Author Topic: polishing while waitin for parts (Read 2752 times)

DavePhipps · « **on:** March 25, 2012, 07:27:41 AM »

Heres my results from last nights polishing effortd\s. I still don't quiye have that mirror finish I.m looking for but it's a pretty god start.

nayto550 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2012, 08:16:59 AM »

Looking good, I've been doing the same thing. So much tedious work, but so worth it in the end. I've got a fork lower that I've been working on for about 20 hours now, and it's finally [almost

] ready for buffing.

mrrch · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2012, 08:25:54 AM »

20 hours!
How bad was it to start with?
Polishing is satisfying work.

nayto550 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2012, 08:54:46 AM »

It wasn't super bad, but it wasn't really good either. Lots of little nicks that needed to be ground out and scratches that required the hours and hours of tedious sanding. And I decided since I was going to polish the for lowers, I should file/grind as mush of the casting marks as I could, so that added time too. They will be mirror finish polish when I'm finished hitting them on the buffing wheels. But sooooo much work.

crazypj · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2012, 09:19:34 AM »

Yep, good polish aint easy or quick.
I have about 80~100 hrs in the forks I polished.
Starting with painted forks probably wasn't the best way to go but they do look good now (painted forks still had lot of casting marks, part lines, corrosion pits, etc)
Used file then 80 grit to get things smooth then worked down to 600 before polishing on buffer
They are now real 'mirror finish'

Bailgang · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2012, 09:33:45 AM »

Quote from: DavePhipps on March 25, 2012, 07:27:41 AM

Heres my results from last nights polishing effortd\s. I still don't quiye have that mirror finish I.m looking for but it's a pretty god start.

Is that the old grimy filthy cover I sent you? Geez, you have been busy!!

Bailgang · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2012, 09:37:55 AM »

Quote from: mrrch on March 25, 2012, 08:25:54 AM

How bad was it to start with?

If it's the same cover I sent him, it was nasty.

DavePhipps · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2012, 10:54:23 AM »

Yep, same cover after about 3 hours of work. I still can't get the fine buffing swirls out though.

Johnie · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2012, 11:16:15 AM »

Today I started the process of polishing the oxidation off the side engine covers. A slow, tedious and very messy deal, but well worth the look in the end. So far I hit it with the red rouge. Next comes the green and then white will finish it up. Once that is done my pipes should be here and ready to install for the final leg of this fun K3 project.

kck3 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2012, 11:29:45 AM »

Johnie-did you keep those covers on the bike or remove them for polishing?

Really? · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2012, 12:10:36 PM »

The two most PITA parts I found are the brake hub and the forks lowers. The brake hub you can go over and over and over and over and just not feel satisfied. The fork lowers have a lot of casting marks, I filed and used a stone wheel/dremel on the fork lowers before I really got into the sanding part. You can see the rear hub in my sig.

Really? · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2012, 12:17:07 PM »

Before and after of the fork lowers.

Before

After

Johnie · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2012, 04:05:26 PM »

kck3...this bike I left the covers on and polished them outside. I figured since there was no leaks and the bike only has 5,310 miles on it I would leave them on this time and see how it comes out. I first took the clear off. When I was done with the red rouge I used the Dremel in the places I could not reach with the wheel. The forks in this picture I did off the bike. The last pic is a shot of the left before I started and the right one was after the first pass with the red rouge.

DavePhipps · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2012, 04:25:58 PM »

I hope mine turns out as well as yours. What do you use to get rid of fine swirl marks?

Johnie · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2012, 04:34:46 PM »

By the time I am done with the white rouge swirl marks are about gone. I find Semichrome or MAAS does a good job on it too. I think the main thing is to not rush the job, but take your time and let the rouge do the work.

Robaholic · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2012, 06:36:24 PM »

Quote from: crazypj on March 25, 2012, 09:19:34 AM

Yep, good polish aint easy or quick.
I have about 80~100 hrs in the forks I polished.
Starting with painted forks probably wasn't the best way to go but they do look good now (painted forks still had lot of casting marks, part lines, corrosion pits, etc)
Used file then 80 grit to get things smooth then worked down to 600 before polishing on buffer
They are now real 'mirror finish'

Those look great!

Are you doing the sanding by hand?

DavePhipps · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2012, 06:41:42 PM »

I'm sanding with 400 wet/dry then working my way through the polishes.
I just went out and did an experiment. I wet sanded with 2000 then 3000. I'm getting a much better reflection now. I'm not sure what grit my polishes are, but they don't seem to be as fine as I need. I got them with the eastwood kit

Really? · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2012, 07:52:27 PM »

I've taken mine to 2000 then used the polishing rouge to get a better shine.

Sent from my chalkboard using a tickler.

crazypj · « **Reply #18 on:** March 26, 2012, 09:17:38 PM »

I don't tend to go finer than 600, then 'black' (emery compound ) on stitched mop followed by 'red' compound on a loose mop.
Vary the pressure to get a better finish.
If it isn't shiny enough, you may have to start over at 600 grit, polishing shows any flaws you left behind on earlier 'finished' stages (which is why my forks took so long

)

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Author Topic: polishing while waitin for parts (Read 2752 times)