Sag Harbor - It's a good thing he isn't afraid of heights, ladders, harnesses, and bucket lifts; and doesn't mind spending all day on his back underneath the gigantic aluminum "tube" of a B29 Bomber, because those are the hazards of being a high-end detailer these days - of course being one of 40 of the best detailers in the world makes it even more special.

The first day, Doug Cunningham of Absolute Shine was sprawled on his back underneath the belly of Air Force One sheltered from Seattle's inevitable rain. The next day he was riding a lift 15 feet above the ground to clean the paint on the nose and exterior cockpit. On the third day, he climbed a ladder to polish the brightwork (aluminum) around the engine shrouds, followed by a fourth day working along the back right and left fuselage.

"We were all over that plane," Cunningham says of his nine-day jaunt to Seattle's Museum of Flight – a pro bono project for which he was handpicked out of over 250 detailers worldwide to put a new shine on the first presidential jet known as SAM 970, and an historic WWII B29 Bomber. "I got to detail the area on the plane where it says 'United States of America' - that was a memorable experience - really cool."


Cunningham explains their technique. "We used a Flex XC 3401 Dual Action Orbital polisher, a forced action buffer that is very effective on cars but had never been tried on the AFO." The 3401 doesn't spin in a circle, but orbits, simulating the movement of the human hand. It is less likely to cause holograms, transfers very little heat onto the surface, and because it has a larger stroke length, it spreads the polish out over a larger area. "Renny Doyle, (the project coordinator), was anxious to see if it would help 40 detailers with varying techniques produce a more consistent result. He was right. It proved to be very effective."

Cunningham was also a member of the AFO "Finishing" team, the 10-man follow-up team who spent the last three days going over every inch of the Boeing 707-120 to look for the slightest remaining blemishes. "Detailing at this level is a science, not a trade," Cunningham explains. "Aluminum has a grain to it, like wood, only less visible. If you polish against the grain, it won't shine up like it should but sometimes you can't see it until the light changes," he continues, "The aluminum also has microscopic pores. Chemicals in the Rolite polish gets into those tiny holes and although you may polish it to a shine, an hour later after the sun heats up the metal, it begins to outgas the chemicals and has to be wiped down and buffed again, sometimes several more times." The finishing process is an example of the dedication to perfection this team of skilled craftsmen demand of their own work.

Cunningham's Absolute Shine Auto Spa is a mobile detailing service in Sag Harbor, providing any combination of services, or full detailing services for your vehicle.

For more information about Doug Cunningham's participation in the Air Force One project, call 516-457-8010.