Wheel Polishing Help!

[ChrisVW New User Find all posts View Profile Close ChrisVW]

First off, sorry to all of you who probably see these threads everyday. I've just been reading so many conflicting ideas, and I'd like to get information specific to my project.

I'm going to be polishing my second set of wheels. They are an OEM VW wheel with some tricky areas to get to. I want the entire area to be polished, except for the area inside the 'Ps'.


They have a considerable amount of imperfections that need to be taken out, as well as having all the clearcoat/paint removed from the surface.

What is the best way to polish these, and what tools/equipment will I need to buy?

Should I use a palm sander or random orbital sander up to 400 grit, and then go to wetsanding? Or should I buy the Aluminum Wheel Polishing Kit and use the greaseless compounds and buffing wheels?
Keep in mind that I want a mirror-like finish.

I'm also considering painting the inside of the P's, either black or colour matched to my car, when should I do this? after the wheel is polished, or before?

Thanks for answering all of my questions!

-Chris

[sswee Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close sswee]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

Are those pits at 3:00 just inside the lip?
The Aluminum Wheel Polishing Kit and a die grinder (or a high speed drill if you don't have air) looks like it will do what you want to do. If those are pits or they have deep gouges, after stripping the coating, you may need to start with a flat sander (palm or DA) and some 180 or 220 grit. When you get to 320 or 400 grit you'll need to wet sand or the paper will load up too fast on you which causes other problems. I have had good luck wet sanding to 600 then buffing. Just don't go coarser than you have to.
As Pickle has said, it's usually best to polish then degrease, mask and paint. SS

[ChrisVW New User Find all posts View Profile Close ChrisVW]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

Those marks at 3 o'clock are corrosion marks, tough to get out.

So by wetsanding to 600 grit do I avoid having to use the greasless compounds and go straight to the buffing? I don't want to buy the aluminum wheel kit becasue there are many things that I won't need. I was instead going to build my own kit, getting the wheels and some emery (black) compound. I have brown and white from my previous polish job.

[ChrisVW New User Find all posts View Profile Close ChrisVW]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

I forgot to ask which equipment should I use and at what stage of buffing? I have an electril drill (doesn't reach high RPMs though), an angle grinder, and a bench grinder at my disposal. I will purchase the extender piece to convert my grinders to buffers.

[pickleboy Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close pickleboy]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

what happened to my post on this?

[ChrisVW New User Find all posts View Profile Close ChrisVW]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

what happened to my post on this?

not sure? I was a little confused when sswee made reference to something you said. Do you remember what you posted?

I want to start buying materials...and if I can skip the greaseless I'll start to build my own kit.

[mcaswell ******* Inc Founder Find all posts View Profile Close mcaswell]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

what happened to my post on this?

Nothing was deleted - the server hiccupped a bit today. It might have been the same time you tried to post.

[pickleboy Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close pickleboy]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

that had to be it, only problem is i can barley remember my name so i will have to work real hard to remember the post.

[sswee Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close sswee]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

Sorry for the confusion. The reference was to another thread on polishing and painting on rims. I never saw a Pickle post on this thread. SS

[ChrisVW New User Find all posts View Profile Close ChrisVW]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

so greaseless or not? I'm also not planning on using chemicals to remove the paint/clearcoat. So what's the highest grit sandpaper I should use to remove it all?

[sswee Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close sswee]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

I myself would start with 220 and see how it goes. If it's not going good enough, drop to a 180. If your going to sand the clear coat off 180 is a good starting point. I have spent too much time sanding out sanding scratches from going to coarse right off the bat.

I still just use the regular compounds. I haven't tried the greaseless. I think Pickleboy can help you on that question.

SS

[pickleboy Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close pickleboy]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

sswee is right on all counts. i would chemical strip to save time. strip with aircraft stripper( not the low oder kind). coat it good and put inside a large trash bag for 15 minutes and tie shut. go back and check if the coating is bubbling up good then let set longer if not check and recoat as necessary. start at no lower than 180 grit at first. i start most smoothing at 220 unless there are pits like you have. work with the da or palm sander till you get them smoothed as much as possible. then move up in grit doing the same at 240. if you dont want to try greaseless then keep with the paper till 400 and then start wet sanding. do this for 400 and 600 grit. if you opt for greaseless it makes it faster but will cut fast so be careful, and it is a little bit of a pain till you learn how to use it. but you can go with the grease less up to 400 also. if you sand them smooth enough then move to the wheel or facer buffs and a drill motor. i would start with the emory and treated vented buffs. i like them since the hold a charge of compound better and cut faster than spiral. work the emory till it shines. go over it in cut motions first then in color motion. i then work from side to side. when you are happy with this finish move to spiral and white. doing same technique. this should give a good shine and if not as glossy as you want finish with loose and white or even red. after your finished with the polishing then do the painting in the recess areas. finally shoot with vht clear or zoopseal to maintain the shine. one last thing, if you have a small electric grinder 4-4.5" get the adapter that caswell sells and attach it to the grinder and fit with 6" buffs this combo is a little fast but will work ok also if you dont have a fast drill motor, or dont want to wrestle the wheel up to the bench buffer. best of luck bro.

[pickleboy Metal Finishing Guru Find all posts View Profile Close pickleboy]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

Sorry for the confusion. The reference was to another thread on polishing and painting on rims. I never saw a Pickle post on this thread. SS

i actually remember now that i posted it last night but must have not hit submit after preview and lost it. it said about the same as this one below/above.

[jrow Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close jrow]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

ChrisVW,

I would start with the greaseless, after all it's easier than a lot of manual labor!
Use a 4" wheel with the greaseless, you can use it with your electric drill. Try using 220grit, or 320grit greaseless. Then wet sand with 400 or 600 grit, then polish.
You may not have to use the 220grit greaseless, and just be able to use the 320! Your just going to have to experiment a little.
Same goes with the 600grit wet sanding! You may just be able to buff using the emery after wet sanding with the 400grit.

Don't forget to use a good tape to tape anything you don't want polished!

John

[ChrisVW New User Find all posts View Profile Close ChrisVW]

Re: Wheel Polishing Help!

just got all my buffing supplies from Caswell! Ordered on Wednesday, arrived Friday morning! Thanks Caswell!

-Chris