Help: Alum Dull Brushed Finish? How to?

[b-dog]

I need to match a brushed finish but I'm not sure how it's done. I googled and youtube'd for a bit then spent some time in the garage and I'm still not really close. I tried a variety of scotch brite pads and sand paper. The best result I've got so far is 150 grit sand paper. I'd say the grain is a bit too course, so I'd switch back to 180 grit but I don't know how to get a dull/matte finish. Also, my test piece was just a piece of scrap so the grain might not be perfect and there were deeper scratches before I started.

Any suggestions? TIA

Here's a mess of pictures, this is really hard to capture....

 

[Daves69]

Try using some kind of lubricant with scotch brite or wet dry sandpapaper. Soap and water or WD40 leaves a consistent finish.

 

[t100]

We do hand brush finish on stainless, belts and tools are not cheap.

http://www.abrasivesupply.com/Dynabrade_Dynisher_tools_s/58.htm

 

[nine4gmc]

They sell metal burnishing wheels for angle grinders but here is the actual tool: LP 1503 VR EN

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109453

 

[R.Anderson]

Try using some kind of lubricant with scotch brite or wet dry sandpapaper. Soap and water or WD40 leaves a consistent finish.

Second this, Good ole elbow grease and Wd-40 or water with sanding sponges, works great for a dull finish on aluminum. Water is the best IMO that way clean up is real easy, just rinse.

So are to after a straight grain pattern, circular, crisscross, random or??

 

[bullnerd]

The dull one looks like it has some type of finish on it? Looks like clear anodize from here?

Can you file a small spot to see if it is?

You can copy that easily with a hand held belt sander. 3x21 or whatever they are. Don't need an expensive one. I used the cheapest sears one for years.

You just need a simple stop on a bench to keep the piece from moving and set it up so the piece is being pulled toward you. Practice on some scrap, you'll get it quick, real easy. I used to use cutting stick wax on the belt to keep it from loading up. After sanding, go over real quick with scotch brite to remove the "raised grain" I call it. The little handle for the scotch brite makes it nice and uniform.

 

[mark883]

Run to Lowes and buy the Porter Cable Restorer. Its an inexpensive (consumer) version of a burnisher or rollabrader / dynabrader, and the kit comes with 60, 80 & 120 sanding rolls. You can get two different finer scotchbrite wheels, and the aggressive paint-eater wheel. They plan on a steel brush wheel too.

I own one, and do like it- especially the dust collection suction hole.

 

[LXCam]

I use my belt grinder with a scotch bright belt most of the time but for larger pieces where I need to keep the cut wide and straight I use a red belt on my 6" X 48" belt sander and work off the roller.

 

[bullnerd]

Run to Lowes and buy the Porter Cable Restorer. Its an inexpensive (consumer) version of a burnisher or rollabrader / dynabrader, and the kit comes with 60, 80 & 120 sanding rolls. You can get two different finer scotchbrite wheels, and the aggressive paint-eater wheel. They plan on a steel brush wheel too.

I own one, and do like it- especially the dust collection suction hole.

His material has some pretty good scratches in it, will it take them out?

 

[bmk]

I use a oscillating sander with a scotch brite pad under it and a little WD-40 for lubricant. That gives a nice finish.

 

[racingtadpole]

We use AL earthing bars in 19" equipment racks at work, when I clean them up before I bolt the cables on, I use some simple green and a scotch bright pad over a piece of wood. They end up with a nice fine grain satin finish. Doesn't take all that long, but I would recommend you wear gloves or your hands will be black for several days afterwards.

 

[dogdog]

I always wanted try anodize aluminum.

http://www.wikihow.com/Anodize-Aluminum

 

[bullnerd]

Now that I look at the parts again, they might be smaller than i first thought.

6x48 belt sander will do that. Wax stick like I mentioned earlier.

I used to do A LOT of parts like this. Might even have some around to take a pic of.

Look exactly like your "dull" one.

 

[Dirtydan69]

What finish are you trying to match? is it an appliance? I ask because some appliance have a clear coating on them and the finish is on the coating. Found this out the hard way on a customers $5k frig. Cost me 450 for a specialist to come and strip it, re coat it and refinish it. Same as many elavator doors.

 

[Ray-CA]

I used 0000 steel wool and WD-40 but I was only doing 2 pieces about 3/4-inch wide and 3-feet long.

Ray

 

[bullnerd]

Any luck B-Dog?

 

[rlitman]

They sell metal burnishing wheels for angle grinders but here is the actual tool: LP 1503 VR EN

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109453

Angle grinders spin WAY too fast. I have a Walter Linemate. It looks just like an angle grinder motor, but the top speed is under 4000 RPM, and you generally run it slower than that.

 

[scooternut]

There is no simple way. You'll need to sand up to say 1500, then hit it with the scotch brite and wd40. This is elbow grease, money should only be spent on sandpaper, and use it like it is free. 60, 100, 150, 220, 400, 600, 1000, 1200, 1500......

 

[bullnerd]

There is no simple way. You'll need to sand up to say 1500, then hit it with the scotch brite and wd40. This is elbow grease, money should only be spent on sandpaper, and use it like it is free. 60, 100, 150, 220, 400, 600, 1000, 1200, 1500......

This is wrong.

Belt sanders make this VERY easy.

He's looking for a "brushed" finish, not polished.

 

[ovrrdrive]

Just got my Eastwood Contour SCT in the mail yesterday and it does a finish like that in seconds... Much cheaper than the metabo but still a nice chunk of change at $199 (on sale right now). It's a very high quality tool. If you do this a lot you'd be crazy to not have one.

http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-co...SoGVgeqzvJcP-HpJr8TUm60qUivyE-itfYaAp4m8P8HAQ

 

[bullnerd]

Just got my Eastwood Contour SCT in the mail yesterday and it does a finish like that in seconds... Much cheaper than the metabo but still a nice chunk of change at $199 (on sale right now). It's a very high quality tool. If you do this a lot you'd be crazy to not have one.

http://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-co...SoGVgeqzvJcP-HpJr8TUm60qUivyE-itfYaAp4m8P8HAQ

That thing is very cool.

Can you do small aluminum parts with it?

What happens when the wheel goes off the edge?

 

[ovrrdrive]

I did a name I cut out last night that was about 6-7" long and it was challenging but I was able to do it without losing a finger. The drum spins slow enough that you have a great amount of control with it but it's heavy enough to work with light pressure. I was able to hold the name with one hand and do half of it, then flip it and finish. The only gotcha we had was on one of the tattered flags. I let a friend try it out and he moved it forwards off the end that has all the thin strips and it promptly grabbed one of them and bent it the other way and threw a chunk of the drum on the floor. lol

It's has a lot of torque and also electronic speed control. When you push down and pull it back and then lift it the motor drops the power back down so quickly you think it just stalled. I'll try to make a thread on it after I use it a little more. I just unboxed it yesterday.

So far I'm giving it 2 solid thumbs up.

 

[Brian_WK]

Looks like an anodized dust finish or bead blasted then anodized. Either way to check if its anodized or not, if NOT anodized you can scratch it with your fingernail. Even polished aluminum will look hazy once it is anodized and lose the mirror finish.

Brian

 

[bullnerd]

Anodize is non conductive, he could hit with a meter.

 

[b-dog]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the suggestions!! I did a sample piece and the customer liked it. I need to do that machining and finish work tonight. Someone off forum suggested a flat clear finish and that did the trick. Just a quick light coat of spray paint.

I do like that Porter Cable Restorer. If this job was any bigger, I could justify getting one of those. I'll just add it to the wish list for now.