15" 'Swastica' 280ZX-Turbo wheels
Posted 08-06-2008 at 04:33 PM by boaty_boat
I have always been interested in starting up a hobby of polishing random items, and I believe that I have finally figured out my niche!
Now, as soon as this shipment gets here from Caswell, I can finally start polishing.
It's amazing how much time and effort, elbow grease, and effort, elbow grease, some more effort & elbow grease, and beer it takes to sand down (by hand) a set of 4 15" wheels....
Originally, the wheels came corroded from sitting outside in the weather for the last 5 years or so. I purchased them from a gentleman out of Arizona for a fair price, in as-is condition.
The wheels were bone stock, and had no previous polishing jobs or modifications done to them, except some jacka$$ decided to put balance weights on the outside (dynamically balanced) of the wheel, where they stayed for Lord only knows how long. This successfully deteriorated the aluminum beneath them, and now the pits are so deep that hand sanding will most likely never yeild perfect results. I'm scared that if I sand this area down too much (with the wheel spinning), that it'll thin the metal down too much, causing it to easily break. The thickness of the lip where the damage is, is perhaps 3/16" thick because it's right at a bend. Oh well, I won't be complaining too much if they aren't *perfect*. I'll try my best.
Currently the lips are sanded down, and finished in 1000 grit, and the front faces are finished in 220 (orbital sander), soon to be faced off by hand with some 380, and then 400 grit greaseless compound on a sisal wheel.
Inside the ribs, will receive a while with a sisal wheel & 160 grit greaseless compound to remove the sand casting marks.
I'll hit the entire thing with a treated spiral wheel, with black & brown compounds, and finish it all up with some white compound on a loose cotton wheel, and finally finish it completely with some Eagle-1 Nano-Polish on a domet flannel wheel. That will keep them nice and shiny for the remainder of summer, and I'll hit them again with white and Nano right before winter to give it a good coat of protection before swapping over to my snow-tires for the winter months.
Now, as soon as this shipment gets here from Caswell, I can finally start polishing.
It's amazing how much time and effort, elbow grease, and effort, elbow grease, some more effort & elbow grease, and beer it takes to sand down (by hand) a set of 4 15" wheels....
Originally, the wheels came corroded from sitting outside in the weather for the last 5 years or so. I purchased them from a gentleman out of Arizona for a fair price, in as-is condition.
The wheels were bone stock, and had no previous polishing jobs or modifications done to them, except some jacka$$ decided to put balance weights on the outside (dynamically balanced) of the wheel, where they stayed for Lord only knows how long. This successfully deteriorated the aluminum beneath them, and now the pits are so deep that hand sanding will most likely never yeild perfect results. I'm scared that if I sand this area down too much (with the wheel spinning), that it'll thin the metal down too much, causing it to easily break. The thickness of the lip where the damage is, is perhaps 3/16" thick because it's right at a bend. Oh well, I won't be complaining too much if they aren't *perfect*. I'll try my best.
Currently the lips are sanded down, and finished in 1000 grit, and the front faces are finished in 220 (orbital sander), soon to be faced off by hand with some 380, and then 400 grit greaseless compound on a sisal wheel.
Inside the ribs, will receive a while with a sisal wheel & 160 grit greaseless compound to remove the sand casting marks.
I'll hit the entire thing with a treated spiral wheel, with black & brown compounds, and finish it all up with some white compound on a loose cotton wheel, and finally finish it completely with some Eagle-1 Nano-Polish on a domet flannel wheel. That will keep them nice and shiny for the remainder of summer, and I'll hit them again with white and Nano right before winter to give it a good coat of protection before swapping over to my snow-tires for the winter months.
Total Comments 0
Comments
Recent Blog Entries by boaty_boat
- Opel GT Valve Cover (08-06-2008)
- 15" 'Swastica' 280ZX-Turbo wheels (08-06-2008)
