Aluminium polishing - autsol vs compound bars

[koolio]

Decided to pull out my polisher and do some of the polishing myself, it is a powerful machine with high rotations.

Looks like the kit below but bigger:

https://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo91/ModMindedShare/Nzxt%20Lexa/Plexi/PolishingSetup3inuse.jpg

I'm no expert but in the past I've polished with brown and blue bars. On this occasion I'm stuck with Solvol autosol.

First thing I've noticed is it's blackened all the polishing wheels. I'm not after a mirror finish but it's not doing a bad job if not messier than the bars.

Question is this should I really be using solvol autosol for this application and is it ruining my polishing wheels? Can I switch back to the compound bars now the wheels have been blackened and impregnated with solvol?

[Walloper]

[koolio]

I know its recommended for aluminium, just never seen any proper polishing people using a large rotary wheel with autosol solvol. Must be a reason they use compound bars over autosol?

[mudcow007]

we use compound bars

i will try an find out what type if you want?

[Walloper]

[koolio]

[mudcow007]

aye, its like a maroon colour?

with cotton mops

[map]

[Ichy]

Autosol will work with good but tarnished aluminium but it will not help with removing blemishes, not without generating a lot of heat.

Brown is your general purpose compound, I think it is called something like tripoli? The abrasives help to cut into the surface of softer metals. Blue is more of a finishing compound, more of a final polish. I don't think it has abrasives in it?

What mops are you using? They can make a difference. Always use different mops with different compounds, obvious really.


Some years ago I was given a big lump of a grey compound. No idea what it is but it works really well on pitted and corroded aluminium.

I find that meths oxidises the polished surface enough to stop it corroding but without affecting the shine too much. Pure Ethanol is supposed to be better but I've never tried it.
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[koolio]

[Ichy]

Autosol is a very fine abrasive that is designed to be used by hand. Use it if you want but it'll work out more expensive and probably take longer.
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[Pete.]

Yes a LOT longer.

If you must indulge in this particular brand of masochism (can't stand doing it myself), invest in a large bench grinder - the bigger and the older the better - and get a supply of proper wheels and soaps. And a decent pair of gauntlets & safety specs too. Some people take a hefty single-phase motor and fit their wheel either to that or to a shaft it's driving.

2-pole motors are 2800rpm, 4-pole are 1450rpm.

do a search for 'buffbook' and you'll find a handy pdf.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Walloper]

[Pete.]

THIS is what I'd call perfect for the job, for the likes of us - Wolf 8" 240V pedestal grinder and damn cheap too:

https://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&view=show_ad&adid=15313&catid=2
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[mudcow007]

I'll show you my polisher, if you show me yours.....

[koolio]

Very well! Here she is 3000-3600rpm very proud of her.

Can you see the mops blackened and impregnated from the autosol? Is there a way of cleaning them and returning to the compound bars, or should I just go straight back to compound?

I was using brown on the stitched side and blue on the loose leaf side before autosol threw spanners in my world!!

https://i747.photobucket.com/albums/xx115/accjnt/Polisher/IMG_3657_zpsd6a39997.jpg

[koolio]

Thanks everyone I have the answers for anyone intersted (from everyone's help on this thread and experimenting.)

[Pete.]

Newspaper gets the black off, apparently. I never tried it.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[harscot]

Try Tcut, used it on everything from exhaust to wheels and even plastics, works a treat and everything is gleaming and seems to last an age.
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First bike R reg Suzuki 125 GT twin in 1978:
2nd bike X reg Honda 650 Deauville in 2011:
Wish bike a Triumph Thunderbird: Dream bike Triumph Rocket........

[mudcow007]

[koolio]

But mine has bigger wheels!