Thread: Polishing aluminum

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Gonna be polishing my motor plates to tryin get them to a mirror finish,any suggestions as to what the best compond to use for this would be?

and is it possible to do by hand or should i invest in a buffer?

BG

Yeah, I gotta clean up and polish the aluminum valve cover off my '83 Benz 2.4 diesel so I can give it to my dad for his '83 benz 2.4 diesel ( same car as mine (240D ). He wanted me to polish it a long time ago but I havn't gotten a chance. he want's to be able to change it from an original to a custom look and back and sofourth with the only expense of a valve cover gasket each time and if he's careful, maby not even that.

Depending on how rough they are it depends.
I usually start with 320 grit wet or dry sand paper (using water ), then keep stepping it down till you get to 1500 grit, then I will use my buffer and just regular paint compound to polish it out.

then go back over it with some polish on a clean buffer pad. it will turn your buffer pads black and useless after doing this.

Oh make sure you go in one direction when sanding as its easier to get the sand scratches out if you go back and forth in one direction.

It will tarnish out in time ,wont stay shiny long if you dont stay on top of it keeping it clean and polished every so often.

Spray

I bought a scrap peice of aluminum from the salvage yard to make the brackets for the rear end. Surface didn't look too good.

Then I polished it just like SprayTech described and it came out purdy good. I didn't use a buffer (Figured I will do that just before final assembly) I just bought a pair of cheap cloth gloves and rubbed out the parts. With the gloves I could get into the nooks N' crannies. Just easier than using a rag for me. It actually polishes up with very little effort.

Thanks guys this will help alot,i'll get some pics up after i get the plate polished

And streets you da man thats a wealth of polishin info right there,ya really "shined" on that un!

BG

I've seen that done before and always liked the looks of it but i've always been a bit scared to try it for fear that i'd screw it up and end up messin up a nice dash.

hmmm... wonder how it would look on the motor plate.

Might have to take a scrap pc of aluminum to work and give it a try and see how i like it.

thanks for the idea Streets always good to have a couple different options for what i want to do.

BG

Harbor Freight sells a buffer/grinder that is a knock off of a Baldor buffer ( around $60.00). I bought one and took off the grinder wheel and guard and put on another buffer pad (different grit)...

It's a good investment. Just make sure you get, or build, a stout base that will allow you to gyrate around when buffing stuff.

Get some good sticks (black, brown are what I use mostly) and get a good pair of heavy leather gloves, like welding gloves...but not so long a cuff. Your stuff will get real hot polishing it out.

Never mix sticks and pads (I mark my pads by writing the color stick on the side with a Magic Marker).

Grind your stuff as smooth as you can, and then sand it with ever finer grits....

Do most of your prep work fith a fine sandpaper ( 600 to 1000 grit) before you go at it with the buffer...

Make a bolt holder for bolt ends.

ALWAYS wear your safety glasses... You will get good at shooting stuff all over the shop.

Last step after it is shiny the way you want it is to put a pad on that is a wax only pad... And then wax and polish it out..

Then I would polish it by hand using DWG (Dry WashnGuard).
I know there is catalyzed 2 part polishing stuff (Zoop's), but DWG leaves a nice surface that doesn't dull out or tarnish up. I like it for all my stuff.

Here's a pic of a little aluminum line clamp I made for running my tail light wires inside a polished stainless steel tube. You can see the raw stock to finished part here... Not hard to do at all...

Hope it helps... Get buffing!
Jeff

QUOTE]Originally posted by BlownGoat
Gonna be polishing my motor plates to tryin get them to a mirror finish,any suggestions as to what the best compond to use for this would be?

and is it possible to do by hand or should i invest in a buffer?

BG [/QUOTE]

Streets i do have access to a milling machine at the shop i work at...even though its from the WWII era it would handle a job like that...."maybe"

deepnhock i have been checking out some of the buffers your talking about both at harbor frieght and also on ebay and i think i will invest in one since i'll probaly do some other stuff it would be worth it.

The parts look nice you can deffenitly see a difference

thats for all the good advice fellas.

BG