I was think of random parts like a Belt Tensioner.........

Is it possible to Polish metal out of your home garage? ..... how? easy? take long?

I think some guy on ebay knows how to polish metal, and hes been polishing/selling these parts on ebay....(brackets, tensioner, etc..)

 

yes you can do it yourself and its not that difficult just time consuming. Look up almost stock he posts on this forum and he has a website with a guide to polishing

 

There are a few tech articles online somewhere on how to polish and everything that you will need.

 

Its esay. I buy all my polishing stuff from Eastwood. They also have a few things to tell you how to do it.

 

I havnt gotten a chance yet, bu I heard once you start, you cant stop....

 

the biggest thing with cast aluminum is not to gas it out , working in one spot tolong and getting it to hot will cause this . to cut out the rough start with a 180 stone whell (which is a sizo buff rolled in glue and the grit )then come in with a 220 wheel to cut away the 180 marks .then you need a bias buff and a machine that spins very high rpm's and tripoli compound . put the stick of compound to the buf and let it getinto the buff and at the same time hold the part directly under the wheel to get the residual compound spread on the part .
start work the part in a small patern circular motion , and the key here is to get and keep the surface hot and keep working the part. you will start seeing the part start to shine up
but keep working it cuz you have to get all the marks cut out from the 220 (i recomend working the part in oposite directions when you you the stone wheels and then to the buff / 180 staight then the 220 on an angle then run the buff the oposite angle .
like they said it really isn't hard but it is time consuming .
after you have worked the part with tripoli inspect it to make sure it is nice and smooth with nomarksfrom the stone wheels (i totaly forgot when useing the stone wheels you must use cutting grease while doing this or the part will get way to hot and will gas plus it will make some ugly gouges in the part that are very hard to work out )
once all the parts are inspected and have been cleaned ( they makea white powder to help take the excess compound off ,and use terry cloth towls and gloves while handeling the parts )
you can go to the next step with is useing the white compound but it must go on a clean wheel or a wheel designated for the whiteing compound , this will make it really bright like chrome .
hope this helps you out some and guys if i forgot a couple of steps in this process please help me fill them in as it has been a long time since i have done this . i worked in a custom metal shop for 4yrs and it has been atleast 11 years since i have done this in a shop so there might be newer products to cut some of the time down .

 

The Belt Tensioner is always a god place to start. Probably one of the easiest pieces to sand and polish of everything on the engine. If this is your first time at sanding and polishing I would guess that you'll probably spend 3-4 hrs doing the Tensioner.


Thank you for the acknowledgment ofthewriteup(Polishing Tips)onmy site.
But if for some some reason my site doesn't work, look here it's the same writeup.
http://darkside351.tripod.com/mustang50world/id19.html




Inmy case just seeing another aluminum part laying there "knowing" inmymind that I was sick and tired of sanding and polishing, I would challenged my mind and fingersto do it knowing Icoulddo that piece quicker and better is the reason I didn't stop.


Using the writeup on my site I did this 8 yrs ago.










But I've since revised that method to this;
I now start by removing any heavy powder coating (if there is any) with aircraft paint stripper, if the exterior casting is really rough such as the upper intake I’ll start sanding w/ 80 first but most pieces I’ll start my sanding with 100 grit sandpaper and then move up to 150 or 180 grit and then 220 grit sandpaper. I’ll then move to a Ventilated Flap buffing wheel with Emery compound which does all the work of 320 through 600 grit sandpaper or more, and then I’ll buff with the Tripoli with one Spiral Sewn buffing wheel and polish with White Rouge on a different a Spiral Sewn buffing wheel with an electric drill.
Eastwood carries the Ventilated flap #13155 and Emery Compound part # 13134

Which gave me this

 

That is a clean preeeeety egine and engine bay right thar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thats alot of work.

 

HOLY COW!!!!!!! nice work... I'm gonna try this stuff.... my first attempt will be in a week or so - belt tensioner first...

I'm gonna make another post... My guess is it will be addictive work.... I"m an ARTIST, so patience is my thing.
THANKS THANK YOU THANKS

 

I actually jsut tested this method on a "TEST" piece of metal..... I've figured out that the average amount of time it takes is: 20mins per square inch = saying its flat and no other obstacles in your way..... I'm excited.....