Re: Polishing Cast Aluminum
depending on how rough the casting is, you can start with any type of grinding device to get the BIG ridges out. like the ones left from where the mold halves went together. in some cases you'll have to use sandpaper, but in others you can just use greaseless compound on a sewn cotton wheel to smooth the rough surface. it dries on the wheel like a soft grinder and takes of aluminum pretty well. in most cases it'll come down to what spots on the intake you can get to with which tools. you may have to use a dremel or something similar to get alot of places.
after you get the coarseness out, you start with emory on a sewn cotton wheel and then tripoli on a sewn cotton wheel, followed by white on a loose section or cushion buff.
keep in mind none of this is set in stone. you will have to experiment to get the right combination for each work piece. tripoli causes hazing on some pieces. just take some time to read through alot of the threads on here. there is alot of information here.
|