best polish for brushed alumium

i want to try and polish my back rest and rear turn signal arms i have seen some that have a chrome look thats what i want to try and get
have tried some turtlewax polish and a buffing wheel but cant get a good enough shine
any other/better supplies available
dont want to start buying different ones just to try.

 

Until you strip the original clear coat no polish in the world will work.

Then it's just a matter of how shiny you want it. Do a forum search on "polishing aluminum."

 

Flitz:


IMAG0375 by buellosaurusrex, on Flickr

 

You need a Buffing Kit, ... of sorts.

Variable Speed Drill
Buffing Wheels:
Firm, Soft, Sewn, Un-sewn
Do a Search of Aluminum Polishing.

Brown Polishing Compound. Hard Buff. Sewn. Actually smooths-out the surface.
The Wheel collects Alloy as it Buffs the surface at this stage.
Sharpen the "V" and the "U" on an old Can Opener. Very sharp edges.
Use the Tool to "Dress" the Buffing Wheel when it collects (clogs with) enough material and gets heavily darkened.

White Polishing Compound: Medium Buffer. Sewn. Begins to bring-out the luster of Polished Aluminum. Buff with White applied to the Buffing Wheel after frequent Buffing-Wheel dressings. The more you dress and start anew with White Compound will bring the Polishing process to a finish that looks better than some chromes.

After White Compounding makes you giddy; ---> "Pimp".

Jewelers Rouge #5 Beautiful. Med. Un-sewn.
Some guys stop right here. The Aluminum is transformed.

Jewelers Rouge #6 Soft. Un-sewn.
Makes it look like you shopped for Bling at Tiffany's.

 

will this work on oxidized aluminum?

 

Yes, but you need to sand the surface to get rid of pitting before polishing.
As said above, removing the clearcoat is step #1.
Work in steps - 120, 180, 240, 400, 600 then the buffing begins.

 

good to know thanks for sharing.

 

I took my Aluminum Parts to the Classic Car Restoration Shop where I bartered
doing Go-fer Duty and Parts-run guy chores for the Bench-space, Air-powered Grinder with Adhesive Disc set-up and Air Line for the Grinder.

I used the Air Tool to Prep the Covers using Finishing Paper Disc's meant for a larger Dual Action Sander; making cookie-cutter smaller Discs for the Smaller Tool.

To "RESTORE" Side Cover Surrounds and Seat Rails with peeling Factory Plating ... (Midnight Bikes) ... will require some Time-consuming Labor.

The PLATING needs to be Grinded off.
It will take some determination; but peeling Gold and Bronze Plating can be removed.

Same Drill as Prepping for Polishing.
The process requires a concentrated application of 320 Grit Sanding Disc's.
Note the plural!
Disc's, ... many of them.
Bring ... a ... lunch!
It's work!
• • Wear ear plugs!

After removing the Plating:
400, 600, 800, 1000, 1000 or 1200 Wet.
Some guys quit, here.

Others grab the Polishing Kit and do the Full Monte.

 

For the definition of "insanity" please refer to this thread! (j/k)

 

I use a high speed bench buffer / polisher and jewlers polish for a final shine. Before that used the red stick then white. The red takes the pitting out without sanding, the white fine polishes then the jewlers polish for the utimate shine. Once ya get enough friction to heat the metal up usually strips right off, depending on how deep the pitting and oxidation is. Change polishing wheels for each, do not mix polishes on the same wheel.