How to Polish Aluminum & S/S to a mirror finish.

SmokinCobra420

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Tools required.
*Sand Paper
>Grit 400-500-600-800-1000-1200-1500-2000
*spray bottle
*Scotch brite pads
*Micro fiber finishing cloth
*Your choice of metal polish or cleaner ( I like 3M Aluminum & Stainless polish)
*High speed buffer and thick fiber buffing pad
*Some sort of cleaner, like a degreaser if the metal is filthy, mine was only mildly dirty, i used some dish soap.


1) fill spray bottle with a mild soap/water mix, prep the surface using the soapy water in the spray bottle and scotch brite pad to remove any dirt and grime.

2)strat with the 400 grit sand paper and begin working the surface in a back and forth motion, never use a circular motion, it will cause swirling rather then flowing in the same direction. Continue this process working the whole surface over, and wroking up from 400 to 500 to 600 ect. you may also want to wet the surface often to aid in sanding.

3)Once you have brought the surface to a fine shine after the 2000 grit, now you will bring in the buffer. Apply a small amount of polish to the top face of the buffer pad. Start by slowly spinning the buffer to apply the polish. Gradually increase buffer speed to full power, and begin working in back and forth motions across the surface, applying a good amount pressure to increase friction, and work the surfae until there is no more residue remaining.

4) Finally go back over everything with a thin layer of polish and a buff it with the micro fiber cloth to get that extra little *Bling*!


It will be easier after you get the feel for the buffer. It took me about 30 mins to get a good feel for how the buffer would move across the different angles, just be sure to not let the center screw or bolt holding the pad on the buffer touch anything, it will scratch.

Hope this helps anyone looking to bring a great mirror finish to any of there aluminum or S/S parts for our cars.

I did my driveshaft and bassani cat backs.

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=492145
 
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SmokinCobra420

Kush is good MmmKay!
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If its chrome dont so anything but hand polish it. If your tips are already a mirror finish but need some touch up go with the buffer first, if yuu need to take out some scratches, start with 2000 or higher grit sand paper and wet sand them gently, then polish and buff.


This process is for raw metals though, its ment to bring them from raw unfinised to show floor shine.
 

brads1

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Sanding how you sanded it is perfect... There are shortcuts that would save you hours and hours on this though...

Throw out all your sand paper except 600+

Use greasless compounds on a drill, they come in 80 grit-400...

It'd also look much more, "mirror finish," if you tossed out that m3 polish and buffer for this job...

Cotton sewn wheel on a drill, 3500 rpm, use emory compound until polished, clean with acetone, then do a stage of white rouge and it'll be bling!
 

Unoid

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I'd like to do my aluminized steel. but if I sand it it'll take off the coating and will rust over winter!
 

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