Polishing question

[NickIcon]

Though I'd try my hand at polishing up my Sirius mod to go from a brushed finish to a shiny fingerprintophile finish.

I have a little erzatz-Dremel tool with some felt(?) polishing bits as well as some polishing compound from here: www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/acatalog/Polishing_Compounds_180gm_Half_Round_Bar.html (the grey Menzerna at the top).

Gave it a go last night - It's worked great on the brass bottom cap but the SS tube was all but unaffected. It is now shinier, having removed the lightest of the scratches/grooves from the brushing, but there remains a lot more to grind away before it gets smooth. I gave it a good few minutes under the Dremel in a small area so my assumption is that I'm doing something wrong.

Should I be using a coarser compound? A stiffer polishing material?

[robby]

I dont know whether there is a bit hidden where you can test, maybe some steelwool? SS is very hard steel so it maybe needs to be a bit more brutal, but you`ll need some finesse to get the whole thing done equally if it works
And your dremel would need to be pretty slow I would think if you are using the paste, not that I have done anything with SS, so I am speculating a bit.


Certianly our SS sink is pretty marked when it has been rubbed with a brillo, wasn`t me lolol

[Skwoddy]

www.toddsreviews.com/2013/02/polishing-tutorial.html

I got some very deep scratches (slip with pliers) from an atty with some #400 and #1200 wet and dry paper, then finished with Autosol on a dremel bit, in retrospect I should have gotten a more course paper for the initial run (say #120) followed by 400 then 1200.

I do plan to get some of the compounds next time I polish something.

[robby]

Apr 4, 2013 13:12:50 GMT Skwoddy said:

www.toddsreviews.com/2013/02/polishing-tutorial.html

I got some very deep scratches (slip with pliers) from an atty with some #400 and #1200 wet and dry paper, then finished with Autosol on a dremel bit, in retrospect I should have gotten a more course paper for the initial run (say #120) followed by 400 then 1200.

I do plan to get some of the compounds next time I polish something.

yes, the 120 would cut a bit deeper and leave something behind the others couldnt touch, tricky thing to do though

[Mev]

If you google it mate there's loads of lists out there with what compounds or paper is needed for different metals and jobs, I'll post a few links later tonight when I get on the other pc that I have saved. Got a few docs somewhere too.

[Skwoddy]

Apr 4, 2013 13:23:58 GMT Mev said:

If you google it mate there's loads of lists out there with what compounds or paper is needed for different metals and jobs, I'll post a few links later tonight when I get on the other pc that I have saved. Got a few docs somewhere too.

Nice one Mev!! Superstar!

on a side note: you played with a raspberry pi with xbmc frodo build yet?, awesome dood!

[Skwoddy]

Apr 4, 2013 13:15:38 GMT robby said:

Apr 4, 2013 13:12:50 GMT Skwoddy said:

www.toddsreviews.com/2013/02/polishing-tutorial.html

I got some very deep scratches (slip with pliers) from an atty with some #400 and #1200 wet and dry paper, then finished with Autosol on a dremel bit, in retrospect I should have gotten a more course paper for the initial run (say #120) followed by 400 then 1200.

I do plan to get some of the compounds next time I polish something.

yes, the 120 would cut a bit deeper and leave something behind the others couldnt touch, tricky thing to do though

Cheers Robby, I was scared to death doing it, but the atty came up beautifully, only did the Wet and dry by hand because I was frightened of taking too much of everything off. (Penelope!!)

[Mev]

Apr 4, 2013 13:59:04 GMT Skwoddy said:

Apr 4, 2013 13:23:58 GMT Mev said:

If you google it mate there's loads of lists out there with what compounds or paper is needed for different metals and jobs, I'll post a few links later tonight when I get on the other pc that I have saved. Got a few docs somewhere too.

Nice one Mev!! Superstar!

on a side note: you played with a raspberry pi with xbmc frodo build yet?, awesome dood!

Not yet mate but keep thinking of doing so, one of my suppliers keeps sending me info for the pi and enclosures. I've got a HTPC hooked up to the living room tv with xmbc and PBO's on the others so I don't really need one. I'm sure I will at some point though lol.

[Skwoddy]

Apr 4, 2013 15:09:33 GMT Mev said:

Apr 4, 2013 13:59:04 GMT Skwoddy said:

Nice one Mev!! Superstar!

on a side note: you played with a raspberry pi with xbmc frodo build yet?, awesome dood!

Not yet mate but keep thinking of doing so, one of my suppliers keeps sending me info for the pi and enclosures. I've got a HTPC hooked up to the living room tv with xmbc and PBO's on the others so I don't really need one. I'm sure I will at some point though lol.

Paid £33 for a Pi, have an JB Apple TV 2 for my main setup with a 6tb NAS, but have put a big tv in the bedroom now and will just use this for streaming to save space, Navi - X is amazing on XBMC

[piper1]

To be honest I've done lots of polishing alloy/SS and have found the scotch brite mops of ebay is a good starting point.
Ideally an old bench grinder converted to take buffing mops works a treat.
A professional polisher told me once in order to obtain the best finish it requires a minimum 3200 rpm, you need to be able to generate heat from the mops when applying the polish.
I always start with a scotch brite wheel (medium) grade no more, then i use a sisal mop with a brown polish block and finally finish with a loose mop with a blue polish.



www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150mm-6-x6-section-SCOTCHBRITE-LAP-MOP-SATIN-MOP-SATINISING-MOP-IN-MEDIUM-GRADE-/281073789979?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item41714dac1b

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sisal-Metal-Polishing-Mops-4-to-10-/171012897008?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&var=&hash=item27d129b8f0

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polishing-Mop-4-x1-Loose-Fold-G-quality-100mm-x-25mm-/321092886240?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item4ac2a09ee0

[Mev]

Posted a general guide for polishing, paper and compounds which I've found useful allaboute-cigarettes.proboards.com/thread/21365/quick-guide-polishing-metals

[NickIcon]

Thanks for all the tips & links!

Don't have a bench grinder unfortunately so will have a rummage around to see what grades of wet n dry I've got lying around. Just right for a little Saturday DIY job.

Will post results back!

[JimmyJ]

I have found a good way to polish something round, it to try and fix it into the end of a drill, and spin the item while holding the polishing cloth.

Done it with gearknobs for car, but i have to stick a wooden rod into the screw thread for the drill to clamp onto

[denis9t9]

Apr 4, 2013 17:28:07 GMT piper1 said:

To be honest I've done lots of polishing alloy/SS and have found the scotch brite mops of ebay is a good starting point.
Ideally an old bench grinder converted to take buffing mops works a treat.
A professional polisher told me once in order to obtain the best finish it requires a minimum 3200 rpm, you need to be able to generate heat from the mops when applying the polish.
I always start with a scotch brite wheel (medium) grade no more, then i use a sisal mop with a brown polish block and finally finish with a loose mop with a blue polish.



www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150mm-6-x6-section-SCOTCHBRITE-LAP-MOP-SATIN-MOP-SATINISING-MOP-IN-MEDIUM-GRADE-/281073789979?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item41714dac1b

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sisal-Metal-Polishing-Mops-4-to-10-/171012897008?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&var=&hash=item27d129b8f0

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Polishing-Mop-4-x1-Loose-Fold-G-quality-100mm-x-25mm-/321092886240?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item4ac2a09ee0

Looks great piper1,
Friend at work does the same thing with a bench grinder mop, what bike is it off?

[denis9t9]

You do know you'll get robby out polishing you piper1 ;-)