what r u using to polish alluminum?
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Webb City, MO...out in the garage
what r u using to polish alluminum? just curious what kinda tools, consumables, etc...is needed to polish the alluminum stuff under my hood like the valve covers, AC canister, coolant pipe, misc brackets etc.......and can you get that stuff at any parts store or what?
I've been using some off the shelf stuff called Noxon 7. I originally bought it for another household project (I forget what), but it works great on engine parts. I've also used Mother's Billet Aluminum Polish on the hoops of my rims and it's definitely good stuff.
-Mike
-Mike
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Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Webb City, MO...out in the garage
Originally Posted by toofazt
This might help... https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=760020
that's more what i'm talking about. what compounds did you use and where did they come from? did you do the AC canister in the car or did you take it out? if you polished it in the car, what'd you use? are you using a bench grinder with a buffing wheel or handheld with a wheel on it?
That's a horse of a different feather.
Taking unpolished aluminum and making it mirror-like is not an easy process. I started to do my calipers and ended up just painting them because I got tired of the upkeep.
What I did:
Started with the "coarse" sandpaper drums on my Dremel (I think it's 120 grit), taking off all the rough spots and casting flash.
Move to 600-grit sandpaper.
Move to 1000-grit sandpaper.
Move to 1500-grit sandpaper.
Move to 2000-grit sandpaper.
Apply tripoli compound with drill/buffing wheel and/or Dremel with India Cloth attachment
Apply various stages of rogue with drill/buffing wheel and/or Dremel with India Cloth attachment
They looked very shiney for about a month. Then I drove through a puddle and they looked like hell again, so I scuffed them with some 600-grit paper and painted them black. Under the hood may be a little less of a pain, but getting to all the nooks and crannies on those parts without removing them won't be fun.
-Mike
Taking unpolished aluminum and making it mirror-like is not an easy process. I started to do my calipers and ended up just painting them because I got tired of the upkeep.
What I did:
Started with the "coarse" sandpaper drums on my Dremel (I think it's 120 grit), taking off all the rough spots and casting flash.
Move to 600-grit sandpaper.
Move to 1000-grit sandpaper.
Move to 1500-grit sandpaper.
Move to 2000-grit sandpaper.
Apply tripoli compound with drill/buffing wheel and/or Dremel with India Cloth attachment
Apply various stages of rogue with drill/buffing wheel and/or Dremel with India Cloth attachment
They looked very shiney for about a month. Then I drove through a puddle and they looked like hell again, so I scuffed them with some 600-grit paper and painted them black. Under the hood may be a little less of a pain, but getting to all the nooks and crannies on those parts without removing them won't be fun.
-Mike
Originally Posted by 2000_SS
that's more what i'm talking about. what compounds did you use and where did they come from? did you do the AC canister in the car or did you take it out? if you polished it in the car, what'd you use? are you using a bench grinder with a buffing wheel or handheld with a wheel on it?
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Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Webb City, MO...out in the garage
yeah i knew it was time consuming. i don't want things to literally shine like a mirror, although i wouldn't complain 
...
toofazt, you engine bay looks VERY nice....all i've got to show off right now is my tool box
BTW, these pics were taken with my phone....
...toofazt, you engine bay looks VERY nice....all i've got to show off right now is my tool box
BTW, these pics were taken with my phone.... LS1 Tech Stories
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Verdad Gallardo Thread Starter
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From: Webb City, MO...out in the garage
i made those when i worked at a fab shop. they're 20 guage mirror polished stainless. i piece on top i actually had to pay for i made the radius's on both sides using a press brake with a V-shaped die in it BTW...it took a while...
we made big truck (semi's) accessories, www.brunfab.com is their site which is never updated, but that's where i worked.
i made the radius's on both sides using a press brake with a V-shaped die in it BTW...it took a while...we made big truck (semi's) accessories, www.brunfab.com is their site which is never updated, but that's where i worked.
Polishing writeup I did for another site:
http://www.z28.com/forum/showpost.ph...4&postcount=22
If you have any more specific technical questions I'll be more than happy to answer.
http://www.z28.com/forum/showpost.ph...4&postcount=22
If you have any more specific technical questions I'll be more than happy to answer.
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Webb City, MO...out in the garage
Originally Posted by thesoundandthefury
Polishing writeup I did for another site:
http://www.z28.com/forum/showpost.ph...4&postcount=22
If you have any more specific technical questions I'll be more than happy to answer.
http://www.z28.com/forum/showpost.ph...4&postcount=22
If you have any more specific technical questions I'll be more than happy to answer.
THAT'S what i was after...just curious what kinda sanding drums and rouge was being used out there.....now i just gotta get the stuff rounded up and get to work
Originally Posted by 2000_SS
THAT'S what i was after...just curious what kinda sanding drums and rouge was being used out there.....now i just gotta get the stuff rounded up and get to work
The Gesswein drums can only be bought directly from Gesswein.
The Cratex bits can be bought directly from Cratex, Ebay, or whoever comes up in a Google search.
Originally Posted by toofazt
This might help... https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=760020
I need to go buy a dremel with a polishing tip now....