Topic: Buffing Aluminum

[NE550]

   I am having a problem with the white rouge.  When I use the buffer it turns black and or lack of a better term, melts onto the aluminum.  I have turned down the RMPs on the buffer but it did not help.  Any suggestions?

[sandcastcb750]

I never had that happen to me. Did you sand or remove enough of the pits from corrosion. Maybe you are filling those pits?

[333]

If it's a newer wheel, it might be absorbing into that. Or just flying off into the air as dust. The black is the aluminum that is being ground off by the rouge.  After you work your way through to the finest compound on the wheel, use a hand metal polish and you should have a mirror finish

[revjim]

333 is right...keep at it...did it to me on my first engine...pain in the butt...but now a mirror finish. 

[Bob Wessner]

Are you sure there is no clear coat left on the piece?

[Johnie]

You did work your way down from red, to green and then to white rouge, right?  But like Bob said, you should get the clear off first.

[NE550]

Here are the steps I took, Are they the right ones?

1. Cleaned surface with paint thinner
2. wet sand w/ 600
3. wet sand w/800
4. wet sand w/1000
5. wet sand w/1500
6. wet sand w/ 2000
7. buffed w/ black rouge
8. buffed w/ brown rouge
9. polished w/ white rouge
10. waiting for the clear coat to arrive, to finish the job.

   The white rouge wan't working with the polishing pad so I had to hand polish, pain in the ASS.  Hense my initial question.

Thanks for the responces, Matt

[BobbyR]

You can polish today and remove more black oxide tomorrow. That is Aluminum. You can use a solvent to dissolve and wipe away the residue and then do your hand polishing. makes it much easier.

[TEET76]

Your not using the same pad, or wheel for all three compounds are you? If you are you need to thouroughly rake the wheel to remove any microscopic metal particles from the wheel, as well as any compound that remains from the previous application...so if your using the same wheel for black as rouge, then you will always have black in it...does that make sense? It is also important to have the right wheels...sisal to start w/ black emory comp., spiral 2nd with brown tripoli, and loose cotton, or flannel w/ white rouge. It sounds like you got the clear off, and sanded pretty good, but might be taking a step backwards with the buff and polish steps. What kind of buffer and what size wheels(8",10", 12") are you using?

[azuredesign]

Are you sure there is no clear coat left on the piece?

That's what it sounds like to me as well.

[TEET76]

Are you sure there is no clear coat left on the piece?

That's what it sounds like to me as well.

After looking back and reading his process again, sounds like your right. I would definately use a stripper to remove any clear, and start with a coarser sandpaper, like 400. Its usually pretty easy to tell when the clear has been removed, and your into the base metal by the sheen

[NE550]

I ordered an Aluminum Polishing kit from www.caswellplating.com.  The kit included several different types of wheels and compounds.  I followed instructions to the T.  Don't get me wrong it came out fantastic compared to what it looked like before I started.  Again I was just having trouble with the white rouge.  I used a new wheel for each step.
After sanding here are the steps
- Sisal wheel with Black emery bar
- Spiral Sewn wheel with Brown emery bar
- loose cotton wheel with white rouge

     I think I may have not cleaned the surface well enough prior to the application of the white rouge.

I appreciate all of the responces,  this is a great forum!!

[BobbyR]

Wiping the surface off with some denatured alcohol  between rouges helps a great deal. The sticks are wax which will build up and become fairly thick coating in itself.

[Sonny]

I bought some Jasco Premium paint and EPOXY remover from home depot and it works GREAT as it melts the clear coat right off aluminum with no damaging effect to the aluminum, it comes in a gold colored 1 qt can with red writing on it and can be found by the paint thinners in the paint dept! I keep a bucket of water handy and wash the stripper off the part after it does its job!

[Johnie]

I never used any sandpaper...only Aircraft Stripper, red rouge, green rouge, white rouge and then MAAS metal protector.  I am happy with the results.  Just installed my side covers yesterday.

[NE550]

John,

   Looks great!  What is the MAAS metal protector you mentioned? 

[Johnie]

John,

   Looks great!  What is the MAAS metal protector you mentioned? 

NE...I use the MAAS Metal Protector as it does not dull the finish.  And it does not turn black like when you use the MAAS polish.  Don't get me wrong, I do use MAAS polish, but not on items I use my buffing wheel and rouge on.

[JAG]

Dang Johnie that looks great!  I have been using just Aircraft Stripper (Make sure to wear some thick gloves, it really burns on contact!!!) Red rouge, then Green Rouge, then the white..

It took me a while to figure out which buffing wheel to use with which rouge, but I figured it out through trial and error, and of course at my expense. Also I know it takes quite a deal of patience, which is hard for me, but the overall finished product is killer!!

I've only done the sides, I'm waiting till the weekend to take the engine off the frame and get into all the nooks and crannys..

[Johnie]

JAG...thanks and you are correct.  It takes time and patience.  I may do the red one night, then wait a few days and tackle the green, etc.  Gets to boring to try to keep at it for hours at a time.  I also did the fork legs which were the easiest to do.  I am at the point now I am waiting on chrome and tins to be done.  Then I can really start to see the final KO product.

[NE550]

Well, since I posted the question of "Buffing Aluminum" I guess I should post some pic's.  Keep in mind that it was my first time doing this so it's not perfect nor do I have before photos. The 350 is my 08 winter project.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25773645@N05/sets/72157604613261562/

Matt


P.S. I want to thank all of you who posted comments, hints and suggestions they were all helpful.

[Johnie]

Hey Matt...really nice job.  It is a good looker too.  That polishing is not the most exciting part of restoration, but once it is done it really adds to the bike.  As you do it more and more you will realize you can not get it perfect on an older bike.  But you can make a 95% difference in the way it looks now compared to before you started.  Good job!!!

[NE550]

Thanks Johnny.  I didn't think to take picture before the restoration, I sure wish I had though.  At least I will with the 350.  I'll tackle that one this winter.

Matt

[Dave-and-his-550]

I just began polishing my crank case cover today and have a few questions. The crankcase was very pitted and black, so I thought I would sand it down first with 240 grit then go to 400 grit and this is where I am at now:



Now I'm thinking of using steel wool, but I seem to have read its not good on aluminum right? Or can I use it?

If not, I'll need to pick up 1000 or 1200 grit sand paper to use next right? Then, about these rouges you've been talking about, I'm not familiar with them. Could someone point me to a website, or give me more information.

Thanks!

[Johnie]

So did you use the stripper already?

[bunghole]

Stay away from steel wool.  It will embed itself in the aluminum and then rust and look bad.  I've found that for sanding, those 3M sponges are nice since they conform well to contours.  I buy them at Pep Boys.  Also, 3M Scrubbing pads (also at Pep Boys) work well instead of steel wool.  They come labeled like steel wool with "0" "00" and "000" etc...  I've bought them at Home Depot too.