How do you polish aluminum and steel parts?

jtischauser

jtischauser

I'm addicted to kicking ass
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Sep 11, 2010
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I need to polish up a few parts on my guns. I have a dremel but the little buffing thingy that comps with it doesn't seem to do a whole helluva lot. At least when I use it. What do you guys use?
 
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I can bring you some really, really nice emery paper tomorrow, if you want. I have 600, 800, and 1200 grit. Notebook paper smoothness is supposedly 1000 grit.
 
I have some 1000 grit sandpaper that I bought at an automotive store. It still leaves scratches on aluminum. I need a polish/buffing wheel and compound for the dremmel. I think???
 
Jessie... When you polish with emery papers or crocus alternate direction as you progress to finer grits. That takes care of the scratches left by the coarser grit preceding.
On steel.... A little fine oil with paper tends to float the dust and gives good results.

Lapping compound or jewelers rouge works on most metals too

A lot depends on the size of the object.... A bench grinder running a cotton buffing wheel loaded with fine compounds may work on some things.... Other parts may need a small vise, dremel tools or hand work. Some times it's efficient to turn the part in a drill or lathe while the polishing medium is held in hand.
 
In the past for small parts, I've used a cotton buffing wheel with a polishing compound.
Ive used brasso, or some stuff called spritz that be purchased at a motorcycle shop. This has only been done on steel, so I'm not sure how it would do on aluminum
 
I found this on a motorcycle forum about polishing aluminum.
Basically they recomend to powder coat the parts. I have done a lot of powder coating on my Classic ATV 3 wheeler, on the frame, tank, etc, and its tough. There are all kinds of colors, metal flake, etc.
I don't know much about the process, but I wonder how it would work for gun stuff??

THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB< BE WARNED>

1. Remove lacquer with furniture paint stripper.

2. Start with relatively rough sand paper. Use something rough enough to take out all existing scratches. Move to the next finer grade. Sand in a different direction from the first grade. Sand until all scratches from first grade are gone. Move to the next finer grade. Sand in a different direction from the first grade. Sand until all scratches from second grade are gone. Repeat this process using finer and finer grades until you get the finish you want. Most jewelers do this for six or seven times before buffing. For a motorcycle frame, each sanding will probably take an entire day. You may also need to buff with a buffer and jeweler's rouge [link is to product info at Amazon] to get a true mirror finish. Immediately coat your part with spray clear lacquer, use several coats. I would suggest practicing on flat parts before attempting something as difficult as wheels or frames. Ultra-fine sandpaper is available. Use wet-dry sandpaper [link is to product info at Rockler] so you can wash the aluminum dust off the sandpaper. WEAR! A DUST MASK! Aluminum dust is not a good thing to breathe.

Personally, I'd suggest looking at powder-coating your parts at a shop, instead. Very cool look, reasonable price, much less work.
 
Oh, yeah, aluminum requires an oxidized surface layer to remain stable and non-reactive. This is also true of stainless steel. If you polish it and then coat it with oil, or anything else, before it regains it's protective "rust" coating, it will degrade. Aluminum should be dull, this indicates the passivated oxide layer is there. The only way to give aluminum a stable shiny polished look is anodizing or plating.

Also, to use that "little buffing thingy" :lol: , you need to get some compound like jeweler's rouge or any of its analogs, and load the buffer with compound by applying the compound to it while it's spinning. Then you can apply the buffer to the parts, and the polishing will begin in earnest. Using just the cotton buffer itself does nothing but remove a bit of dirt/oil/booger.
 
Dr Mitch said:
Oh, yeah, aluminum requires an oxidized surface layer to remain stable and non-reactive. This is also true of stainless steel. If you polish it and then coat it with oil, or anything else, before it regains it's protective "rust" coating, it will degrade. Aluminum should be dull, this indicates the passivated oxide layer is there. The only way to give aluminum a stable shiny polished look is anodizing or plating.

Also, to use that "little buffing thingy" :lol: , you need to get some compound like jeweler's rouge or any of its analogs, and load the buffer with compound by applying the compound to it while it's spinning. Then you can apply the buffer to the parts, and the polishing will begin in earnest. Using just the cotton buffer itself does nothing but remove a bit of dirt/oil/booger.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that about aluminum. I did know about the anodize process, but it normally is in a dull finish?
The last sentence is gospel.
 
Well, an individual working without a laboratory-grade process has little hope of shining aluminum up to a mirror polish. I think telescope mirrors are covered in aluminum, in those huge domes on the mountain tops.
 
Wow, I think Dr. Mitch should stick to internal medicine, and leave metalurgy and surface finishes (as well as Chrome lined bores) to the metalurgists! After a good amount of "elbow grease" and a nice SOFT polshing disc with Jewler's rouge Aluminum can be mirror bright, ,and with a small amount of Boe-guard shinny for decades to come. The problem with Aluminum is that it is SOFT and any type of buffer can cause "wallowing" which causes "less than mirror finishes", you have to have the touch and all is well!

Why do you want to know this Jesse??? need a flower refector??

BTW TroyF is on the right track for small stuff....and it WILL be bright and shinny!!
 
Geez, its like there are educated people on here. I'm gonna go back to playing with my coloring books now.
 
dennishoddy said:
THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB< BE WARNED>

1. Remove lacquer with furniture paint stripper.

2. Start with relatively rough sand paper. Use something rough enough to take out all existing scratches. Move to the next finer grade. Sand in a different direction from the first grade. Sand until all scratches from first grade are gone. Move to the next finer grade. Sand in a different direction from the first grade. Sand until all scratches from second grade are gone. Repeat this process using finer and finer grades until you get the finish you want. Most jewelers do this for six or seven times before buffing. For a motorcycle frame, each sanding will probably take an entire day. You may also need to buff with a buffer and jeweler's rouge [link is to product info at Amazon] to get a true mirror finish. Immediately coat your part with spray clear lacquer, use several coats. I would suggest practicing on flat parts before attempting something as difficult as wheels or frames. Ultra-fine sandpaper is available. Use wet-dry sandpaper [link is to product info at Rockler] so you can wash the aluminum dust off the sandpaper. WEAR! A DUST MASK! Aluminum dust is not a good thing to breathe.
Click to expand...


Dr Mitch said:
Oh, yeah, aluminum requires an oxidized surface layer to remain stable and non-reactive. This is also true of stainless steel. If you polish it and then coat it with oil, or anything else, before it regains it's protective "rust" coating, it will degrade. Aluminum should be dull, this indicates the passivated oxide layer is there. The only way to give aluminum a stable shiny polished look is anodizing or plating.
Click to expand...

This thread is making my head hurt..........
 
I am trying to polish my lifter on my Benelli and the edges of the loading port that I opened up.
 
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