Buffing Aluminum Parts

[Brian Jackson]

G'day gents.

I have a question regarding buffing aluminum; something I've never done before. I'm building a GyroBee and using a color scheme of Sea-Foam Green powdercoat and polished brass. The polished brass-tone items use a reflective bright-dip anodizing process, but they need to be buffed down to a mirror finish first before anodizing.

I understand that a buffing wheel and Jewler's Rouge (sp?) are great for buffing large areas. But I was wondering if there's a smaller, denser type of wheel for buffing the sawn ends of the parts without rounding over the nice edges I've filed. Are there any types of buffing surfaces that can be attached to, say, a disc sander to polish the flat ends of the parts?

Thanks for any guidance.

Brian Jackson

[banaari]

Guidance? You want guidance?
Hmmmmm.... the three words that spring to mind are: "Metal", "Polishing" and "Service". ;)

[Brian Jackson]

Guidance? You want guidance?
Hmmmmm.... the three words that spring to mind are: "Metal", "Polishing" and "Service". ;)
Hmmmm... The 3 words I'm thinking of are "Money", "Have" and "Little" :D

[Dale Young]

Use steel wool then a product called never-dull. It'll look like a mirror.

[Brian Jackson]

Use steel wool then a product called never-dull. It'll look like a mirror.
Is "Never-Dull" a surface or a fluid? Never heard of it. Think it's time to do a little Googling!

Thanks,
Brian

[Dale Young]

It's some kinda cotton wadding type stuff with a petroleum smell to it. it comes in a silver can. Wal-mart automotive dept carries it. You won't believe how good it works! Made my blades look like kitcken knives.

[RICK MARTIN]

I'm going to check out the "Never Dull" but I thought we're not supposed to use steel wool on the aluminum?

[gyromike]

Never-Dull works pretty good, but I find Flitz polish (http://www.flitz.com/metal_polish.html) to be better at polishing aluminum.
Never-Dull seems to leave a haze on my spinner, where Flitz really makes it shine.

http://www.flitz.com/images/BU03515lge.jpg

[Rotorhead]

Brian

Talk to your coater they have coatings that can give you the same effect without risking over processing ( anodizing ) I just tried the bright chrome myself I'll shoot pics
for you. Or do them yourself, try www.caswellplating.com . My wife was platter for 10 years she always tried to discourage me from anodizing her fears came true when axel tube on my bensen broke in two pieces while trailering to convention.

Cerakote Chromex coatings, just noted the site is promoting this product
I just had some of this done on my exhaust and was not pleased besides
The process temp is to hi for aluminum parts use the metal finishing tab

Chrome like powdercoating is cheaper to apply they also have clears with gold
metal flake look

[Friendly]

I ordered the Flitz and tried it, I did not like it any better than the Never Dull by Eagal One products. I do agree with Mike that the haze must be removed but I did not find it any better as far as shine. The never dull is in a swapping that has a polishing effect. I think if your surface is close to what you want the Flitz may be best but if you are starting from scratch the never dull will work faster. I used steel wool. I forgot which "o" it was but I spent so much time buffing the scratches out it was not worth it to me. I found the fastest was to use the buffing wheel on a drill with an arbor and use the courser rouge followed by the white. But I started with some ruff Alum.
Keep your hands off and get ready to use up lots of rags.
This has been my experience, you may have different results. But its all work or everybody would be doing it!!

[scottessex]

I would not use the steel wool on the aluminum, it can contaminate the alum.
Use 1500 grit wet sandpaper and sand all the scratches out, then buff using a white diamond compound, and then finish up with flitz or neverdull. But get to where you enjoy it, keeping it polished will be a full time job.
I would polish the stainless, and paint or powdercoat the aluminum. It will amaze you how fast polished alum will corrode.

But look here:http://www.eastwood.com/jump.jsp?itemType=CATEGORY&itemID=432

[Brian Jackson]

Thanks, Scott.

Their Forum (http://forum.eastwood.com/index.php?) seems to be a wealth of knowledge on the subject. I understand buffing is a long, tedious process but I'm willing to make the effort. Thanks for posting that link. It was a big help!

Cheers,
Brian Jackson

[gyromike]

I wouldn't use Flitz or Never-Dull as the first step to polishing aluminum.

I use a buffing wheel first with red and white rouge, and use the Flitz as the final polish.

For really tight spaces, I sometimes use a Dremel tool with the little felt tips, and rouge.

[Brian Jackson]

I wouldn't use Flitz or Never-Dull as the first step to polishing aluminum.

I use a buffing wheel first with red and white rouge, and use the Flitz as the final polish.

For really tight spaces, I sometimes use a Dremel tool with the little felt tips, and rouge.
Thanks, Mike.
Man, ask and ye shall receive! Great info. I also found This Site (http://www.perfectpolish.com/Quick%20Guide.htm) which goes into quite a bit of detail about buffing and the different "grades" of rouge compounds needed for aircraft, etc. Hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew with this :eek:

[Dale Young]

I 've used red rouge, white polishing cream... But nothing worked as good as wool then never-dull. Honest to god ,youd have to see my blades to believe them! They look like a mirror! :) But, It IS a CONSTANT JOB! :( . I do not believe the wool or never dull has ever adversly effected the aluminum. The never dull by FAR is the easiest solution. The haze that you are talking about, dries and wipes right off dry. give it a shot . As far as wool hurting aluminum, I've never heard that it does.

[bartc150]

Anybody try the buff ball from eastwood (eastwood.com) . It seems like a good concept. Being flexible it may get into tose tight places. BTW the item number is 13222.

[Alan Coats]

After you are through polishing and are trying to wipe off the residue, sprinkle some plain ole baking flour on the surface. It helps absorb the residue and makes it easier to remove.

It seems that I remember from a thread a few months ago that some people use furniture polish to keep their rotor blades shiny and to make it easier to remove the bugs. Anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Alan







Alan

Alan

[REDHORSE556CES]

Thought I recalled a prodouct from my motorcycle days:

http://www.goodspeedmotoring.com/?page=subcat&man_id=23

Can be applied by hand or with a buffer. In tight spaces I used a high-speed rotary tool, like a Dremel with buffing wheels, etc. It works.

But so does jewelers cutting compound and jewelers rouge.

Just offering up more alternatives.

[KenSandyEggo]

I vote for Flitz. I had a polished aluminum Ercoupe a few years back and tried everything available. Flitz worked the best with no haze. You have to use clean rags and not your previously-worn gym T-shirt or racing-striped underwear shorts.

[Brian Jackson]

Thanks to you guys I'm really learning a lot about this stuff. I do have an additional question though:
Once I have each part buffed down to a mirror finish, I'm planning to treat them with Alodine to prevent oxidation prior to sending them off for bright-dip anodizing. But I've read that Alodine is an acidic treatment. Will this tend to dull or matte the mirror smoothness? And if so, can a very light buffing be done AFTER using the Alodine to bring it back to mirror smoothness without destroying the Alodine impregnation?

[Brian Jackson]

Wow, a day and a half of radio silence on that one. OK, how's this:

Alodine is an acid-etch process as I understand it. Will Alodine dull a shiny surface?

[banaari]

Brian, I'd check with the anodising company before applying Alodine to your beautifully buffed metal. From my understanding, it performs some kind of oxidation itself on the aluminium, which I imagine could well interfere with the anodising process. See what they recommend you do to it.

cheers,
John

[scottessex]

The alodine will turn the aluminum a gold color, it provide a measure of corrosion protection, but is usually done under the primer.

You don't want to anodize over alodine, just bare aluminum.

[Brian Jackson]

You don't want to anodize over alodine, just bare aluminum.
Of course... Doh!(in my best Homer Simpson voice). I should have known. Well, then that introduces a whole new problem. The mirror-buffing of the parts could be a month-long project before they're wrapped and shipped to the anodizer. So the first buffed part could theoretically be sitting around for 6 weeks unprotected.

Is there another way to protect them from oxidation until anodizing?

[scottessex]

Cover then with oil or an anti corrosion protectant. Check with your anodizer, they will most likely de-smut and acid etch the parts to ensure thier cleanliness before they are dipped. So you might be wasting your time polishing.

I used to have a Harley that had alot of polished alum parts on it, after a year I got so tired of it looking like crap because of the oxidation, and spending days trying to polish it, I painted and powdercoated everything. Then I could just hose off the dirt and it looked like new.