Can greaseless do the job? Pleasehelp

[jrow]

Originally Posted by mpierich

Hey JR, how do you fill the holes? Or is the PC thick enough to bridge and level 'em? Multiple coats? Just asking, never tried it myself.

If the holes "pits" aren't to deep the powder will cover them, and yes you may need multiple coats. With deeper holes / road rash use Arvin's Lab Metal. Some have used JB Weld with good success!

John

[jrow]

CASBEN,

I think your best bet would be to start with 'flap rolls' or a die grinder with cartridge rolls. Using a die grinder with cartridge rolls you have to be careful not to gouge the aluminum. You can get almost any grit and dimension of flap rolls to fit into the areas that you want to polish. After you get everything sanded to where you can start polishing I would wet sand with 400 grit wet and dry then start to polish. I would also have them media blasted with 100 - 120 grit prior to doing any sanding. You could also use Aircraft stripper to remove the coating. This will make your sanding a lot faster, as it will remove the coating that is already on the wheels and you won't have to sand it off.

John

[mpierich]

Originally Posted by jrow

If the holes "pits" aren't to deep the powder will cover them, and yes you may need multiple coats. With deeper holes / road rash use Arvin's Lab Metal. Some have used JB Weld with good success!

John

JB Weld rocks. I've used it to replace a stripped-out exhaust manifold bolt hole in a '51 dodge flathead six, and it held up great. So I know it'll take the heat. Good idea.

[CASBEN]

okay so i started sanding the rims with 80 grit paper on a small palm sander.
I was able to succesfully get the pits/scratches out except for a couple of deep ones.but doing this took me quite a bit. is there a faster way thati could sand then other then a palm sander?

[alabama_lowlife]

well, a DA sander has more power. but it takes a good compressor to run one.

[Rasper]

Hand sanding with a piece of rubber or hard sponge as a back up pad would cut faster, but it is harder work. Time vs. sweat? Which do you have more of? I almost always hand sand aluminum, and I make it less boring by doing it in small increments of time, spaced with working on other things in my shop that I am doing. That way it gets done over time without too much pain. Also I get better results because I am not trying to just get it over with.

Richard

[jrow]

Originally Posted by CASBEN

okay so i started sanding the rims with 80 grit paper on a small palm sander.

This sandpaper, 80 grit, is to course. It's going to take a lot of labor to remove the 80 grit scratches before you start to polish! Start with a sandpaper grit that closely matches the aluminum you are polishing. I would suggest 220 grit, if that doesn't cut it try going back to 180 grit.

I was able to succesfully get the pits/scratches out except for a couple of deep ones.but doing this took me quite a bit. is there a faster way thati could sand then other then a palm sander?

Try using the greaseless compound.

John

[CASBEN]

I succesfully sanded out the80 grit witha 100 grit on a rubber block. I took breaks every 30 minutes so it wouldnt feel so painful.Then i moved on to 150grit it made the surface real smooth so I tried the black/and spiral and brightened it up real nice (a littledull but you could still see your reflection)but i did find some scratches i couldnt buff out, i thinkit was from the 100grit. When i tried the black/spiral in some parts of the rim it left heavy black residu. is it because i use too much compound? or should i sand all the way to 400 and then try buffing?

[CASBEN]

I succesfully sanded out the80 grit witha 100 grit on a rubber block. I took breaks every 30 minutes so it wouldnt feel so painful.Then i moved on to 150grit it made the surface real smooth so I tried the black/and spiral and brightened it up real nice that you could see your face (a little hazy but thats just the first wheel)but i did find some scratches i couldnt buff out, i thinkit was from the 100grit. When i tried the black/spiral in some parts of the rim it left heavy black residu. is it because i use too much compound? or should i sand all the way to 400 and then try buffing?
sorry for the double posts my computer died on me

[alabama_lowlife]

you need to sand further than the 150 i usually stop at 400. if you still have scratches from the 100, you need to keep sanding with the 150 until you have all those scratches out.

on the heavy residue, could be excessive compound it doesn't take much. what are you using to polish? a drill? maybe the coarseness of the sanding is making it leave that residue?