polish-how to
polish-how to
Start sanding the aluminum. Start heavy and work into a fine grit. Go to home depot, buy the $10 polish kit and use the rouge to finish it off. Anyone can do it, but are they willing?
It Just Feels Right
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 720
Likes: 2
From: Southern Maryland
Just like rajeev said. Get some fine wet/dry sandpaper and sand down the aluminum. I was kinda doing it as a trial and error. I found the best way was to start off with some 600grit and then go 800 and finally 1000. After that i just took dip some steel wool in some aluminum polish like meguars and go over it.
It takes forever and good luck with the hand cramps
It takes forever and good luck with the hand cramps
alluminum polishing is no joke,,,ive done a few parts from under my bonnet,,, starting with an 80 grit,,,then 180,,,then 320,,then 600,,, finishing with a wet 800,,,,, then onto compounds grey - blue - green.... results are very nice,,,,
but let me tell you the time it takes even with equipment is enough to put most people off doing it..
but let me tell you the time it takes even with equipment is enough to put most people off doing it..
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Unless your unemployed, with over muscled man hands, let someone else do it. It takes forever, and is a lot of work. 
I tried to polish the intake claw for the FD, and gave up after spending $20 bucks on miscellanous polishing supplies, and countless hours preppring the piece. Local polishing shop did it for $50. You do the math.
I tried to polish the intake claw for the FD, and gave up after spending $20 bucks on miscellanous polishing supplies, and countless hours preppring the piece. Local polishing shop did it for $50. You do the math.
Here's an old post of mine I found that may help
cookies I'm sorry you feel that way. To me it's about learning something and sticking to it and not giving up just because it's hard. I don't know of anyone that will polish a uim for 50 dollars in my area....even if that is the case as I do believe you...it's still not required to be homeless to polish lol
cookies I'm sorry you feel that way. To me it's about learning something and sticking to it and not giving up just because it's hard. I don't know of anyone that will polish a uim for 50 dollars in my area....even if that is the case as I do believe you...it's still not required to be homeless to polish lol
Originally Posted by SurgeMonster
It's funny for me to read these posts because it seems simple after doing so many hours of polishing.
Tips:
I advise using 100 grit as the rougest and then move up slowly through the intermediate grits all the way to ~400. Don't move on to the next grit until you are confident all the deep scratches have been removed. From there go to the buffer using a tough cotton wheel with tripoly compound to remove the rest of the very minor scratches that the 400 left. You sometimes have to stay in an area for a while moving it back and forth and heating it up. If you have a deep scratch and lets say its vertical you want to tackle it by putting the buffing wheel on it horizontally hope that makes sense. Applying more tripoly every once in a while or when progress stops can really make it go much faster since that is now your sanding compound. Now you should have a totally smooth finish and a somewhat good shine but not a chrome like luster. This is the easy part sort of. On the other side of the buffer I use a Loose sewn cotton wheel that you can push the part into and it will flex so it doesn't apply that much pressure and thus won't scratch as much. I use a green rouge or compound on this wheel which brings out the luster. On this one you want to apply the least amount of rouge as possible. And also remember to polish in uniform manner because it will show swirls whereever you let off. So I usually go back and forth on the runners and never let off until I'm in a place that can't be seen.
questions about a setup or anything to add please do!
Tips:
I advise using 100 grit as the rougest and then move up slowly through the intermediate grits all the way to ~400. Don't move on to the next grit until you are confident all the deep scratches have been removed. From there go to the buffer using a tough cotton wheel with tripoly compound to remove the rest of the very minor scratches that the 400 left. You sometimes have to stay in an area for a while moving it back and forth and heating it up. If you have a deep scratch and lets say its vertical you want to tackle it by putting the buffing wheel on it horizontally hope that makes sense. Applying more tripoly every once in a while or when progress stops can really make it go much faster since that is now your sanding compound. Now you should have a totally smooth finish and a somewhat good shine but not a chrome like luster. This is the easy part sort of. On the other side of the buffer I use a Loose sewn cotton wheel that you can push the part into and it will flex so it doesn't apply that much pressure and thus won't scratch as much. I use a green rouge or compound on this wheel which brings out the luster. On this one you want to apply the least amount of rouge as possible. And also remember to polish in uniform manner because it will show swirls whereever you let off. So I usually go back and forth on the runners and never let off until I'm in a place that can't be seen.
questions about a setup or anything to add please do!
very true surge... this may not be the same for others as it is for me but at the end of the day i want to be able to say "i did that" maybe it sounds like a bunch of crap, but thats just me
Originally Posted by kyleaudio
is there a way that you can do it using a dremel tool that might make it a little bit easier and take less time?
Passing life by
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 4,028
Likes: 2
From: Scotland, USA
Originally Posted by agustin lopez
for the price it takes for someone else to do it i will
And in 1 week when he does a part, he can retract that.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ight=polishing
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ight=polishing
Originally Posted by agustin lopez
very true surge... this may not be the same for others as it is for me but at the end of the day i want to be able to say "i did that" maybe it sounds like a bunch of crap, but thats just me
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 502
Likes: 0
From: In your wheelhouse
Anyone can do it. Here's a good write up on it:
http://www.robrobinette.com/polish.htm
After reading 1000 posts about the time involved, I deceided to send my stuff out to someone who has proven results and knows exactly how to create a perfect finish. It will cost you a few bucks to get all the materials, etc and it will take you a ton of time. Consider what your time is worth and then get a quote from someone for comparison.
Free ad for Cantgostraight (Jack). He gets things done quickly and at a good price.
http://www.robrobinette.com/polish.htm
After reading 1000 posts about the time involved, I deceided to send my stuff out to someone who has proven results and knows exactly how to create a perfect finish. It will cost you a few bucks to get all the materials, etc and it will take you a ton of time. Consider what your time is worth and then get a quote from someone for comparison.
Free ad for Cantgostraight (Jack). He gets things done quickly and at a good price.
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,179
Likes: 1
From: next to the polishing wheel!!!
We built a buffing machine with a 36 inch shaft turning 10 inch wheels with 5 horse power motor .This helps and does a good job but the prep is all hand work and die grinder work .
Originally Posted by SurgeMonster
Here's an old post of mine I found that may help
cookies I'm sorry you feel that way. To me it's about learning something and sticking to it and not giving up just because it's hard. I don't know of anyone that will polish a uim for 50 dollars in my area....even if that is the case as I do believe you...it's still not required to be homeless to polish lol
cookies I'm sorry you feel that way. To me it's about learning something and sticking to it and not giving up just because it's hard. I don't know of anyone that will polish a uim for 50 dollars in my area....even if that is the case as I do believe you...it's still not required to be homeless to polish lol
www.thepolishingshop.com
They did several of my parts. Very inexpensive, and great work.
If you want to do it, knock yourself out. Techinally it is not that difficult. Especially if you have a lot of time on your hands.
Recovering Milkaholic
iTrader: (7)
Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Budds Creek, Maryland
Belligerent Security
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Pulling you over
Originally Posted by Jesuscookies
I am all for learning something of value, and trust me, I have the character to stick something through, even if it is hard. I am currently in the middle of doing a ground up resto mod on an old school rotary. Much harder than polishing wouldn't you say? This is in a different leauge though, and also much more rewarding for me. As for polishing, the amount of time an effort involved in polishing a part like that is just not worth it. Especially, when a local shop will do the work for little more than you would have to invest in doing it yourself.
www.thepolishingshop.com
They did several of my parts. Very inexpensive, and great work.
If you want to do it, knock yourself out. Techinally it is not that difficult. Especially if you have a lot of time on your hands.
www.thepolishingshop.com
They did several of my parts. Very inexpensive, and great work.
If you want to do it, knock yourself out. Techinally it is not that difficult. Especially if you have a lot of time on your hands.
Did I mention they polished all 320 bolts as well at no extra charge?
fumanchu don't get too excited
if the lip on the rims was previously polished it might have taken them about 15 minutes per wheel max lol
looks like a simple job to me, its hard to talk about what can and cant be done and how hard it is when you've never done it no?
if the lip on the rims was previously polished it might have taken them about 15 minutes per wheel max lol
looks like a simple job to me, its hard to talk about what can and cant be done and how hard it is when you've never done it no?