Aluminum polishing

[mtmaher1]

Over spring break last week I spent quite a bit of time polishing aluminum rims, tanks, battery boxes etc on our fleet of Peterbilts.

I managed to get a couple of pictures of a before and after.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/cfdd69a0.jpg
With the hub and nut covers off.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/0f0f1683.jpg
after one pass with a blue aluminum polishing wheel on porter cable rotary and brown jewler`s rouge.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/IM000478.jpg
some after shots
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/df7f35e5.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/f497991b.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/73232c00.jpg

They didn`t get the best job that i can do because
1.they weren`t taken off the truck which makes it more difficult work some areas.
2. In MN we still aren`t done with winter and road salt does a number on highly polished alum. - they will need a touch up before summer.

I would say my knowlege and ability in metal polishing is greater than my paint buffing abilities, so if you have any questions, just ask and i`ll do my best.
I forgot to get a pic of my polisher and setup. Maybe next time.

[97F1504x4]

Very Nice!

Richard

[Brenton]

Good job. What`s your process?

[cwcad]

Interesting!!

Thanks for sharing the pictures. After attempting to fix some wheels on a pickup this last weekend I have a better appreciation of the work that it takes to make a wheel shine. This is so much more of a job. WOW!

My hat is off to you!

[Big Leegr]

Is your blue polishing wheel the same blue one that`s seen on e-bay and the like from Flitz or is it a special "industrial" brand? Felt, foam or other?
Also, do you find that Jewlers Rouge works better than a liquid? I would have thought having that much to polish, a liquid would be faster, but I don`t do much metal polishing, so I don`t actually know... ;)
Of course, it looks much better!

[mtmaher1]

I don`t have a pic of the acutal wheels i use but they look similar to this accept they have a meta center with the same treated pleated material around it. There are different stiffness wheels that are parallel to cutting and polishing pads for paint.
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/images/vented_buffs.jpg
This type of work is done much easier with the dry stick version of polishes. They are like a grease or a hard dry material that is applied to the edge of the wheel worked back and forth in line as you can see i had started in one of the pictures.
I follow up the machine buffing with a liquid polish to get rid of any residue and get the best finish.
If you were to try and tackle jobs like this with strictly a liquid polish you would have a very sore arm and many many terry clothes filled with oxidation.

[Beemerboy]

Great job I learned allot about aluminum polishing with my last rims...I used Zephyr pro-40 and a high speed rotary with cotton bob`s and the same wheels that you have pictured...again nice work

[mtmaher1]

Thanks for the complements, I like polishing alum that is pretty far gone. The transformation is so dramatic.
The only part that I don`t like is all the black crap that gets flung around.
Here`s a pic of me after doing a full day of polishing before I started wearing my painting respirator. The little dust mask wasn`t cutting it as you can see!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/IM000375.jpg

[G35stilez]

Wow!


Can you link the jewelers rouge?

[Poorboy]

Thanks for the complements, I like polishing alum that is pretty far gone. The transformation is so dramatic.
The only part that I don`t like is all the black crap that gets flung around.
Here`s a pic of me after doing a full day of polishing before I started wearing my painting respirator. The little dust mask wasn`t cutting it as you can see!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/mtmaher1/aluminum/IM000375.jpg

come on we know you are getting ready to go to a paint ball game :roflmao

[97F1504x4]

For anyone interested in polishing wheels and the jewelers rouge and other compounds check out:
http://www.eastwoodco.com/

They have a great selection of stuff. They are actually having a 30% Off sale on buffing wheels right now.

Richard

[mtmaher1]

Here is another site that offers a large selection of metal polishing supplies.
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/index.html

I haven`t ordered anything from this company but i have looked into their products.

When i called my compounds "jewelers rouge" earlier- they are also called named
tripoli compounds depending on the company they are purchased from.