Polishing Alloy up to a Mirror Finish

[trd_st184]

Hey Toymods,
I'm half way through polishing a Cam Cover on my 3sge and i'm having a bit of trouble getting a mirror finish.

The finish is mirror but if you are looking into it, after about 5-7cm the reflection starts to look hazy.

I used 400 grit, 800 and then 1200 grit till it was nice and smooth.

I have only been using AutoSol to try and polish the surface but it isn't doing much.

A good mate of mine mentioned something specifically called a "Compound Bar" which is applied to the metal which then brings the metal up to a Really decent Shine.

Any advice on sourcing out this cutting compound?

Thanks again for the help

[viccelicara23]

Look in this thread for info on polishing:http://www.toymods.org.au/forums/sho...t=45061&page=9

Although it is stainless the theory is still the same

[Casey-G]

Just for a heads up, ally will develop an oxide layer and start to go dull within a few days unless you fully coat it with something to prevent it from undergoing any galvanic reactions.

[DrNick]

Go to bunnings and get the josco buffing wheel to go on your bench grinder. You need the stitched one, and the brown soap should do it.
Thats assuming youve prepped the metal nicely with your wet and dry.
Starting from scratch i use a flapwheel on the angle grinder, then wet and dry from 320/800/1200, then stitched wheel and then loosse buffing wheel with white soap. The final step makes little difference so you could miss it out and just autosol it.
Its possibly the most horrible and annoying job ever, takes hours and the stuff hazes over as mentioned above.
BUT its satisfying (in the short term).
Heres before an after for a turbo I did ages ago

[Julz01]

also get some polish called purple, its the best metal polish I have ever used will get a great result with it, most truck places and bursons will have it

[mookschank]

If you have a bit of coin, do the last polish treatment with diamond paste...

[Casey-G]

Get it anodised

[Hendo]

An angle grinder with a wool felt disc works well too, $20 ish from total tools

[woggin]

2nd Purple, its the beez kneez!!

[oldcorollas]

Just for a heads up, ally will develop an oxide layer and start to go dull within a few days unless you fully coat it with something to prevent it from undergoing any galvanic reactions.

oxidation....

galvanic needs liquid/ionic conductor, a dissimilar metal, and a circuit between them...

[greekbits]

try this mob .....
they specialise in polishing and abrasives..

Sumabrite Products

5 Edinburgh Street, Oakleigh, VIC 3167
East VIC

p: (03) 9543 5455 f: (03) 9562 8360

they have all the answers to the different colored soaps( i call the brown stuff tripoli btw)

[TheStitt]

i've heard of purple also used mirror finish, its a finer compound than auto solv

[PrettyCoolWagon]

oxidation....

galvanic needs liquid/ionic conductor, a dissimilar metal, and a circuit between them...

I wasn't gonna say anything... but good to see some one else knows their metallurgy terms, mentioning galvanic & aluminium products in the same breathe is like saying plastic when you're talking about wood but we all knew what he meant

[Casey-G]

Sorry i've been playing with my anodising set, not everything from yr12 chem is as fresh in my mind as it once was.

I thought of the dissimilar metal and just blurted out galvanic... my bad brothers i didnt realise i had wrote it till now.

[Bazda]

Dont think cast parts anodise up very well.

My local polisher does it for $50. Not worth doing it your self when its cheap lol.

I always clear coat over the items I polish.