How to polish small parts?

[msmith40]

I want to re-plate some parts on an electric guitar. I achieved excellent results years ago with a simple kit, but the gold plating is wearing off again. I want to re-plate everything, but now I want to do it properly so that it will (hopefully) last longer.

(I had hand-polished everything the last time. I now have access to a small buffing wheel. That should make things a bit easier.)

A few questions:

1) How should I polish small metal parts, such as screws?
2) How can I 'seal' the parts afterwards? (I was thinking of using a very thin solution of lacquer.)
3) Metal should be polished to a high gloss before plating, correct?
4) A few of the parts might be steel. It was next to impossible to make them glossy, so the plating looked pretty dull compared to everything else. Any suggestions as to getting a good shine with steel parts?

Any info regarding compounds, solutions, methods, etc. would be appreciated.

MUCH Thanks for your help!

Mike

[fxstcguy98]

1. You could thread the screws into a long bar to hold them, or a nut with vise grips. Either way, plan on it getting ripped out of you hands and flung across the room. I would only use a spiral sewn wheel, I would even attempt it with a loose wheel, they really grab.

2. Laquer or powder coat

3. Yes shiny good, real shiny better.

4. Steel shines just as good as any other metal, it's just a hard metal. You should use black compound on a sisal wheel for most of it, then spiral/brown or spiral/white then loose/white, which ever works the best.

Best advise, read the buffing manual on the caswells site.

[jimcarry]

To hold small parts i use a ring holder you can purchase at any jewelry supply
it works vary well here is a pic so you know what to look for