polishing metal pieces

[jazer80]

i found the following instructions for polishing your valve cover, and was interested if anyone here has done anything like this, and if so how it came out. i know this isn't 'exterior', but this seems like it could be applied to lots of things on your car, and this category kinda fits.

Author: Geo

Tools Required:
10 mm wrench or rachet with 10 mm socket
Small blocks of wood (flat)
Rubber gloves
Small container for holding water
Small sanding pad (flexable type)
Sand paper 1000, 1500, 2000 (a few sheets of each)
Aircraft stripper (one can is more then enough)
Scraper (metal type)
Metal polish for aluminum (your choice)

Amount of time needed: Lot of time (25-30 hours worth for a start)
(Something nice to have while doing this project would be a spare valve cover to use because of the time involved on it)

1- Start by removing valve cover from engine.

2- Spray a good coat of stripper and let set 15 min.

3- Spray stripper off with water, then scrape any loose material left, reapply stripper if needed and repeat till all the paint is removed. (Use good safety habits and follow the instructions given on the can).

4- Wipe dry or let air dry.

5- Start wet sanding valve cover with 1000 G w/wood block. Wash off frequently to remove the silt from sanding. Use the rubber gloves otherwise your fingers will pick up the aluminum particles, not good, hope you used them too when using the stripper. (This is just the start!).

6- Continued till it feels pretty even, then change to 1500 G paper and continue with wet sanding as before, it should be pretty smooth by now. (You can do it, keep it up!).

7- Change to the 2000 G paper and finish with final wet sanding w/block, should be pretty shiny after this part is done. (It looking good, keep going!).

8- Now comes the fun part, are your fingers ready, they better be. Apply the polish and rub and buff out, continue till your satisfied with the finish. Do final washing off and dry. (By now your fingers will feel like they're going to fall off, but wait your almost done!!!).

9- Put the valve cover back on the engine, stand back and admire the fruits of your labor.

10- Done

[jazer80]

someone? anyone?

[kicker1_solo]

I've done a valve cover...

[lkailburn]

that sounds about right. if your on HAN, i know a guy posted a write up over ther in the diy section. but its basically the same

[jazer80]

so this is a pretty good way of doing this huh? anyone got pics of a finished one?

[lkailburn]

one thing tho, at the end i would use a polishing compound.. and then a rubbing compound. you'll have a better mirror finish using those 2 in sequence after the sanding

[jazer80]

recommend any brands/where would i find these?

[jazer80]

wait, mirror finish? i figured it wouldn't be that shiny. do you mean it will look like chrome, or just like reflective brushed aluminum or something?

[lkailburn]

ehh more like a very reflective aluminum.. i think to get it to look like chrome would take a lot more time.

as for the brands: not sure, i just use what i have. i use my dads polishing compound(not sure what brand) and the rubbing compound i bought is turtlewax... but i've never used any other brands so i can't tell you if they're relatively good or not. they work for me tho, thats all i need to know.

[Tranzlogic]

reflective/brushed ..but hey you know that the coating is on teh cover for a reason..and over a period of time with daily driving and engine cleaning and so forth that it will pit and the finish will fade away and oxidate and so forth..it will look good temp...but over time it will look like junk...just get it powdercoated or buy a type r or a mugen rep

[jazer80]

over how long a period, months, or years?

[lkailburn]

you could always paint it with that wrinkle paint. thats what i'm gonna be doing with mine. less work and will last longer. but its all about personal tastes

[lxndr]

I usually use a buffinging wheel and compound. Much faster and easier!
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?i...32&iSubCat=432
Should last several years without re-buffing, or you can clear coat it to make it last even longer. I just re-polish my parts by hand when they need it.

[jazer80]

where would i get this hi temp clear coat? a few years ?? bad ass. if it was gonna be messed up in a few months to a year then it prolly wouldn't be worth it, but years is fine. by buffing wheel, do you mean the kind i use w/ the soft thing to take wax off my car (obviously w/ sandpaper on it)? oh any tricks for getting the sides of the letters, i am foreseeing those being a bitch

[Tranzlogic]

you can get hi-temp clear from auto zone or so forth..i use teh dupli-color because it has a much better nozzle than the rest..it has a fan spray rather than circular...but if you clear over brushed its gonna look like shit..so i dont know why he said that...and if you were just gonna wrinke paint it then theres no need to sand it down..just scuff it up with 120grt