Polishing Aluminum to Show Quality.. How?

[theastronaut]

[jays58s]

If you want to save a lot of time and money, go down to Harbor Freight if you have one near by and get yourself a 6" or 8" buffer and a stand. For most things you can use 320 grit sand paper and the buffer will do the rest. Other things you may have to use 220 then 320 but I've never had to go any higher than 320. I've been doing polishing for quite a while now and I pretty much do it for a living so if you need any help let me know!

Before...

After....

[deaner]

we use the neverdull stuff on many things at my aviation restoration shop.
props, kick plates, engine parts...must be using a different method.

_________________
65 bug
68 bug
70 ghia

[jays58s]

[hazegry]

Jays58 what kind of polishing compounds and wheels are you using?
_________________
www.scribblingpens.com

[jays58s]

[MURZI]

I use this stuff. I goes on easy and works like MAGIC!!!!

do a google search
_________________
62 vert
2276
Tim’s welded heads
45 Dells
A1 sidewinder
Fk44 cam

[jays58s]

[hazegry]

ok went and got a soft pad and started polishing I am getting pitts showing up it almost looks like pours in your skin it takes a good bit to polishing to get them out. My buffer only hits 1750 rpms though.
_________________
www.scribblingpens.com

[Crankey]

that's a good rpm for a buffer. if you want to get pits out you'll need to sand them before buffing.

[hazegry]

thats the weird thing I did sand the parts its ones I polished by hand and hit with the buffer to make them look better. I am going to get another wheel today and a more aggressive cut compound and try doing a 2 step process.
_________________
www.scribblingpens.com

[Crankey]

hmm, any possibility it's porosity in a casting or maybe porosity in a weld that's been ground flush ?

[hazegry]

probably crappy aluminum its just parts for my RC raceboat think I got it knocked out now. Thanks guys
_________________
www.scribblingpens.com

[Weezo182]

mothers aluminum polish and a dremel works great
_________________
www.Weezoonline.com
2004 Honda Element
1956 Buick Special
1974 VW Super Beetle
2004 Honda Ruckus
2003 Honda Ruckus
*Pabst Blue Ribbon*

[eguti66]

[Crankey]

well, not really the level of gleam I was after. but winter came along and I needed to mount tires and run them, these are winter wheels.

now however, I have just ordered some Wenol in the red tube and the finer polish from Wenol as well. both say they provide a protective film too, I hope they do.

I have started a new set of wheels, but these are real 3 piece BBS so I need to get them really nice.

I got them buffed with black then brown and then green compound. after the black, they looked pritty great, the brown and green seemed to put a dull haze on it though. I hope the Wenol will do what I want. seems like maybe it would be good to go with that after the black buffing compound ?

in this pic the spokes are polished with black compound, the center caps are just sanded to 600.

since then I have sanded the center cap plates to 1000 grit and polished them, just with the black polish. the seem to have a different gleam, maybe the alloy ? anyway the caps seem brighter to me. the lips in the pics are factory polish from Tunershop. all I've done is sand off the clear coat and polish the spokes and center caps. I'm keeping the paint detail in the windows.

I'm really looking forward to getting the Wenol and seeing what it can do. can it be used on a buffing wheel mounted in a drill or is it made for hand use on a rag ?

after all this work, is there a clear coat that's any good ? I'm inclined to use a wax or hopefully, the Wenol can provide some protection. it rains alot here.

kind of a crappy pic, but here the center cap is polished and there is a center disc that I am making to replace the typical BBS nut. the idea is to get a lower profile.

oh, and I've found a sharpie pen works well as 'dykem'. it's easy to blacken spots that need more sanding. most of it goes away fast but it leaves a ghost of the sharpie lines till it's fully sanded clean. it needs to be dry before you sand but it drys fast. I used it with 1000 grit and don't feel it clogged my wet sanding.

[Crankey]

got the Wenol...not very pleased with it. I had buffed my wheel centers with the black rouge on a small buffing wheel, they looked pretty great really. I thought the Wenol should get them a bit brighter and take out the fine buffing lines, but it just dulled the shine. the small area I tried it on looks like a mirror with some semi gloss clear coat on it. dull and hazy.

[avoll]

Just wanted to share with everyone.
I had to polish my chrome on my bay bus, and it was oxidized/dis colored milky white.
I tried several things, but nothing really worked except - White Diamond Metal Polish.
Worked amazing compared to everything else.

[heimlich]

_________________
www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here)

[sblu]

reawakening an older thread; its 2022 and i'm trying to polish the ALUMINUM trim around the front window. not getting the shine i need. whats the latest black-magic to do this? first time doing it; I did all teh layers of sandpaper I had from 250 to 2000 and then a 000 steel wool with the polish shown; then also dusted off my dremel w/ the little red block of wax. not nearly close!!! Tools of the trade I have on-hand and tried...

_________________
1978 Westfalia Champagne Edition Project