Polishing Aluminum - "How To Guide"

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:51 pm

I wanted to share this link with the group. I am in the polish mode on my Greenie and found this guide very helpful.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/Buffbook.pdf

bucksaw · Post by **bucksaw** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 6:44 pm

Thanks! Good info.

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:03 am

mickyd wrote:I wanted to share this link with the group. I am in the polish mode on my Greenie and found this guide very helpful.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/Buffbook.pdf

I came across a VERY ACTIVE forum at the Caswell Plating website that some of you may be interested in if you want to get more involved in polishing. I went there because I decided that instead of painting my caster supports, I am going to polish them instead.

[ATTACH]3559[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]3560[/ATTACH]

My post is on thier forum is at:

http://forum.caswellplating.com/metal-p ... #post52320

You notice that their forum is the same as ours. It seems to have a few additional features. Check it out.

curiousgeorge · Post by **curiousgeorge** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:34 pm

mickyd,

Have you tried something like this?...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=98707

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:50 pm

Mike, thanks for the link, good info. I could only add, once you've obtained polished, smooth surface on aluminum, one way to keep it in that condition is with Nevr-Dull. Nevr-Dull is a cotton wadding that is impregnated with chemicals (not abrasives) that remove oxidation and bring a mirror/chrome polish to aluminum, and works equally as well on Silver, Brass, Nickel and Copper. I learned of the wonders of Nevr-Dull years ago from my neighbor, who is an independent trucker and owns a 1976 Peterbuilt that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor. His tractor has aluminum wheels, bumper, saddle tanks, windshield visor and a number of other large trim pieces, which literally looks like Chrome. He keeps it that way with Nevr-Dull. The wadding is re-usable so after use, it goes back in the can. I get mine at the local True Value hardware store.

I have since started using it on the brass fittings of my muzzleloader rifles after a day's shooting. The residue from burned black powder is EXTREMELY corrosive to brass and will tarnish it VERY quickly. Just a simple polish with Nevr-Dull brings the mirror finish right back to it, as long as I clean them the day I shoot. If it sets a week or so, I may have to go back with a Barkeeper's Friend polish first.

bucksaw · Post by **bucksaw** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:46 pm

Anyone ever tried some of the automotive aluminum wheel sprays on the SS parts?

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:31 pm

George,

I haven't used the type of Harbor Freight kit you show YET. The way I got the piece to look like it does above is using a 3/4 HP bench / polishing grinder along with 3 different 8" buffing wheels (spiral sown for black, loose cotton for brown, and flannel for white buffing compounds). Each wheel ONLY sees the one compound as to not cross contaminate. I will eventually have to use a kit similar to the one you indicated Harbor Freight but that will be for the finer detail. Right now, I am trying to get some of the gross surface defects out which I'll have to do with sandpaper. That's the info I am looking for from the other forum. I don't know how to proceed safely there since the surface is contoured and I don't want to botch it up.

I am probably going further into the cosmetic aspects than I have to but I want to learn just how to do a "show quality" buffing job for another application I am going to work on down the road. My ShopSmith will be a good "Guinea pig".

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:32 pm

curiousgeorge wrote:mickyd,

Have you tried something like this?...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=98707

George,

I haven't used the type of Harbor Freight kit you show YET. The way I got the piece to look like it does above is using a 3/4 HP bench / polishing grinder along with 3 different 8" buffing wheels (spiral sown for black, loose cotton for brown, and flannel for white buffing compounds). Each wheel ONLY sees the one compound as to not cross contaminate. I will eventually have to use a kit similar to the one you indicated Harbor Freight but that will be for the finer detail. Right now, I am trying to get some of the gross surface defects out which I'll have to do with sandpaper. That's the info I am looking for from the other forum. I don't know how to proceed safely there since the surface is contoured and I don't want to botch it up.

I am probably going further into the cosmetic aspects than I have to but I want to learn just how to do a "show quality" buffing job for another application I am going to work on down the road. My ShopSmith will be a good "Guinea pig".

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:39 pm

tom_k/mo wrote:Mike, thanks for the link, good info. I could only add, once you've obtained polished, smooth surface on aluminum, one way to keep it in that condition is with Nevr-Dull.

Thanks for the tip. That was one of my big questions.....how do you keep it looking good. I wondered if the Johnson's Paste Wax was the way to go or if there was other products made especially for the aluminum oxidation.

It will be interesting to see what the other forum recommends. Some of the guys / gals on the site are polishing gurus, just like we have the SS gurus here.

tom_k/mo · Post by **tom_k/mo** » Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:51 pm

mickyd wrote:Thanks for the tip. That was one of my big questions.....how do you keep it looking good. I wondered if the Johnson's Paste Wax was the way to go or if there was other products made especially for the aluminum oxidation.

Not a problem Mike, as you can see, something like this has a lot of brass and german silver to keep from tarnishing, and the Nevr-Dull does an excellent job, even in the grooves of the engraved brass without harming the wood finish at all. Speaking of wood and finish, that's a P+++ Tiger-striped maple stock with 8 coats of hand-rubbed Tung Oil finish.