polishing up metal valve cover

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:00 am

okay i got the metal valve cover from daftmajin and i'm wondering how to go about this the right way. i have Mother's Polish for mag and aluminum and i've started to use it. i can tell its working but there is imperfections in the metal almost like the orange peel effect on paint jobs. should i just try to sand it down with some 1400 grit sandpaper or what? i want it to be chrome looking with as little imperfections as possible. thanks

nick

DomWoo · Post by **DomWoo** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:39 am

sanding will make it way faster too

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:50 am

sanding will make it way faster too

okay? are you being sarcastic as in it'll make the car fast or sanding will make the process faster? if i sand it i'm gonna wet sand it of course.

nick

DomWoo · Post by **DomWoo** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:51 am

i always sand before polishing it takes all that crap off that takes for ever with the polish and makes it way way faster of a job

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 1:57 am

okay cool so 1400 should be good right?

nick

DomWoo · Post by **DomWoo** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 4:06 am

i use 800 first then i go over it with 1000 then 2000 then polish.. but im sure 1400 will be fine

www.forenzamotorsports.co · Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:18 pm

Yes sanding is the key. Then use a dremel tool or a drill with buffer pad to get the high shine that you can not get by hand.

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:21 pm

thanks guys one more question wet sand or dry sand? i'm guessing wet so it doesn't leave a bunch of scratches. just wanna make sure.

nick

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:39 pm

If you did not know, when using a buffing wheel on a drill, there are different grades of polishing compound which come in a bar of wax-like material.

Course will take out the imperfections, but leave tiny scratches.
Medium will remove the tiny scratches
Fine will polish the surface to look like a mirror.

The two most commonly found and used polishing compounds are red (course) and white (fine). The come in a brick that looks almost like a chocolate bar.

When buffing, try to keep all the polishing going in the same direction. Don't do part of the metal up and down, then another part side to side and another at an angle across it. You will be able to see where the angles change when you look at it at just the right angle in the light. If you keep it all in one direction you won't see any changes in the surface polish.

Buffing wheel:

Bussing wheel being used:

Good luck.

Cliff

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 4:40 pm

thanks man i didn't know about those buffing bars at all. i'll look into that for sure.

nick

TheGreatAndPowerfulOz · Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:12 pm

Remember to use a different wheel for each grade of polishing compound.

When the wheel is spinning, you hold the bar against it so it warms up and rubs into the wheel. That way, the polish is embedded in the wheel and you can polish the metal.

lanos2001 · Post by **lanos2001** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:25 pm

now it'll work with a buffer deal thta hooks up to a drill right?

nick

KnightWalace · Post by **KnightWalace** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:33 pm

dude i've been doing that since i was six. I didn't even think of doing that to metal parts of my car... nice call oz.

(Parents used to be Jewelry salesmen/women)