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

[littleponderosa]

Thanks dude. That one I did not know.
Damn I like this place.
Bill

 

[Decline58]

Thanks JM, I did not know that!

Does that work on aluminum? I am trying to clean up the attached jointer guard, I am not sure I want to polish it, just clean it up. Actually it looks a little worse in person that in the picture (but that's the way things work on the internet......I have heard).
View media item 76194

 

[JMLangford]

Thanks JM, I did not know that!

Does that work on aluminum. I am trying to clean up the attached jointer guard, I am not sure I want to polish it, just clean it up. Actually it looks a little worse in person that in the picture (but that's the way things work on the internet......I have heard).
View media item 76194

You probably wouldn't want to use the pencil trick on your jointer cover.....I would just use soap and water......
Depends on how shiney you want it to look....


.

 

[1953mercury]

Thanks JM, I did not know that!

Does that work on aluminum? I am trying to clean up the attached jointer guard, I am not sure I want to polish it, just clean it up. Actually it looks a little worse in person that in the picture (but that's the way things work on the internet......I have heard).
View media item 76194

If your not concerned with shinny, I would just bead blast it. Quick and easy. Mike

 

[Motorman55]

Big difference in how an aluminum part will come out when polished depends on how coarse the casting is.

Perfect example is the early Harley BT 'Shovelhead' and Sportster 'Ironhead'
valve covers.

The amount of pitting after polishing could be so bad the only recourse to get them really smooth was to have them custom chromed using lots of copper/nickel base plating to get them smooth and shiny as a mirror.
Which of course would negate the whole point of polished aluminum.

I just live with the imperfect pitting. I like polished aluminum. I don't care too much for chrome.

 

[Bears Fan]

JM

Interesting tip with the lead pencil

I'm just going to box up a pile of stuff from the barn and send it your way for polishing

 

[brianh]

Some really nice restores on here, I have some old equipment I have got back to new running shape but not the appearance detail. Last one was a belsaw planer moulder that had been outside behind a shop for the last 5 years works great now.

 

[Decline58]

View media item 80337
Thanks for the help guys.

Here's the cleaned version of the guard. I started using CLR with a toothbrush and it worked a little. Moved on to Simple Green, then 409 and finally powered, old fashioned Comet and a soft wire brush.

It somewhat looks too good for the rest of the restoration, Hmmmmm.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[trijeff]

Comet, what a great idea, saving that one for sure ... thanks!

 

[Decline58]

Comet, what a great idea, saving that one for sure ... thanks!

Trijeff...I have to give credit where credit is due, it was my wife's idea. I guess she is a keeper.

 

[don long]

I spent a little time this week finding some brass tools to polish and display

I'll start with these pliers.

2017-12-09 15.40.11 by don long, on Flickr

After grinding all the cast marks away and sanding the tool with several different grits it was ready to polish.

IMG_2625 by don long, on Flickr

Next I found these wrenches so I picked the big one to polish

2017-12-09 15.41.33 by don long, on Flickr

First I gave it a trip through bead blasting to set off the depressed lettering

IMG_2628 by don long, on Flickr

Next was the sanding process with my 3" pistol sander

IMG_2633 by don long, on Flickr

I also found a couple of adjustable wrenches so I picked the worst one to start on

2017-12-09 15.42.05 by don long, on Flickr

Again it went to bead blast for starters then on to the sanding process to polish the high spots on the handle and the head

2018-02-15 13.01.23 by don long, on Flickr

Here is a shot of the other tools we are cleaning up to put into display

2018-02-15 13.02.55 by don long, on Flickr

 

[trijeff]

Holy s balls Don! Great spread there, your polishing work is really something to shoot for, WOW

 

[Rag Roc]

You probably wouldn't want to use the pencil trick on your jointer cover.....I would just use soap and water......
Depends on how shiney you want it to look....


.

Late to the party, but my trick is soft scrub cleanser and a nylon bristle brush.

 

[crerus75]

This is primarily for Don Long. Don, your work is exceptional as always. I see that several of your tools are made by Berylco. These are made of beryllium copper alloy. Stephenw mentioned this earlier, but please be careful grinding or polishing these, as inhaled beryllium dust can cause all sorts of respiratory problems even after short exposures. The Berylco page lists some of the OSHA guidelines that regulate beryllium safety:

http://www.ngkmetals.com/index.cfm/m/95/

Sorry to put a damper on things, but I'd hate to see somebody develop berylliosis.

 

[RD350]

OK Gentlemen I am flabbergasted! You guys are professionals!
What are the tools & chemicals that I will require in order to get started?
I have a reasonably size work bench table at home and just a drill machine.
If someone could list the essential tools / parts that I need to buy would be much appreciated. Thank you kindly.

 

[don long]

I'll be happy to offer my help but first we need to know just what it is you want to do.
I use mostly my sand blaster and various grits of sand paper on my tools prior to hitting them on my polish wheel

 

[RD350]

Good evening Sir: thank you very much, kindly.

I have a bunch of old wrenches, two record vices, old artifacts, a small brass blow torch and I am also restoring a motorcycle from 1972, need to polish them nut bolts etc.
I would love to get most of this stuff polished to the same level as most of you have done and for this I will need guidance on the hand tools required and the procedure.
I can get the bigger stuff sand blasted at a shop, but the rest I would want to accomplish at home. Many thanks.

 

[don long]

If you have a bench grinder you are half way there.
Get a fine wire wheel and put on one side of the grinder and go out and buy a 6" polish/buffing pad and put on the other side. get some black rouge for buffing the steel nuts and bolts. I use red rouge for brass and white rouge for stainless. I don't use any chemicals but would suggest a coat of light oil on any polished steel. I spray a clear coat paint on my brass and do nothing on stainless. you can also sand the metals with graduating finer grits of sand paper to get a high shine or mirror look after buffing.
Hope that helps.

Show us your work as you get some things finished

Don

 

[eric.holmslice]

Here is a cool hand drill I bought for $5. I took it apart, added a new cord, regreased, and buffed it with my Craftsman block grinder. Pretty sure I have a new hobby now.













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[McFarmer]

Man that drill is nice. I have one I did the same to, it's not variable speed so they are limited in their use.

I have a counter sink bit that stays in it, works good for that.

Did you ground the case ?

 

[eric.holmslice]

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

This hand held is variable speed which is nice. I used 220 grit then 320 grit to remove scratches and casting marks.


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[don long]

Very nice job on the lil drill. Those old craftsman tools polish up very well
I have collected several that need the same attention.

And you are right it is infectious for sure.
Please let us see what else you put a shine on

Don

 

[theamcguy]

To all that have posted so far, very nice work.

 

[drivesitfar]

ERIC: i love my old aluminum tools and if I could get them to look like that all the better. VERY WELL DONE with the little drill and hope you have more to do cause you have serious skills.

ALL: thank you all for sharing your methods, supplies, tools and your projects with us cause I know a lot of us love old tools that look even better than when they left the factories.

 

[bonneyman]

Here is a cool hand drill I bought for $5. I took it apart, added a new cord, regreased, and buffed it with my Craftsman block grinder. Pretty sure I have a new hobby now.













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ShopCraft 3/8" drill - one of the Holy Grails!

 

[littleponderosa]

Eric, nice job dude.
Bill

 

[eric.holmslice]

Eric, nice job dude.
Bill

Thanks! It was my first ever attempt at this with the exception of small parts on my Atlas press or hand polishing wheels. Now that I have my block grinder converted to buffing I’ll be posting more projects.




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[sqznby]

Wow, nice job guys

 

[eric.holmslice]

I took another attempt at polishing up the hat on my Atlas press. I ended up having to sand the pitted chrome down to bare Aluminum. If you look close you can still see some imperfections.




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[rickhigginshtbr]

Slowly getting pieces cleaned up for my Craftsman 100 Drill Press restoration....


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[drivesitfar]

Rick: nice work polishing up the pieces of your drill press. just curious how you (or anybody) takes off the badges. cut, drill or pry?

good luck

Eric: well i've looked at your top of your cool drill press and I can't see the imperfections. are you hand sanding or using what tool?

WELL DONE!!

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Rick: nice work polishing up the pieces of your drill press. just curious how you (or anybody) takes off the badges. cut, drill or pry?

Most 40's-60's Craftsmans, the badges are held in with those rivets that you can hammer off with a punch from the backside. Rubbing compound / polishing compound / Mother's Mag got them 95% clean without having to use a tool and possibly lose color like I've done before.

 

[eric.holmslice]

Bought a cool Porter Cable. It had a lot of gouges, so I had to use a fairly aggressive clean up process. Should have a few pics assembled and running soon.












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[don long]

Eric
That's a great shine
Did you remove the name plate before working on the piece?
What was your process from start to finish if you don't mind sharing.

Thanks

Don

 

[eric.holmslice]

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

I used 120 grit on the heavy pitted areas. Then 220,400,and 600. Followed by red compound and white. I left the emblem on, just placed tape over it.

I used a 2inch sanding disc on my drill for most of the sanding. Thanks for all the feedback. Hoping to get the wiring done tomorrow. I’m putting a new cord on. Also adding heat shrink insulation to some of the old wiring to the motor.


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[1/2 Cup]

eric.holmslice sweet..

 

[rickhigginshtbr]

Eric that looks awesome!

You guys got me looking at getting more sanding disks and a thinner belt sander!

 

[OCD]

This was my Grandfathers old axe, My Dad found it in a shed at my Grandparents lake lot that my Mom inherited... He asked me if I could clean it up a bit, he wants to hang it over the fireplace there...

Challenge accepted with honor!!

Bead blasted to see what we are working with,

Can you tell Gramps was a farmer and not a woodsman,

I decided to leave all those hammer marks in the back and just clean up the blade for show,

Started with 24 grit on the air grinder,

Then worked up to 600 grit on an random orbital,

Switched to wet sanding by hand for 1000, 15000, and 2000 grit,

Then a quick polish,

Taped off the tip, and bead blasted the rest of it again, then primed,

Base coat,

Cleared!!

 

[littleponderosa]

Eric & OCD - you fellas are making me jealous. That's nice work. Damn.
Bill

 

[jhn9840]

Very nice work. Grandpa is sitting up there smiling.

jhn9840
John