Topic: For all you polishers out there...II

[Jinxracing]

I learned a valuable lesson about polishing aluminum today...it's one of the dirtiest, most tedious, and unrewarding things I've ever done. From this point on I'm going to be paying someone else to do it for me even if it means pushing my project back three months to save the money to pay for it. I had a root canal last week, and I'd sooner go through that again than try to polish another #&*@! aluminum part.

So, do any of you weirdos that actually ENJOY polishing want to make some extra money? 

Failing that, can anyone recommend a polisher that they've used with good results in the past? I've only found one polisher here in Southern California that's still in business, (MagMasters), and they're backed up for months and hugely expensive.

[jonbuoy]

I know what you mean, my fingers are stuffed from all the wet and dry work I've been doing  polishing the forks and brake calipers from rough cast to shiny is bloody hard work.  Even a few medicinal drinks and carb cleaner can't make the time pass quicker   A buffing wheel only seems to help in in the later stages of the polish up.

[Gordon]

What parts are you wanting to have polished?  I always found polishing aluminum to be fairly rewarding because it's relatively soft compared to other metals and shows results quickly. 

[Jinxracing]

What parts are you wanting to have polished?  I always found polishing aluminum to be fairly rewarding because it's relatively soft compared to other metals and shows results quickly. 

Hiya Gordon,

Today I was starting with the handlebar control switch housings. I glass bead blasted the factory finish so started with a decent surface...now one half of one housing is halfway polished and I'm not going to be taking it any further on my own.  I've got lots more that needs to be polished as well: hubs, fork lowers, upper triple clamp, etc. If you're interested I can supply the parts to you in clean, bead blasted condition. What do you say? I'll pay cash or we could also work out a trade with any small-scale lathe/mill work you might need.

[Gordon]

What do you say? I'll pay cash or we could also work out a trade with any small-scale lathe/mill work you might need.

It's tempting, but I'll have to get back to you.

[rsvp9146]

Failing that, can anyone recommend a polisher that they've used with good results in the past? I've only found one polisher here in Southern California that's still in business, (MagMasters), and they're backed up for months and hugely expensive.

do a google search for Al Reed + Porsche Fuchs wheels

Dont know if he does parts, but damn he can make a 30 year old Porsche wheel look brand new

[Jinxracing]

do a google search for Al Reed + Porsche Fuchs wheels

Thanks for the info. Looks like he's got great reviews and is local to boot! I'll be contacting him this week to see if he polishes anything besides wheels.

[rocky]

Some of the problem with polishing may be your bead blasting. It leaves a fairly rough surface as opposed to a less harsh media such as walnut shells or soda blasting. You can also buy very aggressive buffing wheels and different grits of compound. With the right combination of wheels/compound you can buff rough parts in very little time.

[Jinxracing]

Did a quick search and found this if it helps. Compares polishing to leveling out a bowl of cornflakes. I work at a heavy truck dealership and the boys in the prep bay can take a set of aluminum wheels that spent their entire working life in a limestone quarry and bring them back from looking like hell. They use a similar meathod with the addition of an acid wash to remove heavy corrosion and level out the surface.

http://jalopnik.com/cars/car-care/and-you-will-know-us-by-the-trail-of-parts-polishing-aluminum-wheels-246626.php

Man, it looks so easy when other people do it! Maybe the disgust will wear off and I'll give it a try next weekend. 

I was also under the impression that a bead-blasted surface was smooth enough to go straight to a tan tripoli compound. It's starting to look like I need a more agressive compound before the tripoli.

[jonbuoy]

I've been going from pock marked cast to shiney using 80 dry, 120 wet, 340 wet then buff with black paste and stitch wheel up to as close to mirror as I want.  If any one knows how to cut out the wet and dry stage I'd be interested but  its too bloody late for me as I'm nearly done.

   

[rhinoracer]

It's a tedious job indeed, however I disagree with you 'cause I find it truly rewarding to see that shiny piece of aluminum in my hands after an hour or so of polishing.

If you're willing to drive south of the border to Tijuana, I know of several polishing and chroming shops. Most of them specialize in ATV wheels and parts.

I also know there are a bunch of polishing shops in the LA area, just don't have their addresses.

[okie]

Jonbouy has the answer.  You gotta' use sandpaper.  I use 400, then 1000 if I want a REALLY good finish.  WET sanding with lots of water.

When you get to the buffing, clean often.  Don't be cheap with the compound.  It's going to be messy.  Wear eye protection and breathing protection.  Take your time.  Just the clutch cover will take half a day to do.  It will be worth it when you are done and can say you did it yourself.  Here are before and after pics of my CBX.

[jevfro]

It's a tedious job indeed, however I disagree with you 'cause I find it truly rewarding to see that shiny piece of aluminum in my hands after an hour or so of polishing.

You gotta' use sandpaper.  I use 400, then 1000 if I want a REALLY good finish.  WET sanding with lots of water.

Thats what I found too... on my link about re-spoking a wheel you can see I started w/ a trashed hub and it came out pretty good.  I used a couple of files, then some 150, 400, 600 wetsanding tape (3M blue strips), and then followed w/ 1000 grit wetsanding paper.  I was removing large scratches and gouges first w/ some fine files so it was hours and hours of sanding....
http://www.sohc4.us/forums/index.php?topic=11993.0



They still look good and if I would have made a second pass over them w/a finer compound (I just used white diamond) it would probably look even more mirror-like. Having a good polisher makes a difference also get some dust extraction!  There are "greaseless" cutting compounds that can be used to do some of the tedious sanding but you must use a seperate buff for each grit and not mix them (label the side!).  Also it's nearly impossible to get into every nook-n-krannie on things like fins and covers (thats where hand sanding gets you a little farther sometimes)

 here's a link to a wheel polishing kit from caswell that has some of the cutting compounds I'm talking about.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/alwheel.htm

The stuff I use is for jewlery and is called Rio Quick Finish and it comes in 120, 200, 400, 600, and maybe 800?

anyhow,
Good luck!

[RSV12K]

I've found that any kind of blasting hinders, not helps. I've never used sandpaper either--no need, methinks. I would try sandpaper to start if I wanted to eliminate every single nick or scratch, but I don't. I think polished aluminum needs some imperfections to be perfect.

What you need is a good polishing wheel, sisal and cotton wheels and the black, brown and white compounds. I get a chrome-like finish and it doesn't take much work at all.

Polishing with attachments on a power drills has just never worked for me. Too hard to control the pressure between pad and polished object.

The real trick is making sure you have the right amount of compound on the right wheel (i.e. sisal with the black compound)


How to buff and ploish:
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm

[BlindJoe]

Has anyone here ever tried one of these things, http://www.eastwoodco.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=920&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=439&iSubCat=445&iProductID=920, for sanding?

[Jinxracing]

Mmm, very tempting...

[RSV12K]

I don't think it's kosher for that guy to jump in here and start peddling wares. Not only is it crass, it's irrelevant to this thread. I'll be sure not to buy anything from him!

[Gordon]

I don't think it's kosher for that guy to jump in here and start peddling wares. Not only is it crass, it's irrelevant to this thread. I'll be sure not to buy anything from him!

Who are you talking about?  Or did I miss something?

[Jinxracing]

736cc posted some info and photos on his ceramic-coated and polished engine covers that he sells. Whoops, then it was moved to parts for sale.

Didn't bother me any. 

By the way 736cc, email sent about possible deal on your engine covers.

[736cc]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think it's kosher for that guy to jump in here and start peddling wares. Not only is it crass, it's irrelevant to this thread. I'll be sure not to buy anything from him!

Irrelevant? Gee, and I thought this was a thread about sourcing aluminum refinishing. I also see several replies w/ commercial sources. I had no idea there were such sensitive souls out there that get bent out of shape so ez. And it wasn't even your thread to begin with. I'm a CB750 enthusiast and restorer with all sorts of knowledge and goodies. And I ain't crass; I'm from NY. We don't use words like that around here.
tsk, tsk, RSV12K, I'll bet you always raised your hand since kindergarten to tell on all those bad boys misbehaving in class.

[Gordon]

736cc posted some info and photos on his ceramic-coated and polished engine covers that he sells. Whoops, then it was moved to parts for sale.

Didn't bother me any. 

Ah, now I get it.  Doesn't seem out of place at all to me, 736cc.

[merc2dogs]

Irrelevant? Gee, and I thought this was a thread about sourcing aluminum refinishing. I also see several replies w/ commercial sources.

  I've seen your listing, and the parts look great, difference is the other links were for tools or tips and techniques to do the polishing, personally I pretty much ignored your post as I don't want everything polished, and I'm far more interested in doing it myself.

  Now if you'd have phrased it as these are the tools I use, this technique, heres how much time it takes, and these are the compounds I use etc etc etc, then posted a link to your finished product, I can't see anyone raising an objection, and you'd have likely sold a few just from that post.

 I have lathes and mills in the garage and post a few "what do I need to make this part" questions, get a lot of answers and often decide to source the part from someone else because I don't want to expend the effort/money to equip for a one off job.

  if someone takes the time to tell me how he does it, and what I need to have, then offers to make it for me I'll often buy from him, if the same guy jumped in and just said I'll make it for $$$, I'm likely to ignore it. 

ken.   

[seaweb11]

The guy who started the thread was looking to "HAVE SOMEONE DO IT FOR HIM". He wanted to pay for the work.
Personally I do my own polishing, but 736cc's offer seemed fine with me   Looked like a viable option for the "guy who was looking for help.

A guy yesterday was looking for fender options, I put up a link to Cycle Exchange. He was very happy to have some options.

Pick your battles....

[merc2dogs]

perfectly acceptable

 unless the board has rules against selling articles and services outside the for sale section.

Ken

[Bob Wessner]

I'm the one who moved the reply. It wasn't to be a stickler. We just try to keep things organized, particularly when it comes to someone trying to do a search in the future. I would think someone looking for parts or services may not bother to wade through the regular threads to find them but rather look through the appropriate areas.