How do you polish metal?
Thread Starter
Lepus-temperamentalus
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,827
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From: Roswell Ga
How do you polish metal?
I keep seeing all these threads about how guys have polished all sorts of things. One guy even polished the entire suspension of his C5 during the cold winter months up north.
Well I've got a dremel, but every time I've tried to polish metal, it's been a disaster; either nothing happened or I ground it down. How do you do this? I've got some delicate aluminum that needs polishing. How do I do that?
Well I've got a dremel, but every time I've tried to polish metal, it's been a disaster; either nothing happened or I ground it down. How do you do this? I've got some delicate aluminum that needs polishing. How do I do that?
Pro
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 640
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From: Waddell Arizona
polish
I keep seeing all these threads about how guys have polished all sorts of things. One guy even polished the entire suspension of his C5 during the cold winter months up north.
Well I've got a dremel, but every time I've tried to polish metal, it's been a disaster; either nothing happened or I ground it down. How do you do this? I've got some delicate aluminum that needs polishing. How do I do that?
Well I've got a dremel, but every time I've tried to polish metal, it's been a disaster; either nothing happened or I ground it down. How do you do this? I've got some delicate aluminum that needs polishing. How do I do that?
www.wizardproducts.com product code: W11011 $12.95
Gary
Last edited by grunz95; Jan 14, 2007 at 05:19 PM. Reason: updated
Race Director
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From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
If it's a small piece I wet sand it with 180 grit then 220 them 400 and maybe 600. Then I get out the metal polish either Autosolvo or Mother's aluminum polish. Once you have all that done use Mother's chrome polish and that will remove a lot more of the black stuff you've been dealing with to that point and give you a nice bright finish. If the parts are bigger and are cast I would begin with files and grinding stones or wheels whatever works best at getting the piece down to where you are past the outside scale and bumps. Then you start with the sanding unless it's a bigger piece that you could use a buffing wheel setup which is great if you can do this it saves a lot of time if you don't have to hand sand. I hope this helps. I love the look of polished aluminum but it's a lot of work. But well worth it if you are going to keep the articles you are doing. I've had people ask me to do some polishing for them but refuse due to just how much time is involved.
There's always the choice of finding a shop that will do it for you. A chrome shop would probably do it since they are all set up for the buffing part. I have no idea what they would charge though.
There's always the choice of finding a shop that will do it for you. A chrome shop would probably do it since they are all set up for the buffing part. I have no idea what they would charge though.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
I keep seeing all these threads about how guys have polished all sorts of things. One guy even polished the entire suspension of his C5 during the cold winter months up north.
Well I've got a dremel, but every time I've tried to polish metal, it's been a disaster; either nothing happened or I ground it down. How do you do this? I've got some delicate aluminum that needs polishing. How do I do that?
Well I've got a dremel, but every time I've tried to polish metal, it's been a disaster; either nothing happened or I ground it down. How do you do this? I've got some delicate aluminum that needs polishing. How do I do that?
Last edited by hotwheels57; Jan 14, 2007 at 05:47 PM.
Race Director
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From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
I use wizards metal polish. I did all my control arms and linkage with this product. The pieces look like chrome.
www.wizardproducts.com product code: W11011 $12.95
Gary
www.wizardproducts.com product code: W11011 $12.95
Gary
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 156
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Ive polished aluminum on a pedestal grinder that has 4K rpm's. I used wool pads/disks. Start with heavy polish compound. Use welders gloves because it gets smoking hot. Press the compound into the spinning pad and then apply the part your polishing. Let it smoke and work all areas (quickly). Then use the polishing stick on another wool pad at the same rpm. Should look like chrome. Worked for me.
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Race Director
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From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Here's another great site with loads of info. Patches listed it in another thread on polishing aluminum. You can always learn something new about polishing metal.
http://www.caswellplating.com/index.html
http://www.caswellplating.com/index.html
Le Mans Master
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From: Conroe Texas