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Polishing Aluminium

Discussion in 'XJ DIY How-To Instructions' started by Switz1, Feb 24, 2007.

  1. Torren

    Torren Member

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    The stuff mentioned on "Trucks" was Zoops metal sealer, never used it but it might be worth a shot.
     
  2. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    No. Not that. It was like "Mr. Jacks" or something along that line.

    Rub it on the worst looking aluminum and then wipe it off and ... Bammo! ... the aluminum shines again!
     
  3. dkavanagh

    dkavanagh Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    I have this side cover that I've hit with 1500 grit. I do see some fine scratches. Not sure if I should go to 1000 or move ahead with buffing? There is also some slight staining or oxidation, not sure. Recommendations?
    IMG_20170823_215459840.jpg
     
  4. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    higher grit 1500-2000 and wet sand it with wd 40 will give a mirror shine. if you are going to buff it you are done sanding. by buffing you mean a wheel and polishing sticks?
     
  5. dkavanagh

    dkavanagh Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    I did a bit more wet sanding with 1500 which removed more staining, but I was still seeing some scratches. I went ahead and tried 2 polishing stages and saw improvements each time. Here's what I have.
    IMG_20170829_204012796.jpg
    Not completely happy. I think I may need to go back to 1000, then 1500 and on through buffing again. It has some overall bling, but still a bit more rough than I'd like.
     
  6. XJOE550

    XJOE550 Active Member

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    It almost looks like you still have some clear coat (yellowed) on the part. Did you use a aluminum paint stripper to remove the clear coat before starting the sanding process? If not, you can still do so. What sand paper you start with depends on the condition of the part. I have stated with a light file on certain road rashed or gouged parts (mainly in the area of the damage and blend it in). Then would go to 400 in just that area to get the file marks out. Next I go up to the next finer grit to get out the scratches from the prior step. Sometimes can't completely file away a defect, so you have to compromise on how much of the rash/gouge/indentation you are willing to leave on there in order to retain the shape and esthetics of part. Once sanded, you can then use three grades of compound with the buffing wheel starting with black, then brown, then white. On a part that is good shape which has no damage, you may be able to sidestep the sanding process and just use the three compound process with the buffing wheel.
     
  7. dkavanagh

    dkavanagh Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    It's possible there's some clearcoat. Once I started wet sanding, I saw black residue which is what I expect from aluminum, more than clear-coat. I'm hesitant to use stripper on the entire part since I'd like that black paint to stay in the recesses.
    Oh, another thing. On the buffing kit I got, it mentioned the black compound wasn't to be used on soft metals, so I went to the medium (red in my case).
     
  8. Paul Howells

    Paul Howells Active Member

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    I wish my wife wouldn't use air quotes when she tells people that I'm "polishing my aluminum" in the garage.
     
    jayrodoh and MattiThundrrr like this.
  9. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    This joke was made in another polishing thread... by Matti! Do we have a second comedy guru?
     
  10. Paul Howells

    Paul Howells Active Member

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    It's true! I have never even polished any aluminum! I made it all up for the joke. I my sub conscience must have remembered your post in the other thread. Now I know how Amy Schumer feels.
     
  11. MattiThundrrr

    MattiThundrrr Not a guru

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    I wouldn't mind knowing how she feels...
    when she sleeps on her mattress made of money. I'd try it once, then exchange it for a mattress made of xjs!
     
  12. Melnic

    Melnic Active Member

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    Bringing this post back up.
    What I'm specifically looking for is what clear coat to use when done polishing.
    I'm doing the forks and all the side covers on the engine this winter.
    thx
     
  13. Melnic

    Melnic Active Member

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    I did some recent work on an XS650 and purchased a bench polisher but am still learning to use it properly so did most of the fishing work by hand.
    Here is what I used.

    To remove the UV faded clear coat, Citristrip. Compared to the aircraft paint remover I used, this was much easier and cleaned off w/o scraping. Just wiped or brushed off.
    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Citrist...rnish-Stripping-Gel-Non-NMP-QCSG801/307416109

    Where the aluminum turned spotty black, I used 400 grit, then went to 800 grit with these wheels on a dremel.
    400 grit
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R1XKVD4/
    800 grit
    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07S2QWRYG/

    Than hand sanded w/ 1000 or 1200 grit

    Hand then wet sanded with 1500/2000 grit

    Mothers aluminum polish on a drill mounted polishing wheel/cone. You may have to do some areas by hand.

    It is not a mirror finish but I hope to get that when I'm better at using the bench polisher.
     

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