Best way to polish!?

fazza59 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Karma :

As you can see for the attached photo the heel plates on my son's bike are looking a bit tatty.

Would love to give them a mirror shine and maybe seal them with a clear lacquer.

What I want to know is, the best way to remove the top surface, tools to use etc or is it just a matter of alloy polish and lots of hard work?

Thanks in advance
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TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

i used wet and dry sand paper, takes ages but if you put the time and effort in it come to a mirror shine.
remove all scratches and pits and corrosion with 120 grit, snad for about 1-2 hours, then move up the grit line going finer and finer till 1200grit and then use autosol metal polish and a polish cloth to bring to a shine, thats the quickest way and a kit from halford will be £5 but theres a polish kit on ebay i've seen for £25 or more that you put on a drill, i think you need to buy a special adapter seperate though.
heres my example.
https://w3.bikepics.com/pics/2007/10/15/bikepics-1056604-full.jpg
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hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

ive got a scourer attacment for my angle grinder that i picked up from halfords for about £5 it makes short work of the paint, but leaves a patern on he aluminum so it just needs a light sand or a buff from that point Very Happy

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chrisgsxr · Scooby Slapper Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Karma :

Lambs wool buffer on a drill with autosol give a nice finish after u have got through the hard stuff Thumbs Up

Louise · World Chat Champion Joined: 22 May 2006 Karma :

TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

tis a good cam, i want a SLR personally.
the polish kits are great, i did it the hard way with the sandpaper but the end result is well worth it Thumbs Up

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Haz ER-5, innit!

fra-zzr · Spanner Monkey Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Karma :

but now youve got one really shiney bit with a matt frame?! Razz

fazza59 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Karma :

fra-zzr · Spanner Monkey Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Karma :

recon mine'll come up as well? think mines more corroded than scuffed :S

https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2061/1809539026_84118d8a1b_o.jpg

BanditsHigh · Worse than a woman Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Karma :

You're better off using a drill or bench grinder with some good mops and polishing compounds.

Autosol is quite abrasive and doesn't give a very good finish ... an example of some bits I made, with the edges polished ... not fuzzy like the Autosol example above (not slagging it off just pointing out the difference).

The bits above are part of the risers I designed for my baby, and the top/bottom were only given a rough polish since they would be hidden.

All the best ... Barry

https://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b9/BanditsHigh/100_0228.jpg

finpos · World Chat Champion Joined: 13 Sep 2005 Karma :

My guess would be that they are painted, so use paint stripper first to get down to the metal (you don't want to add scratches by sanding it off...). You'll then find that the metal that has been exposed by wear is ever so slightly pitted and a different texture to the rest of it, so you will need to use finer and finer abrasives until it is uniform. Use abrasive wheels on a drill otherwise you'll be there all day. Once you can see your face in it, use a polishing mop / compound on a drill. Mucho shininess.

Or just paint it in Ford Stratos Silver.

f.

TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

BanditsHigh · Worse than a woman Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Karma :

TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

BanditsHigh · Worse than a woman Joined: 21 Mar 2005 Karma :

TUG · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 May 2007 Karma :

um, ok then....
if thats how you feel about it, i'll go ask someone lol.

hmmmnz · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Aug 2006 Karma :

there is doing it the easy way and doing it the hard way, ive seen banditshigh shiny bits on his bike, and the finish is mirror,
as he has said autosol is an abrasive just like jif or lots of house hold cleaners, you'll get it to a shine, but its a dull shine Very Happy

____________________
the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
Wiring Diagrams BIDNIP it bitches

bladerunner · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Karma :

I use both and agree if a part has been done with my bench polishing mop setup then yes it is a better finish than if just done by hand with autosol. I think its not just how abrasive the compound but also the surface speed of application.

.but to be honest they both look pretty bling to me!! Wink

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Ichy · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Karma :

rezzin · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 Jul 2007 Karma :

From work experience,i learnt,not to polish in 'circles',try and do it in straight lines with even pressure of the hand on the cloth,or whatever your using to polish. No idea if this is any use,but as were on the topic of polishing it made me think. This may not apply to all surfaces though. Sometimes polishing can be relaxing. But not the housewife polishing Mcgee does. Mr. Green

fazza59 · Scooby Slapper Joined: 22 Feb 2007 Karma :

Well the polishing kit arrived today. Spent about 3 hours doing both heel plates and all I can say is my lad is made up. Thumbs Up

Will post a photo (only just finished so its dark)to show the results.

Thanks for all you help.
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Current - Yamaha R1 - Yamaha XJ600N - Kawasaki GPZ 500S (project? Maybe )
Pics of my bikes