Paint vs polish

XTINCT

• Jan 21, 2018

• #1

If I understand correctly, some early Commandos came with polished instrument housings. I have read of some folks polishing the painted ones. How well does that work? Do they turn out well? It seems to me that the original painted flat black may be hard to duplicate.

 

Mr. Rick

VIP MEMBER

• Jan 21, 2018

• #2

AFAIK, there are only 2 versions of the instrument case: the 750 shorter unfinished alloy one 06-0510, and the taller 850 part 06-4144.
They are, I believe, both aluminum and the 850 appears to be anodized, not painted, so it's gonna be quite a job to get below the anodized layer. I quit before I got very far with such an effort, preferring the shorter parts anyway. Still don't understand the logic of making them longer and heavier for the 850.

 

Fast Eddie

VIP MEMBER

• Jan 22, 2018

• #3

They polish up nicely.

But rattle can satin Black is also very close to the stock look.

They choice is yours!

 

Danno

• Jan 22, 2018

• #4

I think the extra length was to accommodate the black rubber bottom caps which do not fit earlier types.

 

L.A.B.

Moderator

VIP MEMBER

• Jan 22, 2018

• #5

Mr. Rick said:

Still don't understand the logic of making them longer and heavier for the 850.

Click to expand...

Danno said:

I think the extra length was to accommodate the black rubber bottom caps which do not fit earlier types.

Click to expand...

They were longer 1973-on (750 & 850) so Veglia instruments could also be fitted as they had deeper cases than Smiths.

 

F

Fullauto

• Jan 22, 2018

• #6

I stripped and polished my long black 850 ones. They came up pretty good. However, they were pretty much trashed in my bad prang nearly six years ago, so I just replaced them with the earlier short versions, which I always thought looked better anyway.

 

ashman

VIP MEMBER

• Jan 22, 2018

• #7

I broke one of my oginal 850 long one and replace them with the short ones from RGM the shorter ones look better and they look great polished.

Ashley

 

XTINCT

• Jan 22, 2018

• #8

Thanks for the input.

 

eskasteve

• Jan 22, 2018

• #9

Easy Off oven cleaner will remove anodizing. I sprayed mine and then put them in an old Tupperware container to fester. Worked well at getting off the coating then off to my cheapo Harbor Freight polishing wheel. They came out great. The only reason that I wanted to polish them was that they had become kinda distressed looking. After installing them I decided that I liked the black finish look better. I put on two coats of primer then three coats of black satin rattle can paint. I'm happy with how they now look.

 

eskasteve

• Jan 22, 2018

• #10

I need to go into a VERY important detail concerning my Easy Off anodizing removal post in regards to the Tupperware container. Make sure that not only did you buy the Tupperware second hand but that your wife was present to actually witness your purchase. If in any way she even suspects that you might have incorporated one of "her" cherished pieces of storage containers in your shop the wrath that will come crashing down upon you will make any of Ol' Joe Lucas' curses pale in comparison. Trust me on this one.