Polishing Aluminum

[67 Wickens]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the correct place but does anyone know of a good bench top or of the like - buffer / polisher? I'm thinking a 1 hp or 2 hp.

Having all of the polishing done at a shop is going to be too expensive and I have alot to do.

Thanks for the help.

[RiverRacer]

I got this from Harbor Freight, it's a Baldor copy 3/4hp works great for at home, don't know about 8 hour a day production work though, but I'm not into that!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12&stc=1&d=1205782513

[tunnelrunner]

On the polishing aluminium theme.... what do you guys use to hand polish water spots off? And is there any sort of coating/product that you can apply to stop the water spotting....this is driving me nuts pulling all the ally off to hand polish after each trip!

Cheers
Tony

[hm66Howard]

The one I got was a Crafstman Industrial 1 HP, 3600 rpm bench grinder. The wheels are really wide spaced so once I took off all the guards and crap and mounted the buffing wheels on it it worked great. Then when I was done, I had a bench grinder too. RPM is your friend when it comes to polishing. That and LOTS of prep work. Wait a minute, that parts not my friend. :p

[67 Wickens]

I got this from Harbor Freight, it's a Baldor copy 3/4hp works great for at home, don't know about 8 hour a day production work though, but I'm not into that!...

http://www.v-driveboat.com/vweb/attachment.php?attachmentid=12&stc=1&d=1205782513

RR - I went through two of these.... With both of them when any pressure was applied they would come to a stop?? By your comments, it sounds like yours didn't do this??? I wonder what the difference is?

[RiverRacer]

The one I got was a Crafstman Industrial 1 HP, 3600 rpm bench grinder. The wheels are really wide spaced so once I took off all the guards and crap and mounted the buffing wheels on it it worked great. Then when I was done, I had a bench grinder too. RPM is your friend when it comes to polishing. That and LOTS of prep work. Wait a minute, that parts not my friend. :p

Hey, no matter how easy you make it, polishing sucks the big one!..LOL...:D

[hm66Howard]

Hey, no matter how easy you make it, polishing sucks the big one!..LOL...:D
Agreed!!!!

[RiverRacer]

RR - I went through two of these.... With both of them when any pressure was applied they would come to a stop?? By your comments, it sounds like yours didn't do this??? I wonder what the difference is?

Well, they are not a Baldor and for $60 what do you expect,LOL. but I never did any big stuff like motor plates or anything yet so I don't know, but did a lot of small brackets and stuff with no problems couldn't slow it down at all, but maybe with a real wide wheel and big stuff it may be too much for it, after all it's only 3/4hp, is yours by Central Machinery???..

[67 Wickens]

I believe it was. I sent it back already, I got it online. But I found the same one at Harbor Frieght for less money than I paid online. Anyway, I was trying to do big parts, manifold, Highrise, engine plates and as soon as I applied a good amount of pressure it would slowdown and or stop. The place I got it from said it would handle it...

So now I'm looking for a 1hp or more with a high wheel speed. Thanks for the info.

[67 Wickens]

On the polishing aluminium theme.... what do you guys use to hand polish water spots off? And is there any sort of coating/product that you can apply to stop the water spotting....this is driving me nuts pulling all the ally off to hand polish after each trip!

Cheers
Tony

The best thing that I know of to take off water spots is White Vinegar or there's a product called CLR.

[67 Wickens]

The one I got was a Crafstman Industrial 1 HP, 3600 rpm bench grinder. The wheels are really wide spaced so once I took off all the guards and crap and mounted the buffing wheels on it it worked great. Then when I was done, I had a bench grinder too. RPM is your friend when it comes to polishing. That and LOTS of prep work. Wait a minute, that parts not my friend. :p

Howard,
Do you happen to know the part or catalogue number for this grinder?

[RiverRacer]

I believe it was. I sent it back already, I got it online. But I found the same one at Harbor Frieght for less money than I paid online. Anyway, I was trying to do big parts, manifold, Highrise, engine plates and as soon as I applied a good amount of pressure it would slowdown and or stop. The place I got it from said it would handle it...

So now I'm looking for a 1hp or more with a high wheel speed. Thanks for the info.

Well, if you're doing big stuff then you need the power for sure, I'd go for a 2hp minimum for that, like I said it's great for small stuff and I hate polishing and the big stuff I'll leave to a polishing shop!..

[RiverRacer]

The best thing that I know of to take off water spots is White Vinegar or there's a product called CLR.

Vinegar works great but CLR will etch it, what I do is wipe all the polish stuff with WD before I go out and when I'm done just wipe it off so it don't accumilate crud, seems to work good and it's quick!..

[tunnelrunner]

I'll give the vinegar a go , thanks

[hm66Howard]

Howard,
Do you happen to know the part or catalogue number for this grinder?
Mike, I just went out to the garage (BRRRR!) and got the part # off the grinder. It's: 257.192190. It takes 8 x 1" grinding wheels and I think I used 8" or maybe even 10" buffing wheels on it with no bogging problems. Did my motor plates, bellhousing, etc. I bought it through the catalog sales at Sears about 15 years ago. I hope they still make it. With the wheel spacing as wide as they are it gives you plenty of room to maneuver large pieces. Good luck. Chris

[67 Wickens]

Mike, I just went out to the garage (BRRRR!) and got the part # off the grinder. It's: 257.192190. It takes 8 x 1" grinding wheels and I think I used 8" or maybe even 10" buffing wheels on it with no bogging problems. Did my motor plates, bellhousing, etc. I bought it through the catalog sales at Sears about 15 years ago. I hope they still make it. With the wheel spacing as wide as they are it gives you plenty of room to maneuver large pieces. Good luck. Chris

WOW - forum dedication! Thanks for bearing the COLD. I'll see what I can find. Thanks again.

[67 Wickens]

Vinegar works great but CLR will etch it, what I do is wipe all the polish stuff with WD before I go out and when I'm done just wipe it off so it don't accumilate crud, seems to work good and it's quick!..

CLR will etch things? Yikes, must remember not to use that again then.

[lebel409]

I got all stuff professinally polished at rainbow polishing...except for the parts I forgot and the stuff I'll have to make.

I repair band instruments and buff all the time. Aluminum is harder to buff than brass.

I'll use a scotchbrite wheel to "level" it (older parts with lots of corrosion or parts with sanding marks). The the tripoli, then rouge.

Heat seems to help aluminum...not my fingers...

I have a 1 HP baldor 1800 RPM...too slow to do the best job, even with a 8" buff. You need the surface speed of a 10" or 11". 3600 RPM buffers need a small buff...5" or so or it's too fast.

CLR is a base, vinegar is an acid, both will etch aluminum.

[creepingcharlie]

craftmans has two different table buffers. 8in 3/4 hp and a 6in 1/2 hp buffer price range 149.99 to 99.99. both look to have good clearance. don't know how good they work just looking in my catalog.

[BradP]

On the polishing aluminium theme.... what do you guys use to hand polish water spots off? And is there any sort of coating/product that you can apply to stop the water spotting....this is driving me nuts pulling all the ally off to hand polish after each trip!

Cheers
Tony

Zoops Seal works GREAT!

I've had it on for two or thre seasons, windex and a paper towel.:D

[RiverRacer]

CLR is a base, vinegar is an acid, both will etch aluminum.

Mix vinegar with water and it works good if you don't let it sit, but just wipe it with CLR and it takes the brightness off!.. I still like WD wipe it on before you get wet and wipe it off when you're done!.. But it's still a pain that's why I keep polish to a bare minimum I hate it, ANNO is the way to go!..

[RiverRacer]

Zoops Seal works GREAT!

I've had it on for two or thre seasons, windex and a paper towel.:D

I hear that stuff is the shit, but Windex has amonia in it, don't it take it off??:confused:

[raysoninoz]

Bright shine cotton wading or wenol is good for removing water spots on alloy. To protect the alloy and keep it looking "just polished" have a look at the Por 15 range. You can paint it on (it doesn't leave brush marks if oyu use a decent brush) or it can be sprayed on to leave a clear tuff-as-nails coating. It should be available from the larger auto paint suppliers or the distributor is in Brookvale - Sydney (Northern Beaches)