BEFORE & AFTER....A Tool Polisher's Haven

[JMLangford]

Day-ummm.....that nickel plating shore makes those vises "POP"


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[drivesitfar]

007: you made both those vise shine that is for certain. that little red one i'm not sure i would have spent the time or money to make it look that good, but it sure does LOOK GOOD.

i think you are showing off the PARKER as an example of some of your tool polishing cause i don't think you nickel plated the jaws. or did you?

it looks great too.

 

[Bunk]

Day-ummm.....that nickel plating shore makes those vises "POP" :thumbup


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I sense a long Youtube rabbit hole involving home nickel plating videos for me tonight.

 

[Bears Fan]

Dang 007!!! Those vises sure look good! The red one is to purdy to use

 

[gman007]

007: you made both those vise shine that is for certain. that little red one i'm not sure i would have spent the time or money to make it look that good, but it sure does LOOK GOOD.

i think you are showing off the PARKER as an example of some of your tool polishing cause i don't think you nickel plated the jaws. or did you?

it looks great too.

Drives, All three vises posted above including that black CP 955 (including the jaws, see photo below) were all nickel plated. And hence no credit can be taken for polishing.

As for polishing well you probably can guess that I found this thread through your link at the vise thread and the discussion on how to best preserve a bare metal look .

My so called polishing attempts (if one can call these polishing) are at best amateurish but for whatever it is worth I plan to post some armature tool polishing by yours truly including vises, saw sets and wrenches. These will prove to be embarrassing in comparison to the master pieces of pros on this thread but the heart is there even if the skill set is lacking and I am hoping to learn a lot from the pros here.

And I do apologies in advance for hurting the eyes of the pros by the monstrosity of my so called "polishing" attempt but here is a Reed 204 (1910) vise which I recently restored. Obviously this one is NOT nickel plated and is an example of attempt at polishing

 

[gman007]

JM, Drives, Bunk and Bear,
Thank you all for your kind and generous comments!

 

[don long]

Gman
You can add my name to that group. Those vices look killer!!!

I have a place her by me in So Cal that does all types of plating.

I may have to take a page out of your book and try some nickle plating on a few pieces
Thanks for the heads up

Don

 

[gman007]

Gman
You can add my name to that group. Those vices look killer!!! amp
Don

Don, Thank you very much. I am glad that you like them.
BTW I had a quick look at your Corvette thread, man that is a killer, what an eye candy. Super nice!

 

[drivesitfar]

007: don't be so hard on yourself cause that REED vise looks pretty darn good. that said i bet the pros here showing off some of their skills didn't get them overnight. also some send their stuff to the pros that do it for a living like you did for your nickel plating so that counts too.

keep practicing and i'm sure you'll get stuff as shiny as that first vise you posted on your own in no time.

ALL: do any of you dunk aluminum foil in water or COKE and rub off the rust off of chrome or do tell which method you like to get rid of some of the pitting?

thanks in advance!!

 

[Bunk]

I sense a long Youtube rabbit hole involving home nickel plating videos for me tonight.

Um yeah, about that home nickel plating...
Seems easy enough from the videos to DIY, but man, a kit big enough to handle vise components is expensive --> Caswell 4.5 Gal Nickel Kit - $428 Does not seem economical for the handfull of parts I would want to plate.

I did find a place here in Metro Detroit that does plating and it looks like the price is pretty reasonable. Classic Plating in Redford, MI. Anybody here us them before? Classic Plating - Capacities and Pricing

 

[gman007]

Um yeah, about that home nickel plating...
Seems easy enough from the videos to DIY, but man, a kit big enough to handle vise components is expensive --> Caswell 4.5 Gal Nickel Kit - $428 Does not seem economical for the handfull of parts I would want to plate.

I did find a place here in Metro Detroit that does plating and it looks like the price is pretty reasonable. Classic Plating in Redford, MI. Anybody here us them before? Classic Plating - Capacities and Pricing

Bunk, The other issue with home plating is safety/health concerns! Metals and solutions involving substances such as Chrome, Nickel, etc must be handled with care and proper procedures etc. As well disposal of such substances is also a big concern.

My two cents regardless of the price would be to stay away from the home brewing nasty chemicals and substances but that is just me!

 

[bonneyman]

Adding my two to all those vise restores. Beautiful work, polishing or not!

 

[Bunk]

Bunk, The other issue with home plating is safety/health concerns! Metals and solutions involving substances such as Chrome, Nickel, etc must be handled with care and proper procedures etc. As well disposal of such substances is also a big concern.

My two cents regardless of the price would be to stay away from the home brewing nasty chemicals and substances but that is just me!

Yeah I guess I'm with you that one after further consideration.
I'm to see what Classic Plating can do for me next week once I get home from this work trip in AZ.

 

[Stephenw]

Looks like it says "HANDMADE" on it.

Now a little bit of filing to smooth things out.

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Caution with old "brass" hammers and other tools. They might actually be beryllium copper. Breathing in the dust created when wire brushing is very hazardous to your health.

 

[Stephenw]

Stephen,

A valid warning.

In this case it's definitely a steel hammer. No issues with this one. The finish is fresh out of bead blasting.




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Good to hear. The color of the hammer in your picture looks a lot like beryllium copper. I've got one and would post a picture, but I can't seem to find where I put it.

 

[scarrylarry]

Hello Tool Polishers

In your opinion what is the best machine for detail work a Dremel or a Foredom ? I bought a Flex Shaft from Lee Valley Tools about 10 years ago that you can attach to any chuck so I hooked it up to a Baldor motor I had but the RPM's are not fast enough . Also I think the Flex shaft is only rated to Hmm .. have to check . Turns out they no longer sell the Flex Shaft that I purchased years ago so can't find the safe RPM's for it . I'm pretty sure it was not like the ones they sell now rated at 10'000 RPM's
Thanks
scarrylarry

 

[JMLangford]

Hello Tool Polishers

In your opinion what is the best machine for detail work a Dremel or a Foredom ? I bought a Flex Shaft from Lee Valley Tools about 10 years ago that you can attach to any chuck so I hooked it up to a Baldor motor I had but the RPM's are not fast enough . Also I think the Flex shaft is only rated to Hmm .. have to check . Turns out they no longer sell the Flex Shaft that I purchased years ago so can't find the safe RPM's for it . I'm pretty sure it was not like the ones they sell now rated at 10'000 RPM's
Thanks
scarrylarry

I personally prefer a Dremel for detail work....although I also have a Foredom, the handpiece is larger (smaller ones are available, I know) but it seems I have a freer range of movement with the Dremel (handheld tool without the flex shaft)
A flex shaft seem limiting because, you have to make sure you're not putting the shaft in a bind or kinking it, causing undue wear on the housing....
I like to change directions and positions when I'm polishing (somehow that didn't sound right ).....

Foredom tools offer more accessories (quick change handpieces, chucks, etc) plus their motor options offer more HP than Dremel (less likely to bog the tool)....although if you're constantly bogging the tool, maybe you should use a wire brush on a bench grinder first Foredoms and Dremels are finesse tools.....

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[drivesitfar]

JM: how's the shakes from not having all your TOOLS POLISHED? do you take pills or do you need tool donations cause you don't have any that are not shiny?

i wanted to mention I and maybe others loved your little story about those two crescent wrenches. I can't say i feel the same yet, but when i GET ORGANIZED maybe that will change.

carry on and keep shining and posting your cool stuff as you have time. all others please do the same cause even though i don't do this i sure do like looking at them and hearing how you did it.

cheers

 

[don long]

Here is a shot of some of my wrenches that I'm working on to clean up some

2017-12-12 09.28.25 by don long, on Flickr

2018-01-12 16.11.43 by don long, on Flickr

 

[drivesitfar]

Don: i think i need to bring down a huge box of tools to have you teach me how you do that.

BTW do you sandblast aluminum tools or do tell how you remove paint and spiff them up.

ALL: for those of you that like PATINA (AND NOT JUST RUST), I needed to change the tire on my new FREE wheelbarrow and thought i'd spiff it up a bit. after cutting off the bolts that held the wheel supports on i hit it with my Dewalt 7.5 inch grinder with a wire cup wheel on it. then wire brushed more of the rust off. i could have gone a lot further but our sunny day looked like rain was coming and i was working in my driveway.

anyway for my old steel, cast iron and wood i'm just using BLO that i've picked up cheap at sales until i start to mix something of my own or find better stuff to buy.

anyway I found out this old wheelbarrow is a Craftsman that i might have spray painted over and it has steel supports which i haven't had the privilege of owning one like this before.

certainly not up to the standards of most of you guys, but i bet this wheelbarrow can outlast me and maybe my kids with just a little cleaning and more BLO (boiled linseed oil).

keep that shiny stuff coming and if you want to say how you do it and maybe post pics of the tools I know i'd appreciate that.

 

[yjWrangler]

A hammer I did a quick little restore on and what I think is a dolly. That's what I'll use it for anyways.

 

[Swingpress]

For those that have followed my post "150 year old piece of silver gets restored" I found something new to play with at an auction yesterday!
RLB made sterling silver cup and a Towle sterling fork.

 

[don long]

Drives
I've been dropping these last few wrenches into my tank of evaporust over nite and then soft wire wheeled them. very quick and easy
I don't have any aluminum tools.

yjWrangler
That is a very nice job on that pick hammer. I don't remember ever seeing a dolly like that, but it sure is shinny.

Swingpress
I can't wait to see what you do with that cup and fork

 

[2oolhound]

A hammer I did a quick little restore on and what I think is a dolly. That's what I'll use it for anyways.

That's an NHA hockey puck (1917 pre rubber pucks).

Naw, just kidding

 

[JMLangford]

Here's a quick tool polisher's tip....

I use several unusual items when cleaning and polishing.....a lot are firearms related, like the cold bluing or gun oil I use to protect the metal.

Another gun related product I use a lot, is the brass (actually phosphor bronze) brushes that are use to clean the bore.....normally used on the end of a rod in a cleaning kit, but I just chuck them in a drill....great for cleaning rust and dirt from inside wrench openings and sockets.....any crack or crevice or place where you can't reach with a standard wire wheel or brush.

I buy several sizes (calibers) from .22 to 12 ga. shotgun.....they are fairly inexpensive (under $2 bucks ea)....



.

 

[Swingpress]

Here's a quick tool polisher's tip....



I use several unusual items when cleaning and polishing.....a lot are firearms related, like the cold bluing or gun oil I use to protect the metal.



Another gun related product I use a lot, is the brass (actually phosphor bronze) brushes that are use to clean the bore.....normally used on the end of a rod in a cleaning kit, but I just chuck them in a drill....great for cleaning rust and dirt from inside wrench openings and sockets.....any crack or crevice or place where you can't reach with a standard wire wheel or brush.



I buy several sizes (calibers) from .22 to 12 ga. shotgun.....they are fairly inexpensive (under $2 bucks ea)....







.

I thought I was the only one that did that!! Don't give away ALL the secrets! Lol

 

[Finallygotit]

That's a great tip! I'm going to have to run down to ACE and get me a few of those.

Thanks!

 

[scarrylarry]

Here's a quick tool polisher's tip....

I use several unusual items when cleaning and polishing.....a lot are firearms related, like the cold bluing or gun oil I use to protect the metal.

Another gun related product I use a lot, is the brass (actually phosphor bronze) brushes that are use to clean the bore.....normally used on the end of a rod in a cleaning kit, but I just chuck them in a drill....great for cleaning rust and dirt from inside wrench openings and sockets.....any crack or crevice or place where you can't reach with a standard wire wheel or brush.

I buy several sizes (calibers) from .22 to 12 ga. shotgun.....they are fairly inexpensive (under $2 bucks ea)....



.

That's a great idea ! Thinking outside the box. I was having trouble finding small good brushes for cleaning items so I starting using a denture brush. Also dental proxy brushes are great fro reaching hard to get at places . Obviously these won't work on rust but great for getting rid of dirt and such .
scarrylarry

 

[Swingpress]

For lack of a better location to ask.....
Anybody here ever clean up older oils cans and have a way that won't destroy them?

 

[bonneyman]

That's an NHA hockey puck (1917 pre rubber pucks).

Naw, just kidding

For when REAL men played hockey!

 

[littleponderosa]

Swing, I ended up with 3 5 gallon oil cans out of my Fathers garage. 2 damn old and 1 newer from the 70's. Used hot water and dawn. Cleaned up good and lost no paint. Best of luck.
Bill

 

[trijeff]

Old Wilton vise I spiffed up

 

[don long]

Wow
That's a beauty. I'm lovin the bright green color. It pops right off the page.
And you are my kind of polisher I like the mirror finish on the jaws , end cap and handle.

Very nice addition to the polish thread

Don

 

[Shiftless]

TJ:
Don is right. Your latest work surpasses most everything I have ever seen. Somebody is gonna be a happy man. Best wishes for a lucrative sale.

 

[Bears Fan]

Wow!!! "What Don said" Just awesome

 

[cweidert03]

Is it just me or do you all wish we had more pics being uploaded!!! I love this thread. I don’t actually do any tool polishing but this is one of my favorite threads on GJ


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[C_F]

Old Wilton vise I spiffed up

Very impressive work!

 

[trijeff]

Thanks for all the compliments guys! It's fun stuff but sure is time consuming. This one was 100% rusted shut, wish I had a before pic.

Love all of the restores and tips coming thru this thread, had a Dremel and flex shaft that didn't see much use until after reading the tips posted here. Now both have much more promintent spaces one the main workbench.

 

[iajonesy]

Is it just me or do you all wish we had more pics being uploaded!!! I love this thread. I don’t actually do any tool polishing but this is one of my favorite threads on GJ


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I agree 100% with this. That Wilton is drop dead gorgeous and I'm not even a fan of green. The polishers are doing great things with these tools.

Mike

 

[bubinga]

Too Nice To use..............