Polishing
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 98
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From: YAY AREA
Polishing i tried the search and it doesn't work right now.... i have almost the whole engine out of the ta right now and i wanted to polish some of the brackets before they go back in.... whats the best way to go about doing this...... i would be using a dremmel but i've been told it can be done by hand, but what grit should i start with? what grit should i end with? and so.... can anyone plz help?
Dremel sucks for polishing IMO. I have polished a lot of parts by hand and they come out great, but I am a perfectionist. Depending on the cast of the parts, if it is bad, I start with 40-60 and switch directions with each higher grit in order to sand the lines that the previous grit left. I go up to 2000, but then again, im a perfectionist. Then some good Billet polish and you'll be all set. It takes a long time and your arm will be really sore. I have a secret project im currently working on for my lt1, but cant let anything else slip until im done. 
Good luck,
Mike
Good luck,
Mike
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: YAY AREA
i have a smog pump bracket that ive been experimenting on since im not going to use it agen and i did one side by hand and the other with the dremmel.... neither came out that great but the one i did by hand was a lot more consistant than the one i used the dremmel on...
What are the brackets made of?
If you're only doing small brackets and will probably not polish again, go to Sears and pick up one of their polishing kits.
(The kits with the buffing wheels that hook up to a drill/air tool and come with the needed compounds.)
They have quite a few and are very cheap.
If you plan on doing quite a bit of polishing check out Eastwood. --->
Not only do they have great products but they have great how-to's and walkthroughs.
Even if you don't plan on buying anything from them stop by to do some reading there.
I refuse to shell out the money for a buffing motor, but I stick to the wheels that hook up to my air tool.
It works great and I can polish something in a rather short period of time.
Hopefully Josh will chime in.
If you're only doing small brackets and will probably not polish again, go to Sears and pick up one of their polishing kits.
(The kits with the buffing wheels that hook up to a drill/air tool and come with the needed compounds.)
They have quite a few and are very cheap.
If you plan on doing quite a bit of polishing check out Eastwood. --->
Not only do they have great products but they have great how-to's and walkthroughs.
Even if you don't plan on buying anything from them stop by to do some reading there.
I refuse to shell out the money for a buffing motor, but I stick to the wheels that hook up to my air tool.
It works great and I can polish something in a rather short period of time.
Hopefully Josh will chime in.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 98
Likes: 0
From: YAY AREA
well it's not just one bracket, i'm going to see how the small bracket that i"m using for practice comes out.... if it go's the way i hope then i'm going to probably do my intake, the large bracket that holds p/s,a/c, and the alt, and i dono i might go crazy on a few other things 
It seems like you plan to do quite a bit of polishing, doesn't seem like enough to warrant a buffing motor, so I suggest sticking to the wheels that fit the drills/air tools.
Being that you want to do a few different materials (ie: aluminum, stainless, etc.) go for a kit that has the necessary compounds.
I sand, by hand, 120 (if needed) > 220 > 400 > 600 and then I move on to the compounds.
It comes out great.
I did this with, roughly, a $20 polishing kit and zero experience:
Being that you want to do a few different materials (ie: aluminum, stainless, etc.) go for a kit that has the necessary compounds.
I sand, by hand, 120 (if needed) > 220 > 400 > 600 and then I move on to the compounds.
It comes out great.
I did this with, roughly, a $20 polishing kit and zero experience:
Either of these tutorials will tell you everything you'd ever need to know about polishing and then some:
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...8&iSubCat=1445
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...8&iSubCat=1445
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm
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^^^ Good advice...
If you want some tips& tricks and extra details you can call my cell phone and we'll chat for a bit.
There's sooooo much to say.... just call if you need help. (anyone can call) ~Joshua 678/492/6843
If you want some tips& tricks and extra details you can call my cell phone and we'll chat for a bit.
There's sooooo much to say.... just call if you need help. (anyone can call) ~Joshua 678/492/6843
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Originally Posted by FIREHAWK#608
^^^ Good advice...
If you want some tips& tricks and extra details you can call my cell phone and we'll chat for a bit.
There's sooooo much to say.... just call if you need help. (anyone can call) ~Joshua 678/492/6843
If you want some tips& tricks and extra details you can call my cell phone and we'll chat for a bit.
There's sooooo much to say.... just call if you need help. (anyone can call) ~Joshua 678/492/6843
and am having a few problems. We'll see how it goes this week. This is definately a long term idea.