I just had to buff some aluminum trim plates I made, and I'd forgotten
that it wasn't as easy as it sounds. I had a medium stiff felt wheel
with some gray buffing compound recommended for aluminum. I tried to do
a careful job of sanding out all the major scratches beforehand,
finishing up with emery cloth. I managed to get a relatively nice shine,
but only after a good bit of time at the wheel. The biggest problem was
fusing little streaks of buffing compound onto the metal. Some places
would just end up with a thin gray haze of compound, and it would come
off OK. The fused compound had to be scrubbed off with a paper towel,
and this left streaks of micro-scratches that had to be buffed out again.

I don't know if I'm using the wrong wheel, the wrong buffing compound or
lousy technique (all three?). Maybe I'm letting the metal get too hot,
or I have too much compound on the wheel. I have other compounds and
some soft wheels (muslin?). I bought all this stuff eons ago, but
haven't used it enough to remember what all I've got & why.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Doug White

Stitched Muslin cloth wheel, tripoli compound.

Tony.
"Doug White" wrote in message
...
I just had to buff some aluminum trim plates I made, and I'd forgotten
that it wasn't as easy as it sounds. I had a medium stiff felt wheel
with some gray buffing compound recommended for aluminum. I tried to do
a careful job of sanding out all the major scratches beforehand,
finishing up with emery cloth. I managed to get a relatively nice shine,
but only after a good bit of time at the wheel. The biggest problem was
fusing little streaks of buffing compound onto the metal. Some places
would just end up with a thin gray haze of compound, and it would come
off OK. The fused compound had to be scrubbed off with a paper towel,
and this left streaks of micro-scratches that had to be buffed out again.

I don't know if I'm using the wrong wheel, the wrong buffing compound or
lousy technique (all three?). Maybe I'm letting the metal get too hot,
or I have too much compound on the wheel. I have other compounds and
some soft wheels (muslin?). I bought all this stuff eons ago, but
haven't used it enough to remember what all I've got & why.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Doug White

Very light touch, don't let any heat buid up. Aluminum oxides form quickly
with heat and they are hard! Also clean muslin wheel often and apply little
compound.

cheers
T.Alan

(Doug White) wrote in message ...
I just had to buff some aluminum trim plates I made, and I'd forgotten
that it wasn't as easy as it sounds. I had a medium stiff felt wheel
with some gray buffing compound recommended for aluminum. I tried to do
a careful job of sanding out all the major scratches beforehand,
finishing up with emery cloth. I managed to get a relatively nice shine,
but only after a good bit of time at the wheel. The biggest problem was
fusing little streaks of buffing compound onto the metal. Some places
would just end up with a thin gray haze of compound, and it would come
off OK. The fused compound had to be scrubbed off with a paper towel,
and this left streaks of micro-scratches that had to be buffed out again.

I don't know if I'm using the wrong wheel, the wrong buffing compound or
lousy technique (all three?). Maybe I'm letting the metal get too hot,
or I have too much compound on the wheel. I have other compounds and
some soft wheels (muslin?). I bought all this stuff eons ago, but
haven't used it enough to remember what all I've got & why.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.


I always had good luck shining up motorcycle parts with Simichrome on
a soft muslin wheel. A little work would leave the average stock
aluminum cover with a mirror finish. Bach when I was a biker, this is
all anyone that I knew ever used.

Regards,

Bob




Thanks!

Doug White