Polishing aluminum

jeffnoel

Founding Member

Aug 31, 2002

1,638

5

37

Clovis, CA

Jun 29, 2004

#1

• Jun 29, 2004

• #1

Does anyone have a how to on polishing aluminum? I just picked up an aluminum crossflow radiator and was thinking it would look pretty cool with the tanks polished.

 

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Mstng2

Founding Member

Jun 27, 2002

789

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- - Zion - -

Jun 29, 2004

#2

• Jun 29, 2004

• #2

uummm Maybe aluminum polish?? lol just kidding seriously though Aluminum polish... Mothers works good.

 

M

mustang2

New Member

Apr 29, 2004

212

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NC

Jun 30, 2004

#3

• Jun 30, 2004

• #3

Is the chrome trim around the windows aluminum? Because all of mine will have to be polished. Also the headlight trim, side marker light bezels, taillight trim, pony, emblems. Is all of this aluminum? All of it is really dull and weathered.

 

2muchtime

Founding Member

Jan 30, 2002

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MA.

Jun 30, 2004

#4

• Jun 30, 2004

• #4

its how i learned http://www.caswellplating.com/bbs/

 

1970impala

Please God, somebody find me some WHITE CARGO PANE

Founding Member

Jan 22, 2002

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38

Pennsylvania

Jun 30, 2004

#5

• Jun 30, 2004

• #5

good thread....does anyone know how to polish up the aluminum on the door panels where the cobraii insert is? i ruined one i got from ebay. it had a small shinny/dull spot when i got it, tried to buff and rub it out with some polish. Won't do that shi* again. Anybody find any tricks to restoring these aluminuim door panels? anybody know of anyone restoring these aluminum door plates? I sent a bunch to Fortuna to work on and he never got back to me and won't answer my emails.

 

1

1badII

Member

Aug 5, 2003

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Durham, North Cacalaky

Jun 30, 2004

#6

• Jun 30, 2004

• #6

1970impala said:

it had a small shinny/dull spot when i got it, tried to buff and rub it out with some polish. Won't do that shi* again.

Click to expand...

What happened? I went over mine with some Mothers aluminum polish with a rag and it brightened them up slightly.

 

D

dmoody

Founding Member

Nov 4, 2002

789

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Winston-Salem, NC

Jun 30, 2004

#7

• Jun 30, 2004

• #7

As long as you are buffing or rubbing, it is hard to go wrong with Aluminum. Where people generally screw up is they use some sandpaper they got at the local hardware store on it. You need to progressively work from a rough grit sandpaper (say 400 for Alum) to a very fine grit (say 4000)... then rub and buf and it should look awesome.

d

 

stang976

New Member

Apr 13, 2004

853

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0

Westchester, NY

Jun 30, 2004

#8

• Jun 30, 2004

• #8

GOOD THREAD IDEA! i have been researching this for a while. I read some how to articles, grew some balls, went to sears and bought a 'metal polishing kit' (attachements for a dremel and some powder), and tested it on my brand new C&L mass-air meter. The results were not good. I could have got the same finish using polish, but instead i spent 1.5 hours in the garage grinding away at this thing according to the directions. After step 1 it looked real shiny but the instructions demanded not to stop there. by stage three the thing was the same as when i first bought it but now it has little shiny lines all over it . i think it waas the cheap bits i bought but im not sure. you are supposed to finish with a 2000 grit sandpaper, but none of the sanding bits were labeled so i used the softest one

ps-anyone wanna buy a polished' C&L meter???

 

Z

zwhitr

Founding Member

Aug 26, 2001

847

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16

Goldsboro, NC

Jun 30, 2004

#9

• Jun 30, 2004

• #9

dmoody said:

As long as you are buffing or rubbing, it is hard to go wrong with Aluminum. Where people generally screw up is they use some sandpaper they got at the local hardware store on it. You need to progressively work from a rough grit sandpaper (say 400 for Alum) to a very fine grit (say 4000)... then rub and buf and it should look awesome.

d

Click to expand...

I have used never dull it works pretty well doesn't remove material just oxidation and light rust on steering wheels, handle bar on bikes and stuff brought my rims back to life

 

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78Mach1

Founding Member

Mar 1, 2001

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Stroudsburg, pa

Jul 1, 2004

#10

• Jul 1, 2004

• #10

zwhitr said:

I have used never dull it works pretty well doesn't remove material just oxidation and light rust on steering wheels, handle bar on bikes and stuff brought my rims back to life

Click to expand...

that stuff works great

 

76_Cobra_II

Member

Dec 27, 2003

194

0

17

Clayton, NC

Jul 2, 2004

#11

• Jul 2, 2004

• #11

I Love Never Dull!