Polishing, polishing, polishing, polishing, polishing...

Digging into the rebuild of my '71 Commando Roadster. Got the frame, oil tank, and various other "to-be-painted" items down to metal and back up to primer.

Looking for a good next step I found the shiny items...Went out and bought a polishing wheel.


...


It is a disease...


You need to know this: Simpson don't wash bikes. Anything that is shiny on my bikes is quickly targeted for prep and flat black. I ride, wrench, and rinse them off in the rain.

But this damned Norton has me polishing Z-bars, fork legs, anything that I MIGHT get a shine out of I find myself looking for the best angles to get down into the nooks and crannies. I even found myself looking at a Dremel display for smaller diameter buffing tools....

I'd write more, but there's a couple of parts that are calling me...If you need me, I'll be in the garage...polishing.

-simpson

pictures Simpson, pictures......

Welcome to the club, the meetings are Wednesday nights, BYOB :shock:

Ha you are only showing the initial stages and symptom of this disease, squah it now and just wipe off grime to dull finish or face 3rd degree progression into full dismantling and polishing wheels set up. Once you've tasted real buffer wheels you are a gonner. Of course even just setting around it will need repeating, more so the more exposed to the real world. Waxing regally sure helps but the nicer ya get it the more anything mars the effect,so the fever flairs until starting over from sratch. Surface melting of Al or polish compound wax so serious heat should be generated. All polishers will loose their grip in the glimmer revealed, consider padded walls and floor for this fast degenerating insanity. Go ahead, try to live with those small inviting patches of mirror small tools and hand rubbing, When the 3rd phase hits, don't make mistake and wheel too soon, don't stop sandpapering till 2000 grit reached... Then phase 4 decay can begin - doing engine internals!

hehehe

haha

hoho

their coming to get me again.

whole lotta polishin goin on

Can someone give me a quick tutorial on how to polish? I saw the bench polisher above listed by DogT.... what type of buffing compound would one use. Could you use this on the fenders?

Johnnymac said:

Can someone give me a quick tutorial on how to polish? I saw the bench polisher above listed by DogT.... what type of buffing compound would one use. Could you use this on the fenders?

Click to expand...

I don't have a lot of experience so I will refer you to the Caswells link. Different teniques, wheels and compounds are required for various metals. http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm

Youtube also is a good resource!

With my little bit of experience I have learned:

Choose the appropriate wheel/ compound combination for the stage of buffing you’re at.

Buffing wheels need to be cleaned as you buff. Small metal particles get embedded in them which will actually leave scratches on the surface being polished.

Buffers’ with more HP are more likely to get better results.

You really need to prep the surface by filing sanding and sanding some more prior to firing up the buffer. The more you polish a piece the worse the imperfections seem to get!

Each item you polish will render different results. I have found the cases in particular are difficult to polish. It seems they are porous and the more I sand or polish through the outer layer of metal, the more pin hole imperfections show up. It can be frustrating, if anyone has tips on polishing the cases I would love to hear them.

Gary

Case's? polished......get them bead blasted, the contrast between polished outer covers and mat cases looks good.

Bang back to shape, file to basic profile then sand and sand till 2000 grit then bluffer wheel down 3 grades of polish always with wheel turning to push the melted polish wax/grease carrier ahead of the polished area. When done, that is after seeing what ya missed and backing up to some sanding again, then when done wipe off the wax grease carrier haze with talcum power/rag rub down, then as my last step I take propane torch and steam andodize the surface by melting the microscopic scratches more even and speeding up the clear sapphire oxidation layer, then wax or special goop seal or clear cove and buff out its texture to shiny smooth. Lock grip onto the pieces like they were alive waiting for a chance to escape and ruin your finish to start again banging back to shape, flling profile and removing most of the scars. A pitted nicely polished surface is more pleasant than a repaired one you can see the patching but color of texture. Some say can rag silver paint in the pores and blims but its not worked well when i tried it. :wink:

john robert bould said:

Case's? polished......get them bead blasted, the contrast between polished outer covers and mat cases looks good.

Click to expand...

I bet that is a nice look. I actually was polishing my covers and not my cases.

the nice thing about Commando aluminum is it seems to glow in the dark after polishing. I work around alot of metals and have always been amazed at the shine of a freshly polished primary cover...or Z plate...or timing cover.