Polishing my alloy swing arm

[mrbill5491]

First time doing this, what is the best procedure to polish out my alloy swing arm? Have it bead blasted then polish it?

[Rover]

I just did this for the first time so I'm no expert but
Started sanding with a sanding disk on my drill 100 grit,just rough it up
then I hand sanded using 200,400,600,1000 wet sanding 5-10 minutes each)
last I used my buffing machine to finish it off
I'm only doing this flat surface,kind of a highlight area on the swinger.

[mrbill5491]

Ugh, think I'll have it bead blasted then polish and seal it, kind of on a time line to get the bike going by May 19.

[GateKeeper]

you can do a low polish instead, no buffing wheel used, just wire wheel and sand paper, I think the last was 800 grit



on the bike






.

[keman]

Most auto parts shops sell aluminium wheel cleaner. I have had success with using this stuff and a scotch Brite pad to get a satin finish, then used my buffing wheel to bring it to a good shine .

[mrbill5491]

Thanks for all the info!

[GS ace]

I've done several swing arms and it really isn't difficult. It just takes time, like polishing anything else. About 5 hours is what it will take.

I wouldn't glass bead it because the pitting would take a while to get out and a lot of aluminum would need to be removed.

First, wipe it down well with acetone or lacquer thinner.

Start off with 400 wet/dry, go to 600, 1000, then 1500. Used with Mother's polish, 000 or 0000 steel wool as a polishing pad works well. Rub in one direction, then buff out by hand. Lastly, polish with Mother's again with an old sock or t shirt then buff out by hand or a wheel.

[Octain]

I'd avoid all the sanding all together and use a sisal wheel with 4 different grit rouque compound.
Only thing, you'll need a damned good bench grinder.
I "rigged" mine by using a motor from a table saw.

I'd hate to know I had to do that swingarm by hand.

[TheCafeKid]

Something I learned recently from the more knowledged of the board:
Don't use steel wire wheels on stuff you don't want to rust. I stripped the black coating off my stainless Kerker system cause it looked like crap and raw stainless looks better IMO. Ed brought up the fact that a carbon steel wire wheel would embed tiny particles of carbon steel in whatever you use it on which would then rust. That sucks...

So I scrubbed the hell out of it with Barkeepers friend and sanded it as well to prevent this...and then realized that I had a stainless steel wire wheel on the grinder....heh. Well, better safe than sorry I guess.
Anyway the point is, if you wire wheel it use brass or stainless wheels.

As far as polishing goes, I just blast the stuff with aircraft stripper, wash it with dawn liquid and water. And then use brown rouge and then white rouge to finish it on buffing wheels. Turn out nice.

[GS ace]

I use my Baldor on the open surfaces, but resort to hand-held and manual stuff where the wheels can't reach. On a swing arm, there's alot of it and let's not forget the welds.

[TheCafeKid]

I'd avoid all the sanding all together and use a sisal wheel with 4 different grit rouque compound.
Only thing, you'll need a damned good bench grinder.
I "rigged" mine by using a motor from a table saw.

I'd hate to know I had to do that swingarm by hand.

Yeah I've got a 1HP electric motor with a buffer wheel on it. Works great when you really have to lean on something to get it to a nice shine. My little bench buffer/grinder I can stop dead with a large wheel on it.
Only drawback with the big motor is you better have a good hold on whatever it is you're working on or that thing will take it out of your hands and make it a permanent decoration IN your wall. Hahaha

[GS ace]

RPMs combined with the power is what snatches things out of one's hands. I always wear leather work gloves and have placed fiber board on the wall and on the floor. The pieces can get pretty warm, too.

[TheCafeKid]

RPMs combined with the power is what snatches things out of one's hands. I always wear leather work gloves and have placed fiber board on the wall and on the floor. The pieces can get pretty warm, too.

Yeah I have a pair of "polishing" gloves that are...knitt I guess? With rubberized grips for both traction and thermal protection

Call me jerk but nothing's quite as amusing as someone grabbing that shiny new part out of your hand fresh off the wheel...

[Octain]

I use work gloves, safety glasses and a cheap paper type respirator.
The sisal wheel is what makes the difference. They work amazingly better than the little buffer pads from the local hardware store.

Without looking I have no idea what size my motor is. BUt there is no stopping it, I do know this. Usually use it outside to minimize the mess in the garage.
As for the bigger motors snatching parts from your hands.. Most all of em have the same RPM ratings so I cant see where it makes a difference.
I also have smaller bench grinder, it too will sling parts.

[GS ace]

Though it's somewhat controversial, the link between Alzheimer's Disease and aluminum makes me wear a dust mask when sanding or buffing aluminum parts. I need all of the help that I can get.