buffing and polishing tips

[Cars&Classic]

I have a Baldor buffer and a few wheels that i occasonialy clean up or shine up things with, but would like to start polishing aluminum and stainless parts on the old muscle cars, amy tips or steps anyone can share? tecniques?

I have sanded a few scratches out, then buffed the parts but i know there is a lot more to it than that.
my buffer is 3/4 hp 1000 RPM

 

[SeattleKent]

Search for "aluminum buffing" on youtube.com. There are hundreds of videos. Some are junk. Some are quite good.

 

[49tandc]

If you are polishing a long thin piece, use a piece of wood underneath it to give it support while you buff.

49T&C

 

[wnstwolf]

Where gloves and a face mask. I have a nice set up from Eastwood and found after going on the cheap that you should have dedicated wheels for each stage of the process. Once you get into it you will see what I mean. Also the wheels tend to create a ton of dust so a mask may be something you concider if you are doing a lot. I did all the bright work on three Mustang restorations and it would quite well. Taking a grit paper to it at first was scary as it looked as if I just ruined some unobtanium part but at the end buff it was better than new..

 

[Cars&Classic]

If you are polishing a long thin piece, use a piece of wood underneath it to give it support while you buff.

49T&C

sounds interesting do you ever try to secure the part to the wood? like windshild trim?

 

[Kevin54]

Have a good set of gloves. Heavy gloves. Polishing metal generates a lot of heat. Get different grades of your compound. Eastwood has it. Most boxes will tell which grade is for what and the compound is color coded. Safety glasses and either a respirator of a real good quality dusk mask. Once you start buffing, you will have black chit everywhere.

 

[68-camaro]

I agree with SeattleKent, watch the youtube videos. I have been polishing for many years. My advice to you is start with old junk pieces to learn. Many times have pieces went flying on me as I was learning. Learning all the techniques takes time. Stainless is amazing stuff, you can take junk and make it like new, takes alot of time though, you need patience. Aluminum trim on most cars can not be buffed. It has an anodized coating on it. Buffing it will burn the coating off it making it unprotected and looking weird. Good luck.

 

[Sureshot]

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/Buffbook.pdf


A good starting point.

 

[Pathfinder]

Thanks Sureshot. I have an older version of Caswell Plating's Buff Book at my buffing station. This new updated version is much better.

John Minton

 

[Kevin54]

I agree with SeattleKent, watch the youtube videos. I have been polishing for many years. My advice to you is start with old junk pieces to learn. Many times have pieces went flying on me as I was learning. Learning all the techniques takes time. Stainless is amazing stuff, you can take junk and make it like new, takes alot of time though, you need patience. Aluminum trim on most cars can not be buffed. It has an anodized coating on it. Buffing it will burn the coating off it making it unprotected and looking weird. Good luck.

You can use Easy Off oven cleaner to remove the anodize. Once it is buffed, then you need to shoot a clearcoat over it, but it will not last forever due to the smooth surface

 

[volvo]

...
http://www.englishcustompolishing.com/

Here is a good site that has lots of tips, help, videos. The owner wrote a real good book also that I would be happy to E-Mail to you. PM me I will shoot it to you.

A Complete Metal Polishing Guide for Professionals, Enthusiasts and Newcomers alike.

The Now and Zen of Custom Metal Polishing
Or the 6 P’s
(Perfect preparation prevents p*** poor polishing)
By
English Custom Polishing

 

[scott3257]

You can use Easy Off oven cleaner to remove the anodize. Once it is buffed, then you need to shoot a clearcoat over it, but it will not last forever due to the smooth surface

Care full with how long you let the oven cleaner sit, as it will etch the aluminum like it had been sandblasted. Dont ask me how I know this. Also all the above advise is good. Polishing aluminum is labor labor intensive, dirty, and tedious, but the results are well worth it.

 

[johnnybentwrench]

put a moving blanket under the buffer incase a piece gets THROWN. It will not get messed up if it hits the blanket. if it hits the Tarmac you go back to sanding.

 

[dadsEH]

sounds interesting do you ever try to secure the part to the wood? like windshild trim?

no, the wood is just for support and can be easily held by hand, pick a bit of wood which will fit inside the back of the trim to allow you to still polish the edges, also you can slide the wood along under the part if needed. When I am just cleaning the SS trim on my car I use a bit of crunched up newspaper and windex window cleaner, really lifts the grime film off and the paper acts like a polish cloth.

 

[InPrimer]

I polish a lot of stuff just because I find it fun, only thing I can add is if you can, polish outside, the dust and debris fills up your lungs and nose fast.BTW wear safety glasses Don't ask how I know..

 

[Wackerjr]

Anodized parts are CHEAP to take into your local shop have them stripped, and re-done after...I just had an entire Grill from a truck done $65 bucks ready to polish....

 

[ibedayank]

make sure the parts are CLEAN
wetdry sandpaper down to 800 grit in stages
set up a area just for polishing and wear old/work clothes its gonna get dirty
use a face sheild to keep the crud off your face and a good set of LEATHER gloves better to burn a hole in the gloves then your finger/hand
do not mix grits on the same wheel keep them seperate

 

[Parker Vice]

I just purchased a Baldor Pedestal buffer from an automotive tool supply company in Ohio. I purchased their deluxe kit with the compounds and 6 wheels. I called them to ask for some instructions and they did not have any. I think they said to check out the web. This forum is fantastic!

 

[J Persons]

Eastwoood has a pretty good DVD on buffing. I usually don't start buffing until I've sanded with 1000 grit. Keep the buff wheels separated, they can contaminate each other if stored together. I buy all my buffing wheels from Eastwood. You can get the buffing compounds fairly cheap in most larger truck stops or from Eastwood, but Eastwood is more expensive. Keep them covered when not in use to keep them from drying out or becoming contaminated. I use lacquer thinner to remove any buffing residue, then a hand polish with simichrome or something similar. I prefer microfiber towels for the final hand polishing over cotton. Sometimes cotton towels can scratch soft aluminum. I use a face shield and a dust mask but not gloves. I once had a wheel catch the glove and almost break a finger. Besides, it's easier to control the part without gloves. Use the bottom side of the wheel to buff. If you buff in the middle of the wheel, it will grab the part and fling it against the wall.
This was one of my first projects, a set of modified 5.0 valve covers. Ford didn't use very good aluminum when they cast these up, it was were very hard to get a consistent shine on them.

 

[Cyberbear]

Many years ago when my Dad built roadsters and chopper motorcycles, we owned and operated our own polishing and plating shop, Lustrechrome Plating, in El Segundo, Calif.
I spent my formative years in the plating room and polishing room where our commercial polishing lathes had large 3" shafts that stepped down to 1 1/4" diameter at the buff/wheel.
If you are doing small items, your 3/4 hp should work fine but under powered equipment usually means more effort on your part. Our 3-phase machines had 3 to 5 hp motors and could easily handle larger wheels up to about 14" dia. We used sisal buffs for polishing aluminum with a white compound, stainless compound for stainless or steel, and cotton wheels with emery in 120 and 180 grits. The emery was glued to the head of the polishing wheels using horse hide glue. Brass and copper was polished with tripoli compound. Green coloring compound was for high lighting chrome.
There is too much detail to list here but I've tried to give a basic over view of how it was done back in the day when we ran our shop.