Aluminium engine casings clean up

[ukjules]

Think tis worth waiting for the right stuff but good
to know it is that good.

q) do you spray vht sp 127 direct or do you
need to.prime.first you reckon ?

q) if anyone knows of a good uk equivalent ?

- note you too have a GS550 ! the coolest
of bikes !

[greg78gs750]

member chuck hahn swears by "wizards power seal" on bare aluminum parts.

[storm 64]

👍 on the Wizard's Power Seal!

[ukjules]

I am sure that wizardy stuff is swell but we dont get
that in UK. I blame the European union. .....
otherwise I would have used it on casings.
think I need to move to America.

Still looking for a UK equivalent to the vht SP 127 ?
(for the barrels)

[ukjules]

Update on UK good aluminium spray.

- the vht SP127 is only available in the usa.
It is not legally allowed in uk due to some substances
in it.

My supplier said a similar option (for my barrels ) is
SP995 (P484) Nu Cast Aluminium.

Any thoughts on that ?
To look like new cast aluminium ... what could be better ?

[Steve]

I have never seen the results of vapor blasting in person, but I have seen many pictures that are rather encouraging. I need to learn more of the details of the process, but I understand that it is still an abrasive media (might be as inoccuous as ice) that is applied with a water stream, not just dry air. Soda blasting might be an option, too, but the powder it produces definitely needs to be controlled.

I would definitely caution you against media blasting on the covers that you might intend to polish. I have tried some small parts with aluminum oxide, glass beads and walnut shells. Each of them left a surface too rough, and had to be sanded anyway. Now I just use chemicals to remove any leftover clearcoat, then a fine fiber disk in my drill to fine-tune the surface before using my buffing wheel and white rouge polish.

.

[Nessism]

I would definitely caution you against media blasting on the covers that you might intend to polish. I have tried some small parts with aluminum oxide, glass beads and walnut shells. Each of them left a surface too rough, and had to be sanded anyway. Now I just use chemicals to remove any leftover clearcoat, then a fine fiber disk in my drill to fine-tune the surface before using my buffing wheel and white rouge polish.

.

A sisal wheel and black cutting compound will remove blasting surface texture. It takes some contact pressure so thick gloves are needed because the part will get hot in the process.

[jsandidge]

member chuck hahn swears by "wizards power seal" on bare aluminum parts.

My experience with it has been good, but it still needs to be re-polished by hand with a metal polish occasionally. Then re-apply the Wizards. It definitely last longer than without.

[salty_monk]

These worked well for me recently.... You could go further with wet n dry but these easily got rid of the clearcoat & got it to a pretty good finish. I have the tube extension thing for the dremel that lets you hold it like a pencil, worked great with these.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Abrasive-Wheel-Buffing-Polishing-80-Pcs-25mm-Grinding-Wheels-Dremel-Rotary-Tool/193062670752?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-225-01-Flex-Shaft-Attachment/dp/B0000302Y8/ref=asc_df_B0000302Y8/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309735728871&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18090968084961778756&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031046&hvtargid=pla-382543036079&psc=1

I have used that Power seal stuff so I'll see how it holds up... (great in the garage & I don't exactly have the most corrosive conditions here! )

[ukjules]

Casings
Fortunately I have a dremel and that attachment .
Doing up bikes they are essential I agree.

I think it is manual polishing for casings as they cant be
as demoralising as doi g wheels and then painting the spokes.

Q)I'll start with 180 and go fine and fine
as I do with forks but can I confirm there
is no need to do straight strokes rubbing ?
the lesser and lesser paper will
get the swirls out in the end as will polishing ?

(didnt want to start when someone says you must
do straight lines polishing.......

[steveb922]

If you have a bench grinder, you can buy an adaptor kit to turn it into a polishing machine. It saves a lot of elbow grease.

https://www.metalpolishingsupplies.co.uk/bench-grinder-polishing-kits/

[salty_monk]

It depends how fine you go but in general no... Personally from recent experience I would use the wheels I linked you to & then go further from there as necessary (the finest wheel is about 400 equivalent).

[ukjules]

understood.
the dremel is at the ready on next oil change when I do this.