Gloss finishing

[BobFrapples]

So I'm guessing the latest trend is gloss finishes (start the excitement now -.-).
Lots of people switching over from dust... So yes, we all see where this is going.

Just wondering, since anodizing dulls the shine according to thickness, what do you guys ano to?
I tried doing a gloss black today, ano'ed to 1mil. Didn't turn out quite as shiny as suspected.
I think I might have left it in the degreaser for too long as well. That adds in to the role.

But just wondering what you guys ano to for gloss. Or do you keep the same general rules?
1mil for black, .75 for medium, .5 for light.

[Cartierusm]

I'm by no means an expert but when I polish parts on the lathe with a regular 3M green pad and then ano they come out pretty shiny. How shiny are we talking about?

[BobFrapples]

Standard gloss shine for paintball items.
Here's an example of "shiny" (the barrel)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2470/...7112753baa.jpg

Was also considering "Bright Dip"
If anyone has had any experience with that and wants to expand on it.

[jamerson]

you have to polish the piece then wash it with dish soap to remove the compound. then degrease it for like 30 seconds. then skip the desmut and go directly to the anno bath. then follow the rest of your line the dye and sealer and i allways finish with a spraying of wd 40 then wipe down.

[gcdrummer02]

I polish, wipe the part down really good with acetone, and go straight to ano.

I do the same for bead blasting, except i blast the part after the acetone wipe down.

[BobFrapples]

Acetone does not dull the shine gcdrumm?

[acidrain]

Acetone does not dull the shine, but I like to use lacquer thinner... it doesn't evaporate as fast, and gives you a little time to wipe down the part. Then always follow with a very quick degrease in heated SP degreaser. If you don't use the detergent after solvent, it won't pass water break.

[stayhi]

I just clean really well w/ dawn dish soap, rinse, i still use the de-smut just only for 20 seconds or so. doesn't affect the shine at all. if im trying to keep a shine ill only go .5mil

this i just did w/ bronze[very disappointed w/ color] to .5mil.

[BobFrapples]

Hmm I'll pick up some lacquer thinner or acetone when I go out later. So simply dunk the parts or wipe them down in lacquer thinner, then degrease, deox, and ano as per regular?

Also for darker gloss colours I'm doing, such as black. Do I use ano to full 1mm?

[nucular]

Originally Posted by stayhi

I just clean really well w/ dawn dish soap, rinse, i still use the de-smut just only for 20 seconds or so. doesn't affect the shine at all. if im trying to keep a shine ill only go .5mil

this i just did w/ bronze[very disappointed w/ color] to .5mil.

That looks great. What is your polishing process?