Quote:
Originally Posted by Maicojames
Hello all. I am currently buffing some vintage motorcycle parts. These particular parts are Bultaco engine covers, brake backing plates, and triple clamps, levers etc. I am happy with the levers, and triple clamps.
However, both the engine covers, backing plates, and fork sliders are coming out dull. I am sanding w/orbital 150, 320-then 320 wet, 400 wet-then spiral wheel , black, spiral wheel brown-I have not gone to the wht compound yet, as these parts have not yet got a reasonable shine from the first cuts.
Also, as I sand and polish and buff I am exposing some pits-some go all the way through. Are these pcs cast with only a small thickness of solid material on the outside? I have had more success with rough cast parts, which I have smoothed.
Any help appreciated, I'll bet someone else here has buffed some Bultaco parts before.
Thank you, James
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That's a puzzler right there, James. Some folks go higher with the sanding, but what you're describing is pretty much what I do every day for such items, and I usually hear no complaints from customers. All I can suggest is to try skipping the tripoli and go straight from emery to white rouge, and/or try a loose cotton wheel instead of the spiral. I have found that sometimes the tripoli can cause a haze.
As for the pores...if you've ever poured concrete, you know that the top surface is always trowelled smooth and hard, but there can still be honeycombed areas inside. In general, you can forget about trying to get them out..the deeper you go, the more of them you will see. Only way I kow to get rid of them is to copper plate the piece to fill the pores, polish and then chrome plate.