Restoring coated brass rails?

[trsick]

I have a customer that has some old boat hand rails (round pipe stock). They look like they were previously coated with chrome or galvinized (the coating is so oxidized it's hard to tell). They are brass under the old coating. My customer wants the brass revealed & polished.
My questions are
A: What is the best way to remove the old coating. I tried sandblasting (slow). I tried a DA sander, the coating came off pretty quick but the sander left flat spots on the round stock.
B: After I sand or sandblast the coating off, what's the best way to get the brass to shine? I tried wet sanding (very laborous & slow). I tried a wire wheel, much faster, it was somewhat shiney, but not a real nice finish.
So any advise will be greatly appreciated! I have a buffing pad mounted to a drilll? Also have a "Fliptz" ball & some compounds
Thanks
Bob

[customandsound]

bob red on a sprail or loose will do the trick

[mpierich]

I just did some chrome stripping on a set of hand levers. Ended up using a 120-grit setup wheel (spiral wheel, dip in glue then in grit) to remove the chrome, dropped back to 80 grit greaseless to even it out, then to 120/220/320 greaseless, then polished.

[trsick]

Re: Polishing Brass

What do you think of the Caswell buffer kit (both 3/4 hsp. & 2 hsp.) Will that kit give me the tools to do stripping & polishing including brass? Also is the 2hsp. kit worth the extra $$?
Thanks
Bob

[pickleboy]

Restoring coated brass rails

i have had good luck on old gas nozzle spouts that are brass that was flash chromed. i sanded it off with 240 wet-dry paper just enough to cut the chrome up good but not completely remove it. i have a 1.5 hp buffer and use 12" vented buffs w/ emory, i wheel it till it cuts all the chrome off using cutting motion. after that i rake the wheel good and reload w/ emory and buff till i get the shine i want. then clean with a good degreaser and move to white on loose. check the picture album and see for yourself i just posted pics of my latest work. as for the caswell buffers they are both good machines, if you are going to do much polishing at all invest in the 2 hp. it is by far a more durable and faster machine as far as time on the wheel. it can take more pressure which means faster results.

[trsick]

Re: Restoring coated brass rails?

Thanks Pickleboy:
I ended up doing just that. I used a DA sander & stripped the chrome, I purchased the Caswell 2 HSP. buffing kit, used the sewn wheel & black, then sisial with Brown, got into it for about 1.5 to 2 hours & the brand new 2 Hsp. machine died. Caswell did the right thing & stepped up & offerered my money back or the 3/4 machine & the difference back (Thanks Caswell). They are sending me the 3/4 machine asap.
I guess there have been problems with the 2 Hsp machine & since they(caswell) stopped selling it.
Wish me luck, when the new machine comes in I will finish with loose & white.
Bob

[pickleboy]

Re: Restoring coated brass rails

sounds great dont forget to post pictures when you finish. nothing like shiny brass