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Aluminum Polish

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mcguijo

mcguijo

Jedi Hopeful
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Came across the website following an ebay listing. link

What are your thoughts? I have to admit I'm a little a skeptical of a "trade secret". Nonetheless, I'd like to know what sort of media is being used to polish this stuff. If I had to guess, the aluminum is going in an oversized parts vibrator. I also guess I'm jealous, I'd like to find an efficient, thorough way to polish aluminum. .I currently use a polishing wheel.
 
I hate polishing and I have a carful (literally) to do. I emailed the guy, asked for prices, more information on the process and media used and about guarantees. As far as 'trade secret,' heck, everyone's got those, even McDonald's has their secret sauce. I'm more interested in 'satisfied customers' I could contact.
 
Heard back from the guy:

Janel,

The cost to have a pair of SU HS4 carbs rebuilt, restored & bench tested is $325.00 & includes return shipping in the continental US. This is a special price for January. Normally $350.00


Carb rebuild information for SU HS4 carbs: Complete disassembly, clean all parts then Micro-polish to bring the finish back to new condition. This includes all parts but most importantly the carb bodies, suction chambers, slides & float bowls (inside & out). Rebuild the carbs using new throttle shafts, throttle discs, floats, float valves & pins, jet tubes, metering needles, air piston return springs, suction chamber & float bowl lid retaining screws & all seals & gaskets.

Carbs are then tested for leaks & equal air/fuel flow on a flow bench.


If you would like to do both pairs at the same time I can do them both for $600.00 which would include the return shipping.

Turn around time is usually 5 to 7 days.

You can take a look at my website: www.paltech1.com for more information on the Micro-polishing process.

I will guarantee the parts & workmanship for one year. I also offer free life time technical advice for all carb work.

Let me know if you have any other questions that I can answer.

Thanks for your interest.

Jeff

((didn't actually answer my question about polishing or the costs. Maybe I wasn't clear enough, so I re-emailed him and asked for pricing just on polishing))
 
I just had 2 sets of SUs rebuilt and didn't pay $350 a pair for them. Was more like $200 a pair. I'm more curious to find out how long a finish like that lasts. It can't last any longer than if a person would 'high polish' their own.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I just had 2 sets of SUs rebuilt and didn't pay $350 a pair for them. Was more like $200 a pair. I'm more curious to find out how long a finish like that lasts. It can't last any longer than if a person would 'high polish' their own.

[/ QUOTE ]

My guess is the carbs etc would be 100% dismantled whereas a basic rebuild would not do that. Polishing to that extent is not an easy job nor quick. Thus the increase in cost.

Bruce
 
It looks like the brass cartridges after I clean them in the tumbler with walnut media and brass polish. I can see doing small parts in the size I have. Maybe I'll try to polish the daughter's SUs for her midget. Will report later. Oh, I bought the vibrating tumbler for arounf $50.

Bruce L

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Although the cost of rebuilding the SU's may be in line with others. .yikes that is still alot of money. Best investment I ever made was about 15 years ago on an instructional VCR on how to rebuild SU carbs. If the major british car suppliers still sell this tape, I'd highly recommend picking it up.

Nonetheless, my interest is in the polishing. I used a buffing wheel on my dash pots, float chambers, etc. Overall did a real good job on the dash pots but not so good on the float chamber and lid...too many nooks and crannies. I'm guessing this guy's trade secret is something like walnut shells with a hair off his forehead. Seems like the guys at Caswell may have some insight into using media to clean aluminum. . .I'll scan their forum.
 
Heard back from them re prices for just polishing the carbs, here's the email:

Janel,

If you disassemble the carbs down to the carb body, suction chamber & float bowls I can Micropolish the parts for $75.00 a pair. That would include the shipping back to you.

If you send them fully assembled I will completely disassemble, micropolish, then then reassemble them for $150.00 a pair.

Turn around time is 5 to 7 days.

Jeff
 
I just received similar quote of $60 to polish dash pots, float bowls and lids. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonod.gif I mean for $150 I could pay for the therapy to cure me of this OCD to have things polished anyway.

All the more reason to figure out the process.
 
I use this metal polish that I got from Pepboys on my Harley. It is called Blue Magic Metal polishing cream. Small blue jar about 2 1/2" diam. Rub it on rub it off. Man does it give you a helluva shine. I took some to work and tried it on a piece of raw 6061 Alum. Polished right up. Nice stuff.
 
I thought the same thing, plated.
 
Since I have a set of H4's on my desk waiting for rebuild, I keep going back and forth on how to clean them, and how far to go as far as the shininess. One of the carbs has lots of aluminium oxide, so the long soak in berrymans was just step one. I am going to carefully dremel with an abrasive buff to get that off, but am thinking I want them to look really nice.

The options as I see them doing it here is A-Polish them using a wheel and finish the detail work with the dremel or B-Tumble them.

I found this website https://home.speedsoft.com/theashes/tumbler/tumbler.html with plans for a vibratory tumbler. I have the bowl I want to use, I just need to find suitable motor. I have read that I should use crushed walnut to clean and crushed corn cob with some polish to shine. Both can be found at Walmart in the pet sections!

I have seen a couple notes that this will clog any holes or jets if I put part with those in so I may not try the carb body. I have a spare, junk, carb so I want to test it on this first.

For a little more about polishing small parts, check out this pinball site https://marvin3m.com/restore/index1.htm
 
OK Patton, I used the plans on that site as a guide, and built a vibrating tumbler.
I used old valve springs, and plywood, and a cat litter tub for the bowl, and I salvaged a motor out of an old de-humidifier. I broke off one of the fan blades to give me a counter balance.
I went out and bought some 1/2" threaded rod, nuts, and washers. and I got a dimmer switch for a speed control ( although I don't think I need it).
right now I have it clamped to a milk crate that has my TR2 flywheel and clutch in it for a good heavy base.
I'll post some pics tomorrow (too late tonight)
But I've dubbed the whole contraption "the ugly tumbler"
I was just playing around with some of the Wal-Mart corn cob, and I am doubtful about if it will work. It seems to pack pretty tight by the time you have enough in there to cover the part.
I was wondering what else should be added to the cob to help it work. I saw where a few have mentioned polish, I just wondered if I should add water and polish, or what????
But at least now I can play around ad start figuring it out.
 
Update on the tumbler project.
I would reccomend anyone who builds one to build the counterweight into somekind of mechanism that is then driven by the motor. Otherwise, having the counterweight right on the motor causes too much stress in the motor itsself, and they tend to break loose, or overheat and shut down in short order (so far my best run has been 30 min. yuk)
I'm not going to put any more money into it as I can buy a professionally built tumbler for $50 or less.
Also, I stopped in at the local guns and ammo shop where they sell tumblers ($90!!!) and bags of media. Its a walnut shell and jewelers polish mix at around $8 for a 5# bag. So thats where I sit right now.
I'll let you know how it works.
 
I used the vibratory polisher at work to do a set of HS2 bodies a couple of years ago. First, I media blasted the grunge off using very low air pressure, then tossed each one in the tumbler separately for about 8 hours, using plastic media beads. They came out looking too nice to use. A thorough cleaning with solvent and compressed air insured there were no clogged passages afterward.
Jeff
 
Banjo--you shuld be able to get one for around $60 including shipping on ebay. The walnut hulls should be bought local. I have three buckets of media, first use (for final finish), second (use for a couple or three times) and a third bucket for really grungy stuff (to start with).
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I use them progressively and move the media down the line until it is no good anymore. Then to the fireplace.

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