http://forum.caswellplating.com/ Discussion Board For metal polishing questions. en Thu, 09 Sep 2010 07:14:15 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forum.caswellplating.com/images/misc/rss.png http://forum.caswellplating.com/ http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11819-show-aluminum-polish.html Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:37:20 GMT I have a motorcycle which almost every aluminum part has been sanded and then polished to a mirror finish. Whats the best method to maintain a mirror finish? Wenol? Mothers? Thanks.. I have a motorcycle which almost every aluminum part has been sanded and then polished to a mirror finish. Whats the best method to maintain a mirror finish?

Wenol? Mothers?

Thanks.. ]]> Metal Polishing Questions rerod http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11819-show-aluminum-polish.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11812-stainless.html Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:51:27 GMT I am kind of new to the world of polishing. I just polished a hub cap made of stainless. First I used black on a sissal wheel after I used white on a regular wheel now I have very fine scratches almost polished out. What would be the next step to get a finely polished peice? I am not looking for... I am kind of new to the world of polishing. I just polished a hub cap made of stainless. First I used black on a sissal wheel after I used white on a regular wheel now I have very fine scratches almost polished out. What would be the next step to get a finely polished peice? I am not looking for shear perfection. ]]> Metal Polishing Questions steveleb http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11812-stainless.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11803-price-list.html Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:16:48 GMT I searched but didnt see anything. I finally have my polishing stuff set up and have done a few pieces so I am ready to start working on some stuff for other people. Honestly I do it for fun, but if I can make some money, great. Do ya'll have a price list you wouldn't mind sharing so I can get an idea of what some other folks are charging. I am not planning to advertise here so, there shouldn't be any issue with taking business, only going to do stuff here locally for some friends.

Thanks
Brad ]]> Metal Polishing Questions Brads86stang http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11803-price-list.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11802-polishing-wood-use-same-stuff-metal.html Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:41:40 GMT I am making a knife (assembling) for my father in laws birthday next month. I have in the past, about 10 years ago made one, and used a friends stuff to polish the wood after the final shape sanding.


Ordered the blade "kit" last night *Boot Skinner - w/Bolsters/Pins

Wood
Birdseye Maple - Scales - Natural - (5 x 1.5 x 1/4)

And Mosaic pins
Mosaic Pins : 7/32 inch

The pin material is just a hair bigger than the tang holes in the blade kit so I will have to adjust that but otherwise it should go together rather easily.

I have to figure out my wood polishing now. I think have all I need but going to do some more research to see if the Tripoli, and rouge I have will work on wood.

Update as soon as the stuff arrives. Do you guys think it will work using standard red, and white rouge? ]]> Metal Polishing Questions Brads86stang http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11802-polishing-wood-use-same-stuff-metal.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11796-first-post-first-project-wow-lot-firsts.html Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:02:22 GMT First off, I’d like to thank everyone here for the wealth of information that I have picked up on. I am a hobbyist but want professional results. That’s why I am glad I found this site. There are professionals and weekend warriors here and I love seeing everyone’s projects. If I (and I will) screw... First off, I’d like to thank everyone here for the wealth of information that I have picked up on. I am a hobbyist but want professional results. That’s why I am glad I found this site. There are professionals and weekend warriors here and I love seeing everyone’s projects. If I (and I will) screw something up, I will post it too. Better that than someone else waste a couple of hours doing the same thing I did.

Most of my “polishing” projects have been on chrome. Really tough work. Wipe on, wipe off. LOL. I have moved to some aluminum parts and found this site a long time ago after I polished a set of foot pegs.

Now I am restoring a buddies ‘81 Sportster. It’s my first big project. The bike has been rode hard and put up wet a number of times. The side covers and engine are pretty bad. I did use a power ball and some Mother’s just to clean off the oxidation. I knew going in I was wasting my time but I ordered the Aluminum & Copper Alloy Polishing Kit, so I had some time to kill. With any luck I should start tearing the bike apart and start polishing by this weekend.
Here is an after picture I polished the front cover for about 10-15 minutes. I did the emblem by hand. It is chrome so I want to make the cover match it. My Blackberry takes horrible pictures. I was too lazy to grab the good camera.



Sorry about the lengthy post. I’ll update this thread as I go. Be warned though, I move at the speed of a herd of turtles. Too many hobbies and not enough money.

Ken ]]> Metal Polishing Questions Jycorro http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11796-first-post-first-project-wow-lot-firsts.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11793-abrasive-type-greaseless-compounds-misc-grit-size-questions.html Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:12:51 GMT Does anyone know what abrasive type is in the greaseless compounds? I'm assuming it's aluminum oxide in a wax binder, but I want to be sure of it before buying it.

Also, I have various buffing compounds, but I've never been 100% sure if I'm using them in the proper order and don't want to end up moving backwards on my own progress.

Mostly I'm wondering whether the White Rouge or Green Rouge leaves a finer finish. Also whether the White Lightning Stainless is finer than the Blue Begone Liquid Polish. ]]> Metal Polishing Questions HermanW http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11793-abrasive-type-greaseless-compounds-misc-grit-size-questions.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11790-polishing-fine-scratches-out-chrome.html Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:19:27 GMT I have a bike with a lot of chrome. In my 50+ years i have had a lot of vehicles and many of them bikes with chrome. The one i have now has a ton of chrome and most of it is well scratched up with the kind of very fine scratches that you only see in certain light which car detailers usually call... I have a bike with a lot of chrome. In my 50+ years i have had a lot of vehicles and many of them bikes with chrome. The one i have now has a ton of chrome and most of it is well scratched up with the kind of very fine scratches that you only see in certain light which car detailers usually call swirl marks. The kind that comes from just cleaning the chrome with a cloth, even a microfiber thats not 100% void of debris.

that said, i have in the past tried a lot of things such as various find metal polishes from coarser ones to billet polish and cloths from slightly abrasive old t shirts to the ultra soft SPA towel by peak thats much softer than most microfiber. What i believe about chrome is this.... If you use a cloth/polish that is abrasive enough to remove any scratches at all, it will add more than it takes away. Not enough and it does nothing. I came to believe it's not possible. However, someone at a detailing forum told me it was possible and pointed me here. So i'm asking.....is there a way? Specifically by hand or some way where i wouldn't have to remove the chrome such as you'd need to to used a wheel. Thats obviously out, as it would take a week to remove all the parts on the bike and put them back, and the scratching will need to be done several times a year, at least 2 anyways.

I still think there is not way because while i'm probably not near as experienced at metal polishing as most here, i have done a lot of it over the years including sanding it smooth and taking it to a mirror shine from there. So i'm not a noob on the subject at all. I hope i'm wrong, but i don't think this is possible. Thoughts? ]]> Metal Polishing Questions dazco http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11790-polishing-fine-scratches-out-chrome.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11787-electric-die-grinder-more-h-d-than-dremel-tool.html Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:21:07 GMT I am looking at doing some light duty polishing and need an electric die grinder? or some type of high speed rotary tool that I can chuck a 1/4 inch bit into that will hold a small 3m pad...with sand paper and buffing pads..

Harbor Freight? Tractor supply?? I'd like something a little more h/d than a dremel but can start with a dremel if needed... ]]> Metal Polishing Questions Brads86stang http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11787-electric-die-grinder-more-h-d-than-dremel-tool.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11779-help-polishing-problem.html Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:09:30 GMT I need a product that I can use to polish my Mini Cooper intercooler. I had it polished and would like to keep it that way. My porblem is the intercooler has cooling fins that are 7/16 wide and 5/8 deep. I need a product that can fit inside the fins so I can polish that area. Does anyone know of... I need a product that I can use to polish my Mini Cooper intercooler. I had it polished and would like to keep it that way. My porblem is the intercooler has cooling fins that are 7/16 wide and 5/8 deep. I need a product that can fit inside the fins so I can polish that area. Does anyone know of anything I can use?
http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...m/IMG_0820.JPG ]]> Metal Polishing Questions checkers http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11779-help-polishing-problem.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11775-jerry-w.html Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:01:30 GMT eyes Have 1961 Gruman Olsen step van need to get started???????? eyes Have 1961 Gruman Olsen step van need to get started???????? ]]> Metal Polishing Questions Jerry W http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11775-jerry-w.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11751-mirror-polishing-knives.html Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:29:21 GMT I've recently been trying to polish up folding/fixed blade knives with buffing wheels + compounds. I've been having trouble with removing factory grind lines as well as scratches from previous attempts with hand sanding. Due to space limitations, I don't have a belt sander and I'm sort of hoping I can do it with my bench grinder.

Thus far I've purchased the Stainless Polishing Kit, Extra Fast Cut Stainless Compound, and various buffing wheels. With the Emery and EFC Stainless Compound, I've found the results almost laughable as it can't seem to even scratch the previous mirror finish I had on my knife(which still has some scratches that I'm trying to buff out). I can't say the scratches are TOO deep, as they can barely be felt when running my nail through it.

I'm just wondering if the compounds I'm using are too soft, as the steel is said to be around RC 65-67 and likely has a high concentration of chromium carbides. Most of the other knives I own are also RC 60-62 with some level of extra hard vanadium carbides(harder than tungsten carbide). My typical aluminum oxide sharpening stones work fine on the steel edge, so I know at least that aluminum oxide can cut the steels.

I'm just curious to know if some of the compounds I have don't use AO, or if the grit finish is too high(seems kinda odd for the EF Cut Compound and Emery).

I'm wondering if the Abrasive Wheel System with Aluminum Oxide powder can do what I want. Sandpaper scratches the metal, but it's harder to do by hand because of the small size of the knives. I figure since sandpaper uses AO, the wheels + powder can do it as well. ]]> Metal Polishing Questions HermanW http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11751-mirror-polishing-knives.html http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11739-custom-alloy-inlet-manifold.html Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:55:45 GMT Ive been givin a custom inlet manifold to polish. WHen i first see the shape of it i thought, lovely, nice and easy to polish. Someone had tried to to start with , so hence newbie deep arse scratches in the peice, but copeable as i know what im doing. Sanded the whole thing to bugger with... Ive been givin a custom inlet manifold to polish. WHen i first see the shape of it i thought, lovely, nice and easy to polish. Someone had tried to to start with , so hence newbie deep arse scratches in the peice, but copeable as i know what im doing.

Sanded the whole thing to bugger with greaseless and a ordital, also hand sanded up to 600 grit ( hand sanded up to 600 on the second repolish)

Now it doesnt seem to have any major scratches issue, its just for some reason the polish wont take like it normally does. First time round i sanded, used grey compound, then green on a spiral sown ( obviously two different mops ) but its come out, well, quite frankly....Poo,

There is a mirror image, but if you look at it from different angles it looks hidious and no amount of sanding re polishing wil cure it.

It seems to be where the mops hits the workpiece and leaves tiny amounts of residue and smear lines, but i just cant polish them out, even after doing over with green again on a loose mop.

here are some pics -

what it looks like from some angles

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00423.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00422.jpg

what it looks like from others

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00428.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00426.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00425.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00424.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...g/DSC00421.jpg

any help would be much appreciated as i thought this was going to be one of the easier jobs lol

Thanks

G ]]> Metal Polishing Questions Tng21 http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-polishing-questions/11739-custom-alloy-inlet-manifold.html