SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Stripping/Polishing engine case
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1151995505
Message started by Motahed on 07/03/06 at 23:45:05

Title: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by Motahed on 07/03/06 at 23:45:05
I'm trying to clean up my old 86 Savage, but the engine cases have turned an ugly mottled mix of grey and silver. I have used paint stripper to remove laquer/clearcoat and rubbed like crazy with steel wool, then used Mothers Aluminum and Mag Polish but it is still a scabby and cancerous looking mix of grey and silver patches. It made both the grey and silver very shiny but that's about it. What am I doing wrong? The patches of silver between the grey scabs almost look like chrome now, so I would love to get the whole thing looking this way.

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by bobtreat on 07/04/06 at 05:30:33
My 04 has just started to oxidize around a couple of the bolt holes,an the plan is to send them off for chroming this fall.You might try a brass brush on a drill to clean an polish.The eastwood co. sells a polishing kit for aluminum

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by Island_Biker on 07/04/06 at 06:05:25
Why not paint it - some of the folks here have some terrific looking black engines.

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by Jim_R on 07/04/06 at 06:09:19
I used a orbital buffer and a orbital sander(with a buffer pad) and mothers polish.  Worked like a charm.  It does take time but its well worth it.

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by Motahed on 07/05/06 at 00:31:12
Thanks to all for the info. I guess I'll take another run at it, maybe using a more agressive abrasive to start, and finish by rubbing the Mothers in a lot more.

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by Dynobob on 07/05/06 at 13:30:26
If there's alot of corrosion, you have to sand the surface of the aluminum. Start with 360 grit (220 if it's really bad). Follow with 400 grit, then finer and finer grit.

I finish mine with some serious polishing with Simichrome polish. You can find it in most cycle shops. It also works great on chrome but be careful. It is quite abrasive and will remove material over time. I did that to my Cragar chrome wheels years ago ;D

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by stinger on 07/05/06 at 22:49:10
If you want your casings to come out like chrome, your going about it the wrong way. Polishing by hand just wont cut the mustard. Remove the cover to be polished and with a light grinder smooth out any deep scars. Dont worry about fine scratches, they will come out when you polish. Go to a hardware store and buy a package of usually 2 buffing wheels and some buffing compound. Costs anywhere from $5 to $10. Buy a couple of different compunds seperatly. Usually just a couple of dollars a piece. Attach the buffing wheel to a a electric motor with a shaft and just buff away. Ask a salesperson to help you pick out the compound. You work down from rough to a fine rouge. Whole job on a casing takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Wash the part . Then you can hand polish for a super finish, and then spray with  clear coat. if you prefer not to clear coat you will be forced to buff lightly with a cloth every couple of weeks to keep the finish. On small parts like spokes,  buy a small buffing wheel that fits on a drill. follow the same steps. Trick is to not use much pressure on the part with the wheel. let the wheel do all the work, and your parts will come out looking like chrome

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by theikeman on 07/14/06 at 23:10:53
It sounds like the paint remover was not left on long enough or was to weak. That is why some spots shine (bare aluminum) and some dont (still clearcoated) Try  paint remover again before you start the sweat job. It also helps to use fine steel wool to remove the gook the paint remover leaves behind.
Just my 2 cents

Ike

Title: Re: Stripping/Polishing engine case
Post by cstout on 07/15/06 at 18:42:42

stinger wrote:
If you want your casings to come out like chrome, your going about it the wrong way. Polishing by hand just wont cut the mustard. Remove the cover to be polished and with a light grinder smooth out any deep scars. Dont worry about fine scratches, they will come out when you polish. Go to a hardware store and buy a package of usually 2 buffing wheels and some buffing compound. Costs anywhere from $5 to $10. Buy a couple of different compunds seperatly. Usually just a couple of dollars a piece. Attach the buffing wheel to a a electric motor with a shaft and just buff away. Ask a salesperson to help you pick out the compound. You work down from rough to a fine rouge. Whole job on a casing takes maybe 10 to 15 minutes. Wash the part . Then you can hand polish for a super finish, and then spray with  clear coat. if you prefer not to clear coat you will be forced to buff lightly with a cloth every couple of weeks to keep the finish. On small parts like spokes,  buy a small buffing wheel that fits on a drill. follow the same steps. Trick is to not use much pressure on the part with the wheel. let the wheel do all the work, and your parts will come out looking like chrome



stinger,

I've used these buffing wheels a lot and they are fantastic.  I have a bench grinder with two of them on it that I use regularly for buffing anything from cabinet knobs to automotive parts.  This is how I was planning to buff my Savage parts but I was going to try mounting one to a drill so I don't have to disassemble everything and take it to the workbench.

SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2!
YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved.