polishing methods... which way?

[renobruce]

Woah...wait a sec...you mean that swinger is hand polished?? it looks like chrome..

Yep, polished aluminum. It was a biatch. I actually started that piece with a d/a sander to get the casting marks and corrosion off. Then it was wet sanded by hand starting with 400 and working up to 2000. Then polished.

[midnightcafe]

So, if they're a bad choice, why do they seem to work for so many other people? Yes, I've found that the white wheels do take a bit to get worked in to the point where they'll actually do something. They shed a LOT at first, as do all wheels. Just get used to it and work through it. It smooths out real nice after about 5-10 minutes and it will actually start to make a nice job. I pick my wheels up for $5 - $10 each. Surely can't be worth it to drive back to sears for that, can it?

Oh, as well, 4" is too small. They're so useless it's no wonder you got fed up with it. Get at LEAST a 6". My yellow and white ones are 8" and work well enough on my little 1/2HP $30 grinder. The Sisal is a 12" and eats corrosion and deep scratches for breakfast!

Yep, polished aluminum. It was a biatch. I actually started that piece with a d/a sander to get the casting marks and corrosion off. Then it was wet sanded by hand starting with 400 and working up to 2000. Then polished.

Reno, what compounds did you use after the 2000? I'm wondering around what grit emery cake substitutes for...

[renobruce]

Reno, what compounds did you use after the 2000? I'm wondering around what grit emery cake substitutes for...

No compounds. Mother's aluminum polish.

[Nessism]

I just picked this up from a friend for 20 bucks. 1/2 HP Baldor motor. Can't wait to play around with it!

Bruce,

Once you start using that buffer you are going to be amazed how easy it is compared to hand sanding. It was for me anyway. Key to getting out the corrosion pitting is to use an aggressive grit compound; I used Harbor Freight Gray Cutting compound. The finish turned out just fine with the gray alone, at least good enough for me. A brighter finish can be achieved by following up with a finishing compound but unless you plan on shaving in the reflection, more shine is irrelevant.

[renobruce]

Bruce,

Once you start using that buffer you are going to be amazed by easy it is compared to hand sanding. It was for me anyway.

I'm looking forward to using it. Got to be better and faster than my poor man's method.

A brighter finish can be achieved by following up with a finishing compound but unless you plan on shaving in the reflection, more shine is irrelevant.

[Steve]

blue neon? its not a honda civic dude.
Ive never seen neons on a bike before now, and i have to say that i would like to never see them again.
One simple question, why? I would understand if you were some 19 year old kid with a riced out import, but why on that bike?

First of all, they are not neons. They are LEDs. Big difference.

One simple answer, "why not?". No, we are not 19-year-old kids with riced out imports. We are 50-somethings that hang out in GoldWing circles, where she has one of the least-lit bikes around.

Sorry the lights don't meet your approval, but, quite frankly, I didn't have you in mind when I put them on her bike.

And now, for your viewing pleasure, are some lit-up AMERICAN bikes.





hey, it's made in oHIo, that's as American as you can get.



.

[mighty13d]

Just make sure that in Maine you don't run any blue or red lights. That would get you a ticket! (just for future reference)

[rudy]

I just picked this up from a friend for 20 bucks. 1/2 HP Baldor motor. Can't wait to play around with it!

Bruce, that's quite a score! I've been eying these motors up in the Baldor catalog. We're a dealer for Baldor at work. One would run me about $300. A little too rich for my wallet. Would be a different story if I was using it to make a living though. I know you'll start to polish everything you'll be able to get your hands on. It's as addictive as these old bikes. Sometimes you just start to look for a bike with more aluminum bits. I've actually considered polishing all my spare and "junk" parts, you know, just for fun. Maybe hang them on the wall for a little man-room bling.

[midnightcafe]

steve, those LEDs are sweet, great location to reflect of your polish bits!

as for me, I'm gonna buy a new grinder- mine's terrible, didn't realize what it was supposed to run like until i saw some youtube videos, and it's pretty easy for me to slow/stop it unlike a normal one. btw here's a decent video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhzGE5dLcmM&feature=related

[Steve]

Just make sure that in Maine you don't run any blue or red lights. That would get you a ticket! (just for future reference)

I would imagine that red lights are OK as long as they are at the back of the bike and facing rearward.
But, that's why there is a handy switch to turn them off if necessary.
She only has one switch for lights on her bike, I have SIX on mine.
(Not all of them are connected. Yet. )

.

[PAULYBOY]

Just a tangent to this thread. Has anyone out there used either the Mothers powerball or the mini ball for metal polishing? I know Chip Fosse has ads on tV usind them for polishing paint, but if you consider that getting orange peelo out of paint or clear and polishing unpolished metal pieces, specifically the aluminum on our bikes, isn't really that far apart. And, the mini ball would be great to get between the fins on the head.
The results here are amazing. I've used the same system of wet sanding , 800,1000,1500,2000, then polish on some old used pieces and the y turned out alright. Hand sanding is good exercise too!!

[Houdini]

Great polishing thread here...what about the shiny chrome exhausts seen in these pics?
1. Is there a trick to cutting through the crud on the front of the header pipe?
I tried the aluminum foil with no real luck...just knocked off the rough / high spots.
2. Will the bluing come off with polishing?
3. I know rust pitting in the chrome is bad news; however will polishing cleanup light pitting say 20-30 mills?

[midnightcafe]

question:

okay, so I went 220, 400, 600, emery cake, tripoli, white rouge on the sprocket cover. I know it's not perfect, but what do you think?

[Nessism]

okay, so I went 220, 400, 600, emery cake, tripoli, white rouge on the sprocket cover. I know it's not perfect, but what do you think?

Done and done! Me likes! Going brighter is not appropriate in my opinion unless your bike is spotless or you are pimping for...god knows what.

[PAULYBOY]

okay, so I went 220, 400, 600, emery cake, tripoli, white rouge on the sprocket cover. I know it's not perfect, but what do you think?

Did you use a buffing wheel on that? I notice a definite vertical grain running through the piece. If you buff out with glaze and a wool or microfiber pad, you'll get rid f that too with out getting to the chrome look.
As an aside, my previous comment about Abralon has netted me some jobs getting rid of haze and fog on polycarbonate lenses, and I managed to polish deep road rash out of a couple turn sognal lenses off the sons old bike.