Shut face finisher polishing ?

[bighealeysource]

Hello all,
Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to polish/
refinish the aluminum shut face finisher pieces on the
sill and door jam ? I tried a very fine brass wire brush and it did an okay job but obviously leaves swirl marks.
Also, any ideas on best way to refinish the aluminum cockpit
surrounds ? This is all for my 59 100-4. Many Thanks,
Mike
it did an okay job but

 

[bighly]

On the cockpit surround. If the things are really dinged up and you do not plan on anodizing clear then here is what I did. Used easy-off oven cleaner to remove the anodizing. Sanded carefully using 400 progressing by steps until up to 1000 grit. Polished using a cloth wheel on a bench grinder and red rogue. eeek messy but does a good job.

 

[Keoke]

HI Mike, on the Shut Face pieces use "Mother's Mag Polish" it will make them shine like new--Fwiw---Keoke- /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif

 

[bighealeysource]

Thanks Bighly - that sounds like a plan. Kind of expensive
to replace when a little elbow grease will work and that's
free !!!
Regards,
Mike /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[bighealeysource]

Hey Keoke,
That also sounds like a great solution. The ultra fine
wire brush got rid of the gunk, etc but not real polished
so I will try your suggestion. This Forum is great !!
Wish I had discovered it a few years ago but better late than never.
Regards,
Mike /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[bighly]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks Bighly - that sounds like a plan. Kind of expensive
to replace when a little elbow grease will work and that's
free !!!
Regards,
Mike /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

A lot of elbow grease and patience. Use loads of red rouge sticks and prepare for the mess. You will turn yourself and everything within 10 feet red except the nice shiney surrounds. I used two sticks to do the doors and rear surround. Messy but almost as fun as a angle grinder.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[Cutlass]

While still in school, I worked at an electroplating company. One of the tasks involved in chrome plating is polishing the unplated metal. A method used for thin metal was to fasten the metal to a wooden form, so that more pressure could be applied, without risking damage to the piece, or injury from flying parts. We polished aluminum the same way. So if you're doing some serious polishing on these fragile finishers, I'd suggest mounting them on some wood. Works great. All that being said, I thought that these finishers were not highly polished, but instead had a bit of a satin finish. If that's the case, then white scotch-brite might be as far as you might want to go.

 

[vette]

Hi Mike, When your sanding the aluminum cockpit surround, go ahead and continue sanding to the finish with 2000 grit wet& dry sand paper. Then polish by hand with the equivalent or the same as 3M Micro finishing compount and then the 3m Micro finishing glaze that I used when finish buffing a new clear coat of paint. Once in a while my beautiful wife will drop a silver spoon into the garbage disposal. Makes a pretty good mess of it. She brings is out to the garage and says 'while your doing nothing out here, how about fixing this'. So i take one of my abrasive rolls used for smoothing intake runners and give the spoon a going over to knock down the rough stuff, then sand with 400, 600, 1000 and finally 2000, then hand polish with the compounds previously stated, and vola, a new spoon.
I'm allowed to come into the house for a couple of nights then. for a little while.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

 

[bighly]

[ QUOTE ]
Once in a while my beautiful wife will drop a silver spoon into the garbage disposal. Makes a pretty good mess of it. She brings is out to the garage and says 'while your doing nothing out here, how about fixing this'. So i take one of my abrasive rolls used for smoothing intake runners and give the spoon a going over to knock down the rough stuff, then sand with 400, 600, 1000 and finally 2000, then hand polish with the compounds previously stated, and vola, a new spoon.
I'm allowed to come into the house for a couple of nights then. for a little while.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif Vette thanks you made my day !! It is good for me to have contact with people who have things in common. Sorta like therapy.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif