A high level of polish will also stay "clean" longer. There´s products you can apply that supposedly keep stuff from adhering but I am scepticle. Don´t paint.

[CDK]

Use hydrochloric acid, diluted 1:5 or more. Put the prop on a plastic plate to collect the soup coming off and apply the acid with a paint brush for a few minutes until the prop is completely clean. Do not use anything abrasive because the scratches will form good holding ground for the next generation of barnacles. Rinse with water first, wipe off the greasy gray film with a rag, then rinse with a soapy solution to neutralize the traces of acid that remain on the surface.
If you omit that last step, the prop will turn green after a few hours.

[pkoken]

I know how we do it now...



In the future we are going to apply Prop Speed or the like.

[Landlubber]

Prop Speed is good, it works

That´s the one I was searching for.

[pkoken]

Next haul out we are putting prop speed on our prop, shaft, strut, frigoboat keel coolers and the bronze lower bearing for our rudder.