New to the metal polishing thing

[customandsound]

hello there ... i am new to this metal polishing thing and i want to add it to my list so my customers have another choice .... one thing i need to know is what are the rates on the basic stuff... and is there a place i can get them from ... i am working on a set of valve covers seeing how they are small and using the wet and dry sandpaper route they are looking ok but not what i want i will put a pic on later ....

[bhhodges]

the rates for polishing and plating are whatever your area will support. are you polishing covers with just sand paper and not polishing compounds , hope not, but thats what your post sounds like


bill

[customandsound]

i am going to start to use the compounds from what i read and what i can tell them look better and will make the job go quicker

[customandsound]

well i just got back from the local home depot and i got a 8 pc kit it has 3 pad's and 5 sticks of compound... and a arbor for a drill is that a good kit to start with ? and where can i find a arbor to convert a dual shaft motor in to a buffer at ... or should i just set up a jack shaft and run 2 wheels at one time ?any input will be helpful.... thanks

[bhhodges]

what type pads ?? flat like for a round sanding disc?? i think you will be much happier with buffing wheels.


bill

[tomg552001]

You will need to use a buffing wheel. I tried the home depot stuff when i first started polishing and they're horrible and exspensive. Caswell also sells extender shafts for the motor to make them into a buffer. Good luck.

[polishinginc]

To be the best you need to use the best. That's motto.
You'll never get results like this by using those crappy and over priced homedepo/sears polishing kits.

Done by me with caswell products and its coated with Zoopseal

[customandsound]

they are cotton buffing pads .... i am going to order some caswell stuff .... the ones i got i may be able to mount them to my grinder ,,,,

[bhhodges]

sounds good very hard to beat caswells buy 1 get 1 free buffing wheels.


bill

[tomg552001]

There is NO one on the internet that can beat caswells pricing on buffing wheels. Trust me, i've searched high and low, and i personally havnt found anywhere. Thsoe Home Depot ones are horrible though, especially the loose wheels. They fly apart within 5 minutes of using them especially if you use them on a high speed angle grinder.

[customandsound]

the pads i got from home depot are junk the did a little cutting but they fall apart the part looks ok but not what i want ... it had a lot af cast marks to start with but i just started with a buffing wheel and compound i should of sanded it them went to compaound ....

[customandsound]

well i resanded and went over with a new set of pads and i got a nice shine going .. but i still got marks from the old casting ..... i am converting a old motor from my lathe and then try it again .... i will put a pic on in a few days of the before and the after .... this is my first project that will end up on my car .... i still got the whole top end and other parts to go .....

[customandsound]

i put a pic of the few things i polished in the gallery part of this forum ... they are ok but i still need to work on them more ... thanks for all the help so far

[customandsound]

what is the fastest cutting compound that caswell sells that will work on alumin.and what size wheel should i put on a 1hp motor?