Stainless trim spiff-up, anyone?

CanyonCarver515

Member

Jun 27, 2007

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El Lay

Nov 8, 2007

#1

• Nov 8, 2007

• #1

Hello,

I was told that I can strip the dull anodization with oven cleaner, on the various stainless steel trim pieces around the grille and trunk of my ’67.

I am thinking of polishing them to a mirror-like shine so they look better.

Am I fooling myself or is this something that's been done before?

 

enferno

Member

Jun 20, 2006

418

2

16

Nov 8, 2007

#2

• Nov 8, 2007

• #2

try brake cleaner and them some #0000 steel wool.

anything more course than #0000 will put tiny scratches, but the 4-aught works great. cleans and polishes

 

CanyonCarver515

Member

Jun 27, 2007

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El Lay

Nov 8, 2007

#3

• Nov 8, 2007

• #3

Well I am planning on running the trim through my bench buffer and use a stainless steel polishing bar.

Anyone tried this?
Does the polish hold over time. It should, provided that we're dealing with stainless and not aluminum.

Anyone cares to weigh in on this?

 

T

truck90278

New Member

Jun 4, 2006

382

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Redondo Beach, CA

Nov 8, 2007

#4

• Nov 8, 2007

• #4

Simply buff it with compound, that is all that is needed. use two grits, one, sorry don't recall the specific name it is black in color and then follow up with white rouge. Go on line to Eastwood, their catalogue shows all the different compounds and what they shoud be used for. I polish stainless regularly, I have 10" buff wheels. It will cleanup fairly nicely. It will take some time and it may be difficult to get all the real small scratchs out.

 

E

entdoc

New Member

Aug 29, 2005

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greenville, SC

Nov 8, 2007

#5

• Nov 8, 2007

• #5

I do not believe there is anodization on SS, only aluminum( oven cleaner will strip it). Just polish on a wheel.

 

6

66forfun

Member

Feb 25, 2006

260

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Pittsburgh

Nov 8, 2007

#6

• Nov 8, 2007

• #6

watch out for the crisp corners, you dont want to buff off those. tape up the edges and go slow with the rouge. dont let the wheel grab the part and destroy hard to find parts. good luck.

 

CanyonCarver515

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Jun 27, 2007

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El Lay

Nov 8, 2007

#7

• Nov 8, 2007

• #7

Thank you for the advice. I do have two kinds of rouge and a 10-inch buffing wheel.
I'll be testing this with the old damaged parts I am replacing. It will be good practice.

 

calpolymustang

Member

Feb 1, 2004

217

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Santa Rosa, CA

Nov 9, 2007

#8

• Nov 9, 2007

• #8

I had Dave Turner in Fresno, CA polish up all my stainless. He does top notch repair work too (for dents and tears). He might be under Turner Construction in the phone book, cant remember if thats him of not, but my window frames look shinnier than a rapper's wheels.

 

CanyonCarver515

Member

Jun 27, 2007

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El Lay

Nov 9, 2007

#9

• Nov 9, 2007

• #9

Thank you for the tip.
Laughing about the rapper wheels comparison!

I'd like to see pictures of your car. It sounds pretty peachy.

 

T

truck90278

New Member

Jun 4, 2006

382

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Redondo Beach, CA

Nov 9, 2007

#10

• Nov 9, 2007

• #10

It is difficult to get at home the same results as a professional polisher. While I do small items and bolts, when I want it the best, then I have it done professionally. When professionally done, it looks more like chrome. As 66forfun said be careful. A wheel can grab small parts particularly easy and damage them or more seriously severly injury you when then are grabbed out or your hands. Be sure to wear some gloves and eye protection

 

CanyonCarver515

Member

Jun 27, 2007

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El Lay

Nov 9, 2007

#11

• Nov 9, 2007

• #11

Of course. I actually have polished a lof of items in the past and have a decent experience with it. I have propelled enough bolts and various pieces into the wall or on my legs when I was younger,

 

enferno

Member

Jun 20, 2006

418

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Nov 10, 2007

#12

• Nov 10, 2007

• #12

truck90278 said:

Simply buff it with compound, that is all that is needed. use two grits, one, sorry don't recall the specific name it is black in color and then follow up with white rouge. Go on line to Eastwood, their catalogue shows all the different compounds and what they shoud be used for. I polish stainless regularly, I have 10" buff wheels. It will cleanup fairly nicely. It will take some time and it may be difficult to get all the real small scratchs out.

Click to expand...

i believe the polish is called tripoli

 

CanyonCarver515

Member

Jun 27, 2007

122

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El Lay

Nov 10, 2007

#13

• Nov 10, 2007

• #13

I have heard the term before. You might be right.

enferno said:

i believe the polish is called tripoli

Click to expand...

 

B

bnickel

Founding Member

Aug 21, 2002

5,640

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lubbock, texas

Nov 11, 2007

#14

• Nov 11, 2007

• #14

CanyonCarver515 said:

I have heard the term before. You might be right.

Click to expand...

you want to start with an emory actually. also harbor freight has some pretty dedicated buffing motors for less than $100, if you catch them on sale you get the really nice ones for around $50-65. dedicated buffing motors have more HP and run slower so they don't send parts flying as often.

i used my little cheapie bench grinder to al the stainless on my car and some of the "bright dipped" aluminum. on the aluminum you have to remove the anodizing or "bright dipping" polish the part and clear it.