As someone that obviously has skill, I would like to know the steps you use to polish.
-what grits you use
-what compounds etc. etc.
thanks
Note - For those that do not want to read all of this just read the last two paragraphs.
Brother Toxic I could write a really long post on polishing but instead I will try to keep it short! Hahahaha!
It is my belief that sanding is the key to polishing, the final polished finish will only be as good as the sand time that was put into the piece. I do a lot of polishing here at the shop (
www.dwmsracing.com) and I wet sand almost everything that I do by hand.
The grits that I start with vary greatly depending upon how smooth the starting finish is and whether or not it has damage such as heavy scratches or scrapes etc. I have started with as rough as 80 grit to cut very rough cast or pebble finish rims and I have started as fine as 400 for smoother pieces.
Whatever grit you start with you want to keep dropping grades in paper, if you start with 400 then drop to 600 then drop to 800 etc. until you are satisfied with the finish or until you just do not want to sand anymore! Hahahaha! I have easily put up to 40 hours of sanding time alone into a rim before I ever even touch it with polish. Sanding is the key and the smoother you get the surface before polishing the better as well as the further you drop down in paper the better.
Sanding is also directional when preparing to polish a part so you want to try and sand an entire part in a single direction. When sanding a flat piece stay in one direction and when sanding something round like the lip or hoop of a rim sand around following the curve. If you sand in all different directions it will show after you polish and the finish will look splotchy or brighter in different areas.
Many of the photos on my website of polished parts were polished by hand. I personally like the White Diamonds or Mothers Power Metal which are both a liquid for hand polishing but there are many great polishes available. When using either of these polishes make sure to use a clean dry cloth and never a wet cloth or a wet part.
There are heavy duty professional buffers available but for the home builder most would not spend the money on one as they can be expensive. The alternative for machine polishing is to use your bench grinder. Most large hardware stores and some auto parts stores carry cloth buffing wheels that fit bench grinders as well as the compounds to go with them. There are many different types of wheels and compounds but for basic home polishing get a firm wheel and a cutting compound which you will use togethor for removal of super fine scratches, and a soft wheel for use with a final polishing compound. There are also many different compounds for different materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, etc. so get the compound that is suitable for the material you will be working with.
This is starting to get long but that will give you a basic idea.
Instead of writing all of that I could have said sand, sand, sand, patience, sand, sand, patience, sand some more, sand a little more, well I have been sanding this long I may as well drop paper again, sand, sand, drop paper again, repeat, repeat again, patience, repeat, etc., etc., etc.,...did I mention sanding? sand, sand, sand,...then polish! Hahahaha!
Seriously though sanding and polishing can be dangerous! Read the warnings that come with the wheels, compounds, liquid polishes, sandpaper, etc. and wear proper safety equipment such as eye protection, a respirator, gloves, etc.
