Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Tanks,
DOC

On Fri, 16 Sep 2011 06:41:34 -0700 (PDT), doc
wrote:

Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Tanks,
DOC

Bead blast?

doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Fastest would be to grain it with about 200
grit sandpaper in one direction. Making very
light scribe marks helps alot.

"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Fastest would be to grain it with about 200
grit sandpaper in one direction. Making very
light scribe marks helps alot.

Agreed. With aluminum, you usually can do it by hand as fast as you can by
machine, if it's not too large. Graining will cover marks a lot better and
faster than blasting or other random abrasion. And it looks pretty good.

--
Ed Huntress

"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...

"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Fastest would be to grain it with about 200
grit sandpaper in one direction. Making very
light scribe marks helps alot.

Agreed. With aluminum, you usually can do it by hand as fast as you can by
machine, if it's not too large. Graining will cover marks a lot better and
faster than blasting or other random abrasion. And it looks pretty good.



For larger areas of flat work I usually will go with matte instead, by using
a random or figure 8 motion pattern and a maroon scotch brite pad.

"PrecisionmachinisT" wrote in message
news:bZednZx5MI1GGu7TnZ2dnUVZ_vSdnZ2d@scnresearch. com...

"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...

"Jim Stewart" wrote in message
...
doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Fastest would be to grain it with about 200
grit sandpaper in one direction. Making very
light scribe marks helps alot.

Agreed. With aluminum, you usually can do it by hand as fast as you can
by machine, if it's not too large. Graining will cover marks a lot better
and faster than blasting or other random abrasion. And it looks pretty
good.



For larger areas of flat work I usually will go with matte instead, by
using a random or figure 8 motion pattern and a maroon scotch brite pad.

Yeah, on a large area it can be difficult to make graining come out even.
But it's easy on small ones.

--
Ed Huntress

On 9/16/2011 9:41 AM, doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Tanks,
DOC




Wire Brush!

Jim Stewart wrote:
doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Fastest would be to grain it with about 200
grit sandpaper in one direction. Making very
light scribe marks helps alot.

I've seen mirror-smooth aluminum, but I have no idea how they
achieved it - maybe lapping?

Good Luck!
Rich

Rich Grise wrote:
Jim Stewart wrote:
doc wrote:
Any suggestions for finishing an aluminum bracket?
(bout 3" sq.)

No critical dimensions or anything.

Just want to get rid of witness marks and shine up the piece
so it doesn't look too rough.

I'm thinking something like flap wheels or some of that
3M stuff.

Fastest would be to grain it with about 200
grit sandpaper in one direction. Making very
light scribe marks helps alot.

I've seen mirror-smooth aluminum, but I have no idea how they
achieved it - maybe lapping?

I've gotten near-mirror finishes by sanding with
progressively finer grits of sandpaper, ending
with 800 or so and then buffing with a canvas
wheel and polishing rouge. Ryobi sells the wheels
and rouge at Home Despot.

Jim Stewart wrote:
Rich Grise wrote:

I've seen mirror-smooth aluminum, but I have no idea how they
achieved it - maybe lapping?

I've gotten near-mirror finishes by sanding with
progressively finer grits of sandpaper, ending
with 800 or so and then buffing with a canvas
wheel and polishing rouge. Ryobi sells the wheels
and rouge at Home Despot.

Thanks!
Rich