Polishing Nightmare

[DMAT]

So I decided to deanodize a whole bunch of parts to put them in a mirror finish and I'm left slowly polishing them all up.

I'm pretty much doing it all by hand but I can already see some things I wont be able to polish easily. So im just looking into alternate solutions.

Right now, I think im looking at work for the next few weeks If i try to do everything by hand.

If you have any methods of how you might go about it, I'd like to hear. I'm using Mother polish for the polishing part at moment. Im not sure if a polishing wheel will work as the residue left from mothers hampers further polishing with the same cloth.

[Diamond Dave]

This might help. http://www.rc10talk.com/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=30768&hilit=polishing

There are many more threads on this subject. Do some searching and you will find what you need.

[j-sou]

If it's something round, find a way to chuck it up in a drill! Otherwise, I was told to try walnut shells AND polishing compound in a tumbler, but have yet to try it.

[Diamond Dave]

If it's something round, find a way to chuck it up in a drill! Otherwise, I was told to try walnut shells AND polishing compound in a tumbler, but have yet to try it.

That will work for sure, if you have the equipment. I have seen the results. Rocks, coins, metal parts etc.

A dremel and some polishing compound and some hard labor is worth it.

[DMAT]

I went ahead and broke out my dremel, I just thought the way mothers worked would render it ineffective. what i have will make short work or problem areas but the last step is still doing it by hand sadly.

guess ill have to go see whats available when it comes to polishing for a dremel

[integra22t]

what your doing is the last step so its going to take time but would speed up alot going to a more abrasive compound like a valve grinding compound to take it down to the bare alum then polish with autosol back to a shine

and for a high shine you have to use power tools ether a drill with buffer pad (not too big as the drill dosent have the power) the dremel will just end up streeking it

[askbob]

Dremel will be your only effective way with small parts. Use the white felt type(not the fabric type) wheels and cones. The kind that use the screw end bit.
Wenol, Mothers, Gords, or any other type of decent aluminum polish will do the trick. The biggest part of that trick is to let the heat from the abrasion do the work.

[DMAT]

Not sure If I have the felt wheel but it seemed like its not capable of really polishing properly. Maybe I have one of the abrasive disks? I got a few cloth disks and they are doing very wheel to get to a mirrored finish but its tearing up easily.

Is the felt capable or really polishing to a mirrored finish or will it just restore the metal to a shiny state?

I'm just seeing what I have currently wont be enough to finish polishing everything and the felt pieces are much cheaper than the cloth ones.

[integra22t]

i just rembered a thread i did on alum rims it might help

http://fast.freeforums.org/rim-refinishing-enkie-rsf-2-t90.html

[vwjuice]

i just rembered a thread i did on alum rims it might help

http://fast.freeforums.org/rim-refinishing-enkie-rsf-2-t90.html

I hate Honda's, BUT I have to admit that is a very nice and clean engine bay, Love the copper engine.

The wheels look killer with the polish and the color changing black.

[DMAT]

well, I went and tested the full effects of the felt vs cloth and the felt did nowhere near what cloth can do. Now im left looking for cheap cloth polishing wheels as the ones I found at home depot go for $5 a pop and wont last me a day. Ebay has them for about 2/3 the price but for 1 thats overkill still. Anybody got a recommendation for a cheap source for these?

just to note, I did go ahead and buy a small set of the polishing wheels that run much cheaper but I have no clue how good there were. The wheels are muslin and no clue how that holds up. The wheels I had been using were dremel 423e.

Id like to put this as a side note, I hate that LRP esc mounting plate, That thing does not polish easily. It got so hot so fast, I started using pliers to hold it lol.

EDIT: the company I bought the polishing wheels delivered them fast, I'll get to try them tonight.

[integra22t]

do you have a princess auto near you ?

if so look at :

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/en/Cleaning-And-Polishing/3-pc-Mini-Polishing-Kit/8125965.p

if you have a 6" bench grinder

http://www.princessauto.com/pal/Miscellaneous-Surplus/6-in-Polishing-Buffing-Kit/8270431.p

[DMAT]

NOTE TO EVERYBODY, THE MUSLIN POLISHING WHEELS ON EBAY ARE ABSOLUTE CRAP.

It took maybe 3 seconds to destroy one. the second I tried to polish with it, the thing started shredding into pieces. Then the disk actually broke off the spindle.

looks like there is no substitute for the 423e so far.

[askbob]

429 wheels give me a mirror shine every time. Wenol red tube is easiest to cut with.

[DMAT]

how the hell is felt doing that good for you I do a lot of stuff by hand with microfiber towels but this is crazy that felt can match that. I'm gonna run make a run for more stuff today and ill pick up a 429 but im having my doubts.