Topic: Sanding & Polishing question

[AnthonyMichael]

Hey, I recently had my covers polished by a professional place after my attempt at it only marred the metal. Now I'm ready to give another swing at it on my own

I bought a bench grinder, all different kinds of compounds and wheels, gave it a shot and didn't get the results I was looking for on the rear sprocket.

Then instead of starting with compound and buffing wheels I started by using sandpaper. 120 grit to be exact. It actually got out all of the gouges and then I moved up in grits until I got to 600, from there I used the compounds and worked up to the jewelers compound (rouge). It looks much better but it's still not as good as I know it could be.

Does anyone have any other tips?

I just ordered a bunch of higher grade papers (everything from 600-3000) and I think if I can get wood to a mirror finish with these papers then it should work the same with metal no?

Should I use a combo of both or stick with one or the other?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Also check my project thread HERE to see the progress as I attempt, screw up, learn & fix my way through this restore.

[Kong]

Did you read the polishing hints as the Caswell site?

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

[greenjeans]

That sprocket is steel not aluminum - and yes you can use the sand paper.  Work your way up - I think 3000 is overkill - that's more for jewelry and similar things.

Steel and aluminum use different compounds and different wheels.

Caswell does have more info that you'll ever want to know...

[Really?]

The stainless winker stick holder things (oy vay) and the guage mount are really tough to get a real shine out of it (not aluminum).  The aluminum is easier but still can take a TON of work.  I stay clear of 120 but that is me.  It bugs me to even use 220 to start.  I would rather take a file, if I can, to take out ridges n stuff.  As you go finer each step, it is a biotch to sand out the previous papers sanding depths (scraches).  If you can get it down to about 1500 or even 2000.  It should not take a heck of a long time when you start to polish.  remember, one type of roughe per wheel.  I wrote the color I used on the sides of the wheel with a Magnum 44 marker so I could not miss it.

[scottly]

I just got done with this brake arm. I used 180, 400, and 600 grit paper, and then hand polished with Mothers Mag polish and a soft rag. I should have spent more time with the sandpaper, but this is good enough for me.

[Really?]

Yea, mine came out perty like that.  That one shined up nice and quick!

[AnthonyMichael]

That looks great!

And yes I have been reading the caswellplating guide.

Definitely have to grab some mothers mag.

[dirtmagnit]

I use that Mother's Mag on the lenses too.  Used to do the varying grade sandpapers and into the mag polish on hard to find lenses, like the red rear blinkers, but mostly the mag polish itself will take normal haze out of it.  Any glossy plastic. 

That stuff is awesome.  Even go over the plastic headlights on cars to clear em up. Just poppin in two cents on the cleaning bend.

e

[scottly]

Dirt, thanks for the tip about plastic headlight lenses! I'll try it on my Civic...

[Toxic]

You have to have some serious scratches to use anything courser than 200.

If it's just badly oxidized I start at 400.

That Caswell site is a must read.

[AnthonyMichael]

Got my results from the sandpaper on the rear sprocket. I'm very happy with it.

Here's the photo:




So the sprocket is steel and the hubs are aluminum correct? I just used sandpaper for the sprocket but I'm wondering at what point do I introduce mothers into the equation. after 2500 grit or is that overkill on aluminum?

[Stev-o]

That looks great!

[Really?]

Nice steel!

I have never gone beyond 2000 grit.  That really should be enough.  You can hit it with mothers at any grit it just takes longer to polish.  So, I take mine to 2000 and I will either hit with mothers or put it on the buffer.  After about a year, bring it up with Mothers.

You can always Mother it and if you don't like it, keep sanding.  You will figure out what you are satisfied with.  Practice practice practice.

Know that different parts will shine up different.  Some takes more, some takes less.  The caliper bracket is the easiest.  The rear brake hub and areas around the fork tubes are the hardest.  The upper triple with cause some grief as well.

[Growlers]

Did you use a grinding wheel or just hand with sandpaper to get that sprocket like that?and is there a technique you used?

[bird]

Coming in late on this... but when you guys say sand paper, you mean wet and dry sand paper (the dark stuff)?
That what I used, going through the different grades, made 'wet' using WD40, to get a nice but rough finish ready for polishing on the cloth wheels. It's a messy job but gets results. Did the engine and rims that way on my little 250.

This link to an English site has lots of good tips too. Cheers.

http://www.englishcustompolishing.com/

[Stev-o]

Hey bird - you're bike looks awesome! What is it??

[wohali]

One other reminder: you neèd as many cloth wheels as polishing compounds you use. Don't cheap out, you won't get the grit out of the wheel and you'll just frustrate yourself. Not that I'd know anything about that 

[Growlers]

G

Hey bird - you're bike looks awesome! What is it??

Great site man thanks. I am still trying to hammer down how I want to approach bringing my 78 cb750k back to a nice look

[bird]

Steve–O. It's a CB250RS. 1981 250 single road bike with same motor as XL250S. Don't think America got them. The engine and heaps more were painted black, so that's what I took off and polished. The single seat is not standard, but looks cool, yeah? Glad you like the bike. Cheers