Help me with my buffing technique

[Theo]

So I did it - well I finished one fork leg that is - and it looks awesome. I took it up to a 1000 and then buffed it with a loose cotton wheel and white rouge. It's got a good balance between not being too shiny and still being able to see the grain. I also did the sprocket cover. That one I only took up to 800, then buffed it with a spiral sewn wheel and tripoli, and finished on the loose cotton wheel with white rouge. Below are some things I learned. They may be obvious stuff to you experienced folks, but it's all new stuff to a beginner like me.

1. Take your time. Don't try to rush it. If you do, it will looked rushed.
2. If it's getting hard to remove the marks from the previous grit, it's time for a new sheet of sandpaper
3. It may take many passes over the same spot to completely remove the marks from the previous grit; even with a new sheet of sandpaper
4. Take your time.
5. Wear gloves; It gets very messy.

Well that's all that I can think of at the moment. Below are some pics of my work. Thanks to everyone for the help and advice.
-Theo


My new setup (buffing wheel not pictured):


After 320 grit:


After 400:


After 600:


Finished (Looks much better in person):


Sprocket cover before:


Sprocket cover finished:


All together (you can see my greasy prints on the fork already):

[Steve]

Nice, even satin finish there.

Just a little more time on those pieces and you could have them looking like chrome, but that's not everybody's cup of tea.

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[Theo]

Nice, even satin finish there.

Just a little more time on those pieces and you could have them looking like chrome, but that's not everybody's cup of tea.

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Wow. Coming from you that means a lot. I thought about taking them further, but I like it the way they are. I don't want it to look like too much bling and I don't want to have to stay on top of keeping the bike clean. Oh, I also forgot to mention that every piece, after buffing was cleaned up withe Nevr-Dull. Man I love that stuff.

[Larry D]

Looks great !! My forks being shiney are on my to-do list.

Oh, and......the "L's" are all about the BLING !!!!!

[Theo]

Oh, and......the "L's" are all about the BLING !!!!!

Not my L.

[Steve]

... and......the "L's" are all about the BLING !!!!!

Not my L.

Well, not YET, anyway.



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[POE_333]

MAN!! that's BEAUTIFUL THEO!!!

[ukilme]

Man, that is a great job. Gloves are a must. I even wear a very old shirt as it turn black doing my rims and a dust mask is a good idea.

[Theo]

Man, that is a great job. Gloves are a must. I even wear a very old shirt as it turn black doing my rims and a dust mask is a good idea.

Thanks. I just wear no shirt, that way I don't have to do any laundry. Also a mask is a must as well. There have been studies linking aluminum oxide dust to alzheimers.