billet or cast??

What are we talking about here? Wheels? It will be almost impossible to tell the difference if all the surfaces of the cast aluminum are machined. Usually, that is not the case. If the aluminum surface has any graininess to it (roughness, etc.) then that is probably a cast surface. Look at the surfaces that wouldn't have to be machined to a tight tolerance, like the sides of the spokes on a wheel, for this sandy/pebble-grain appearance. A die-casting may have a pretty smooth surface, tho.
 
yes i was talking wheels. The deal is is I was giving a jar of mothers billet polish and i'm not sure if it is really needed. On metal I usually use AIO. Can AIO polish alunimum? Just trying to figure out if this billet polish would have a place in my arsenal. I did a search and from what I gathered it is a very fine polish; for use on wheels in great shape. Is that true? If wheels in not very good shape, what would be the right polish? Is billet just what polished alunimum is called? I guess what i need to know is why is it called billet and what is the difference? And how can you tell when you need to use a billet polish?



Whew. Thanks.
 
You may be confusing two different issues. Billet simply refers to a "billet" of metal, which means that the wheel (or whatever) was machined from a solid block of metal, rather than a cast shape. Billet polish, I believe refers to the polish being intended for uncoated metal, rather than painted, etc.
 
billet typically refers to the source of the machined part which comes from a solid block of aluminum. The reason billet parts are more expensive is the large amount of waste that is produced from the machining process.



cast aluminum is porous and can take some machining but will also have pits where the molten aluminum has air pockets.



Mother's Billet Creme is a non-abrasive metal polish and is typically used for parts that have a good, pit-free finish. This also applies to Meguiars NXT Metal Polysh as well. They both provide a nice surface shine with some protectant.



The picture of my Team III Halibrand is an example of an "as cast" aluminum center with a polished rim. If I were to use metal polish in the center portion, I would have a mess!



Wheels are typically not billet because of the cost of a solid block of aluminum and the resulting waste taken out by the CNC machining.



Hope this helps



Wheel_Closeup_resized.jpg
 
now with that idea, would most metal polishes work for so called billet (alunimum) wheels. Would a dedicated billet polish be necessary in your opinion?
 
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