Topic: I learned something about buffing today

[Kong]

After a week with a dedicated buffer I learned something about polishing aluminum today.

This has been a bit frustrating.  I ordered a buffing machine and while waiting for it to arrive I read up on everything I could find on buffing aluminum.  Along with the reading I spent considerable time on You-Tube just watching and trying to learn.  Then the machine arrived and I got to it.  The first results were pleasing, but not so pleasing as I had imagined they might be.  But then there was this - sometimes parts would come out real real nice, and other times not so nice.  And I didn't know what I was doing right or what I was doing wrong.  Was it too much compound, or too little, was it too much pressure, or too little?  Was it poor prep; did I not do enough sanding first?  Who knew? I just kept at it.

Today I did a couple of more parts and all of a sudden it all got a lot better.  I've got a lower leg sitting next to me that yesterday looked to be unsavable and today looks a good bit like show chrome.  And today's little parts gleam too.

And what was the difference?  Today I leaned into it.  I mean I put quite a bit of pressure on the parts for the first time.  Quite a bit indeed. Don't get me wrong, I had been putting considerable pressure on the wheel earlier, but today I put some serious monkey-butt behind it and the result is more than pleasing.  I wear heavy gloves while I polish and I was feeling the heat of the metal through them for the first time.  The hotter* the metal got the better the shine.

Lesson learned.  I thought I'd pass it along.

* at one time I reached up to wipe a bit of lint from my cheek while holding a small part. The part touched my face and burnt me - that's how hot it was.

[Really?]

I find that different parts buff up different.  I have wondered if it is something different about the aluminum for the different parts or heat that the parts have dealt with do something.

The brake arm comes up with almost no effort but parts of the fork lowers and the brake hub can be a nitemare to buff up.

[Kong]

The part that's still giving me fits is the sprocket cover.  I haven't got the clutch cover off the engine yet, rocker cover either - and I am not looking forward to either one of them.  After today though I feel a lot better about it all.  Before I kept on thinking that maybe I was pushing it too hard and somehow 'burning' the metal or something.  Someone had mentioned - and it may have been you - that black smudge probably meant that there was too much rouge on the wheel, and then there was a You-Tube example where the guy let the wheel cool off after loading it saying that made a difference - and what the hell did I know?

There is that wheel rake thing too.  I have no idea when I need to use it but if the wheel is overloaded and leaving smears then I suppose that's the time.  But once again I'm really pretty much clueless, though hopeful.

[MCRider]

That's what my buddy told me, I posted in your other thread. Wear heavy gloves cuz the part will get real hot when you push hard enough.

The next thing is to be prepared for the part to be launched across the room when it gets away from you. Prepare your surroundings, remove other breakables, pad open machinery, etc.  And if its a precious part be extra careful as that's the one that will break.

[Really?]

The engine covers are not that bad.  That brake hub had me cursing.  I did it over and over and over again.  The front spocket cover was actually quite easy too but not as easy as the brake arm.

I think the hub turned out ok but it is kinda wavy up close or at the right angle.

[Kong]

Here's what today's output looked like.  First the Before Picture (notice where the State Inspection sticker had been scraped off with a dull knife?), then a picture the parts sanded (to 400p grit), and finally a picture of the finished parts.  Notice in the final picture that there is a part missing - I haven't got a clue what happened to it.  Gotta find it in the morning.

[Really?]

Looks like you are getting the hang of it.  The more you do, the better they will get.  Takes practice.  I take mine down to 2000 grit.  That might be overkill but that is how fine a grade I sand them.

Yea, you might need that other part! 

[dave500]

looks nice kong,its hard work alright,my next bike has painted forks,i have to do a maintaining polish with our humid air on any polished alloy,a labour of love.

[Freaky1]

Looks like you are getting the hang of it.  The more you do, the better they will get.  Takes practice.  I take mine down to 2000 grit.  That might be overkill but that is how fine a grade I sand them.

Yea, you might need that other part! 

2000 is what I use, why not make the buffing as easy as possible? I've done some experimentation and I'd rather sand then buff so I think overkill is good here. I've polished stainless and it reacts the same way, the hotter the better, but I had some issues with my aluminum work. I did the big honkers where the front pegs, brake lever, and passenger peg mount and it seemed like leaning into it worked to get it going but then it looked wavy so not so much elbow but even pressure smoothed it out.

Seems to me like the white rouge is good for the heavy lifting and the red really takes it the last mile, but then again sometimes I think it's the other way around depending on what day of the week it is.

Those tubes look great Kong, nice work!

[Tripps]

Do you put anything on it when you're done to keep it from oxidizing?

[Johnie]

Do you put anything on it when you're done to keep it from oxidizing?

You will get different views on if you should put a clear coat on. I did not use any clear as I wanted to be able to touch up the aluminum anytime I wanted. I did mine 3 years ago on my KO and they look like the day I polished them up. You can see the legs and side covers still reflect nicely.

[Really?]

Here are a few of the other pieces. The fork tubes could have been a whole lot better but I was satisfied.  I was doing A LOT of learning on this stuff.  I dabbled a bit before but nothing like this.



Before


After (not long after it came home) and done on the bike


Before


After

[Freaky1]

Very very nice work TipperT!!

As for protecting the finish I use the stuff from these guys, http://www.autosol.com/ it's not clear coat but all my stuff seems to stay bright a bit longer and is never that hard to touch up either.