How do I clean my wheels

[krsimulis]

I need some help cleaning off my wheels, without waiting for a wheel rake to come in the mail. I just started polishing, and found out that I have been applying way to much compound, and now I am getting residue on the aluminum I am trying to polish. So now I am looking for a good way to make sure my wheels are clean. I tried a hacksaw blade, even holding a cotton towl to the wheel, but I have it caked in there pretty good.
thanks
Kenny

[customandsound]

get your self a coarse hacksaw blade tape up the 2 end an start you machine and le it get up to speed ... and lay the blade theeth down and hold on to it as you are doing it ... i use a screwdriver to do the same thing ..... but the rake is better ot fluff as it clean's

[krsimulis]

thanks, I went and got some new wheels yesterday because I kept having the same problem with buildup being left on my parts, even the flat parts. A clean wheel definitely helped, but I think I destroyed my wheels because the piece I was finishing has these 1/2 inch holes in it that catches the wheel and causes build up. Which by the way helped to shoot one across the room. I have tried using the edge of the wheel to get in between the wheels, but this makes me miss some areas around the holes. I thought about using a buff, but I am not really sure. Thanks again
kenny

[customandsound]

that remind's me of the good ole day's of that part flying right at ya... when you got alot of hole's it is best to double or triple stack the buff's .. you will not tear the buff's up as quick ... but i jam them in to place's that tear them right down to the shaft ....

[krsimulis]

I tried out a mushrrom buff and that took care of everything. I had also tried using the edge of the wheel to get in between the holes, but you don't get everything. I still have a problem with the compound instantly being stuck onto the aluminum. As soon as the wheel touches it, no matter a new wheel or old, the compound seems to stick to the part. I don't know if it is the heat or lack of heat, but its driving me crazy. I am having to clean it too often so I can polish the parts that were covered. Tell me you have an answer for this.

[customandsound]

remember the more heat the better the compound flow ... use the face of the buff the bigger the surface polishing the better it will cut and polish ...did you read the how to buff section caswell got? it will halp you with trick's and know how .... i wear welding gloves when i polish and i can feel the heat on some part's

[krsimulis]

I do wear gloves because I know how hot that thing gets, believe me, I first learned that when i thought it would be a good idea to clean the wheel by holding a cotton towel to the wheel. I got the towel dirty and the burnt my finger tips. I get this residue left on the aluminum part when I use the white and brown, but mostly the white. And it appears when i first start, so I was starting to assume that it hasn't built up enough heat to melt the compound yet, and attached straight on the aluminum, and it doesn't buff off, or at least not well. It almost look like it hardens up. And I don't mean a little bit, it puts speckels (however you spell that) on 50 percent of the piece I am working on. I am now polishing, cleaning, and then polishing the parts that were covered up. I get the feeling like I should heat up my part and the wheel before I start. Although this process is taking a long time, it is working, but I know it shouldn't take this long. I thought about trying the liquid white rouge, I got the impression this was used with aluminum. I will find out tomorrow when Home Depot opens. I wish I had the damn digital camera so I could show you, I will try and get some pics up tomorrow. My wife doesn't care so I have to show somebody what I have been spending the last 3 weeks on now.

I thought about starting a new thread about all the little things I have learned over the last 3 weeks, the little things people who do this all the time take for granted, and some things no idiot would try. Like using Muriatic acid to clean your part. Needless to say I had to order some new parts for the motorcycle. I should have used someone elses bike to start with. Probably wouldn't have been that bad if it wasn't the handle bar holders. Anyway, thanks for the help, its a trial and error thing that is starting to pan out.


***Never use acid to clean your bare aluminum***

[berndog]

I use acid on all aluminum,,,,,just dont use muriatic,,,,,use alum brightener,,,its amixture of hydroflouric.& sulfuric & sometimes phosphoric

[krsimulis]

Where can you get that acid, or do you make it yourself

[krsimulis]

Alright, everything turned out real good. I ended up getting some non abrasive cloths, and would wipe the residue off of the part while polishing. This let me keep going and finish each piece, and they look good. I shouldn't have to do that I imagine, but its better then stopping, washing it off, and doing that process over and over again.
thanks again for the help.
I started a new thread about finishing the parts after polishing as well

[berndog]

try a piece of pumice stone on the edge of the wheel for cleaning as well

[skiddz]

Bi-metal Sawz-All blade with the last couple inches of each end wrapped wih tape works great as a rake.. Buy one for each grit of compound to avoid cross contamination.