Getting the compressor cover polished
- Thread starter turbojoe1
- Start date
dr_frankenstein
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
dr_frankenstein
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
im real picky about how the polish comes out so my process is kinda long. but not all people buff the same... this just works for me and you will find your groove as you learn.
I generally use only eastwood brand compounds and buffs but in my old days i got away with some good work from harbor frieght junk. but there is alot of work prior to any of that.
first thing is to clean the cover of any grease and oil as best as you possibly can. i like to boil my parts for a sec in dawn dish soap and water to get the casting to release any grease. Then just start sanding! start at 120 and work up until 800. The metal should be smooth and almost soft feeling to the touch. dip your hands in flour while sanding to prevent any of your hand oils from contaminating the metal. the finer the finish you can produce by hand with the sanding the faster and easier it will be to buff later. as for special tool in this process? a dremel with a small sanding drum on low speed with a gentle touch goes a long way in corners and around lettering. but for the most part, paint sticks cut to shape with sand paper glued to them is about as fancy as it gets.
once you have your smooth finish, repeat the washing process again to get the casting to release any oil or grit from the surface. again avoid bare hands on the metal and use gloves to handle washed part. An old pair of cho-nies and compressed air works best to dry it. Then you can begin the buffing. start with a spiral sown sisal buff at med speed and use a red rouge or tripoli compound. load the wheel med to heavy with the compound and let it fling any excess. (face shield and dust mask a must!) dip your hands in flour grab your part and begin buffing. let it smudge the compound and spread it around, you dont want to sit in one spot to long or you will burn the finish. just slowly work the smudge until it starts to dry and buff away... its alot like polishing shoes. (ive done that on the buffer too! HA!) once you have your first cut it will be smooth smooth and probably showing a real nice shine at this point. this is generally where most big companys quit... wash it and send it out. bare metal and all... terrible. So after this first cut, i like to repeat the wash... again, watch your hands and avoid grease. now switch your buff to a soft loose flannel and grab your next compound. this will be white rouge or coloring compound. this time light to med load the wheel. let it sling again, and get ready to begin. this time dont push a heavy smudge- but rather a very light one and work it around, what your doing here isnt cutting the metal but now actually smoothing and polishing the surface. you should begin to see whats called an "18" inch shine (pull a tape measure away from the surface of the polish and you should see a minimum of 18") thats when your about done. the final step or coloring process is what will sharpen images in the shine and give the aluminum that brilliance.
once your done with that and feel you have gotten the shine you want, repeat the wash process one more time and buff it gently with a nice ol pair of clean cho-nies. after that i like to hit the parts with Zoop Seal to protect the finish and Eastwood has a simular product called Diamond Clear, cause the raw metal will oxidize fast if left open.
hope that helps!
A.j.
I generally use only eastwood brand compounds and buffs but in my old days i got away with some good work from harbor frieght junk. but there is alot of work prior to any of that.
first thing is to clean the cover of any grease and oil as best as you possibly can. i like to boil my parts for a sec in dawn dish soap and water to get the casting to release any grease. Then just start sanding! start at 120 and work up until 800. The metal should be smooth and almost soft feeling to the touch. dip your hands in flour while sanding to prevent any of your hand oils from contaminating the metal. the finer the finish you can produce by hand with the sanding the faster and easier it will be to buff later. as for special tool in this process? a dremel with a small sanding drum on low speed with a gentle touch goes a long way in corners and around lettering. but for the most part, paint sticks cut to shape with sand paper glued to them is about as fancy as it gets.
once you have your smooth finish, repeat the washing process again to get the casting to release any oil or grit from the surface. again avoid bare hands on the metal and use gloves to handle washed part. An old pair of cho-nies and compressed air works best to dry it. Then you can begin the buffing. start with a spiral sown sisal buff at med speed and use a red rouge or tripoli compound. load the wheel med to heavy with the compound and let it fling any excess. (face shield and dust mask a must!) dip your hands in flour grab your part and begin buffing. let it smudge the compound and spread it around, you dont want to sit in one spot to long or you will burn the finish. just slowly work the smudge until it starts to dry and buff away... its alot like polishing shoes. (ive done that on the buffer too! HA!) once you have your first cut it will be smooth smooth and probably showing a real nice shine at this point. this is generally where most big companys quit... wash it and send it out. bare metal and all... terrible. So after this first cut, i like to repeat the wash... again, watch your hands and avoid grease. now switch your buff to a soft loose flannel and grab your next compound. this will be white rouge or coloring compound. this time light to med load the wheel. let it sling again, and get ready to begin. this time dont push a heavy smudge- but rather a very light one and work it around, what your doing here isnt cutting the metal but now actually smoothing and polishing the surface. you should begin to see whats called an "18" inch shine (pull a tape measure away from the surface of the polish and you should see a minimum of 18") thats when your about done. the final step or coloring process is what will sharpen images in the shine and give the aluminum that brilliance.
once your done with that and feel you have gotten the shine you want, repeat the wash process one more time and buff it gently with a nice ol pair of clean cho-nies. after that i like to hit the parts with Zoop Seal to protect the finish and Eastwood has a simular product called Diamond Clear, cause the raw metal will oxidize fast if left open.
hope that helps!
A.j.
Custom Polish did mine and it looks great. It took them 1.5 weeks to get it back to me.
ks
dr_frankenstein
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
Anytime! lol
Like i said, my process is a bit longer then some but i really like a professional show quality shine on my parts. Prep really is the key here for the do-it yourselfer, elbow work and more elbow work sanding to smooth the metal is where it at to make that shine show. Unless you have industrial size buffing equipment that really cuts hard and fast with like a 12 or 14" buffer wheel or them nice greaseless cutting compounds and matching wheels - good'ol hand sanding is the ticket for at home.
OH YEA! one little tip for those who want to buff at home....... get a grounding strap for your wrist........ as you buff your parts, the action of the wheel and compound rubbing the metal will build up static electricity... and when it builds enough it will zap you! and it will zap you just hard enough to make you jump or flinch ---------- which can make you accedently push your wheel into a corner of an edge of your part ripping it out of your hands and zinging it across the shop either hurting you, your shop or the part. so just heads up. Becareful out there guys!
dr_frankenstein
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2008
Well ive always had an eye for shiney things... I come from an old school low rider family and if it dont go it gotta show!
And just to let everybody else know i will do most popular buick compressor covers for members at 65.00 + the ride to and fro and takes 1 to 2 weeks depending on the shipping you desire. Actual part buffing time will be about 1 day depending on the part so if your local, same day service!
Other parts will be price based on item. Buffing is available for most NON-Ferrious items. Industrial protective sealent extra.
Please send PM if interested or more information is desired!
And just to let everybody else know i will do most popular buick compressor covers for members at 65.00 + the ride to and fro and takes 1 to 2 weeks depending on the shipping you desire. Actual part buffing time will be about 1 day depending on the part so if your local, same day service!
Other parts will be price based on item. Buffing is available for most NON-Ferrious items. Industrial protective sealent extra.
Please send PM if interested or more information is desired!
I received my cover today and WOW.
This thing is shiny!!!!!!!!!!
Vey nice packing too
Thank you very very much
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