Tips for metal polishing

[carob]

I have just ordered a metal polishing kit. How does everyone else approch metal polishing. I am going to be polishing the plenum and rocker covers up.

Rob

[Oz2]

rub really hard in a up and down motion.......
use left hand.........why?

[dbv8]

Time and patience.
Take 1 step at a time and dont try to rush or skip a step.

[Oz2]

really though, if you are using a buffing wheel make sure you use the right soap as it will make the job much easier and quicker, then good old autosol...

Adam

[carob]

Oz2 said:

rub really hard in a up and down motion.......
use left hand.........why?

Hi Adam,

Left hand Why???? I am ambidextrous.

Rob

[carob]

Cheers Adam, yep just bought the soap kits and the finishing stuff.

Rob

[Oz2]

carob said:

Oz2 said:

rub really hard in a up and down motion.......
use left hand.........why?

Hi Adam,

Left hand Why???? I am ambidextrous.

Rob

left hand cos it feels like someome else is....... polishing your rocker covers

[carob]

Oz2 said:

left hand cos it feels like someome else is....... polishing your rocker covers

HAHA, it would be someone else, but i am to tight to pay. Anything else i have our lass for. And she only polishes MY rocker cover.

Rob

[dbv8]

carob said:

Hi Adam,

Left hand Why???? I am ambidextrous.

Rob

I would give my right arm.......

Anyway..... excuse for a pic, heres mine...

[Oz2]

carob said:

Oz2 said:

left hand cos it feels like someome else is....... polishing your rocker covers

HAHA, it would be someone else, but i am to tight to pay. Anything else i have our lass for. And she only polishes MY rocker cover.

Rob

you should have taken them with you o/s to give you somthing to do on those lonely nights

[carob]

Looking well neat there Derek. If i can get mine to look half as shiney as them rocker covers i will be well happy.

Rob

[carob]

Oz2 said:

you should have taken them with you o/s to give you somthing to do on those lonely nights

Lonely nights.... I do 14hrs a day 7 days a week whilst i'm away. Food, shower and bed is all i can manage.

Rob

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..If they have deep scratches in them then you can remove them with some medium wet n dry and finish with some fine..There are two soaps normally a brown and a blue, The brown is for the first stage of polishing and the blue for the final polishing, There is also some lime in the kit that will remove excess cutting wax..It is a very messy job as the compound gets flicked everywhere, Wear some goggles..When applying the first compound spin up the drill with the first mop on and coat the mop, Its good to apply quite a bit of pressure when polishing as the heat helps to cut back..You will need to keep adding some compound as you go...Once you are happy with the first stage continue on with the final polish...Autosol is good but i wouldnt use it after the final polish, There is a method i was shown by someone who used to clean all the alloy on motorcycles belonging to a said MCC..It involves cardboard, Autosol and a lot of hard work..You might be better off with the drill and mop or bench grinder/polisher...Ziga

[carob]

Cheers for the info Zig, Got the mops and drill mandrel also so should meke things a bit easier.

Rob

[Tasmin200]

I've always used fine wet and dry paper then Autosol. Takes blimim ages though. I once did a set of four spoke Ford RS alloys. Never again...

[Jonny weggie]

dbv8 said:

I would give my right arm.......

Anyway..... excuse for a pic, heres mine...

Hi Derek, were they just normal rocker covers to start with then you've polished up to that standard, excellent.

[JMF894]

Wire wool, wet n dry, autosol. This will shine it up nicely.

If you're going for a smooth finish instead of the original rough cast finish then you will need to use the coloured blocks you have.

But above all it takes time and patience.

Lots of it!

Jimbo

[dbv8]

Jonny weggie said:

Hi Derek, were they just normal rocker covers to start with then you've polished up to that standard, excellent.

They are from my SD1. I filed the tops flat then spent many hours with different emery grades and wire wool then autosol. This was about 15 years ago.
I recently pinched them off the SD1 and repolished with modern soaps.

I also have a polished inlet manifold with twin 2" SUs. Dont ask how many hours that took!

[Wedg1e]

carob said:

Lonely nights.... I do 14hrs a day 7 days a week whilst i'm away. Food, shower and bed is all i can manage.

Rob

Aye, but you get to buy a Wedge out of your small change when you come back

[carob]

Wedg1e said:

Aye, but you get to buy a Wedge out of your small change when you come back

I wish Ian, Swimbo looks after that side of things.

Rob