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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
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Message started by randyradio on 02/20/11 at 20:28:34

Title: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by randyradio on 02/20/11 at 20:28:34

I got an 04 Savage last week and the aluminum parts on the bike need the clear coat stripped off and the pieces buffed. I got a bench buffer and stand and have some compounds I've been trying and I get a good shine but I want stunning. What stick compounds you all use and where to get them? I find paint stripper sure takes off the clear coat in minutes. I found spray lacquer at Home depot today. I guess some quick coats with that will seal the shine in awhile when I get them dome.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by MotoBuddha on 02/21/11 at 04:57:36

I've been buffing a lot of parts on my bike. Between stripping and a fabulous shine is a lot of sanding. (Wet sanding, of course.) When you look closely at the parts you see there are some areas Suzuki didn't bother to put a nice finish on. No amount of buffing will make those areas shine like chrome. So you need to sand them. (You might even need to do some grinding.) And to make sure everything looks the same, you need to sand everything.

Depending on the condition of the part, you might need to start with as coarse as 180 grit then work your way up to 220, 380, 400, 600, 800, 1000 and 2000. Once you get the uniform milky finish, then you can go to the buffing wheel.

You'll need buffing rouge, also called jeweler's rouge. Google it and you'll find all the sources you need. And you can probably find detailed instructions online, too.

Here are some before/after shots of my buffing. These haven't been on the wheel yet. I just hand rubbed them with some aluminum polish.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/0031b61a.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/42778eb3.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk182/motobuddha/29510967.jpg

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by randyradio on 02/21/11 at 05:03:01

Nice looking parts. That made a big difference. Thanks for the info.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by einheit13 on 02/21/11 at 05:52:05

Mothers aluminum polish. Do as above if it is really scaled/pitted. The aluminum polish will not 'yellow' on the cases from heat either.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by stoner on 02/21/11 at 06:00:20

Here is a great site for polishing info. My brother purchased some of their compounds for use on his 500 Shadow and the results were awesome. I am sure compunds purchased anywhere else would be just as good, but the site does offer a lot of good info on other stuff as well

Here ya go
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/21/11 at 08:33:13

A cotton wheel & a couple O bars of compound cot about 6 bux @ Harbor freight.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by Boofer on 02/22/11 at 00:13:53

The Eastwood company should be able to sell you anything you need.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by stinger on 02/22/11 at 00:30:12

I have polished most of my casings and they look as good as chrome. I do not clear coat them because it gives it a milky look. Parts will stay shiny for months and all it takes to bring back the shine is a little polishing by hand with a metal polish and rag. maybe takes 5 minutes per casing.
I agree you have to use sand paper to sand the rough areas that suzuki forgot to smooth out but instead of sandpaper I use these sanding blocks you can buy anywhere. They come in fine, medium and course. They work great because they are flexible and get down in all the grooves. After stripping the casing of the clear coating I can now polish a large part in a hour or so and make it look almost as good as chrome. You can read a newspaper off the reflection of the finish. The buffing wheels and rouge can be bought in most hardware stores. I get mine at Harbour Freights. All for under
$20.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by randyradio on 02/22/11 at 07:57:43

Thanks Stinger,

That should be doable and hearing that they stay nice looking awhile is good. I just didn't wanna be like marine corps motoring having to polish the brass every time you go out. BTW I'm retired air force and didn't have brass to polish but my dad was a 3 war 33yr Marine and I used to polish his brass and shoes. those are good life skills but that getting potty trained at gunpoint was a bit zippy....

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/22/11 at 08:34:54

grc-27

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by JohnBoy on 02/24/11 at 04:33:29

Here is a tip
When looking for cheap simple sanding sticks, check the local drugstore beauty counter for foam fingernail boards. They generally come in different grits, cost pennies, and can be cut down to suit your needs. The foam follows the surface of your work better than wood or plastic, and the grit holds up pretty well on soft metals. I use them on silver with very good results.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by randyradio on 02/24/11 at 04:38:35

Ok thanks. I don't know where to get this GRC-27? I think that's what was mentioned. I went over to Castle I thinks that's the name and they have some aluminum polishing kits and I got some of their buffing rouge for aluminum. It's in the mail I guess. Thanks for the tips. those foam emery boards will work nice.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by randyradio on 02/24/11 at 04:41:06

Those pieces motobuddah shined up look good. This polishing up things reminds me of when I went in the air force in 69 and when we got out uniforms and shoes/boots I spent an evening and spitshined them pretty well. the next morning in formation I was called infront of everybody and the order was tomorrow everyone's will look just like his. Geez had these big Jersey guys come in and kinda say shine em....

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by bill67 on 02/24/11 at 06:40:29

604542446845532A0 wrote:

I use those all the time,Their good for polishing the frets on guitars.Plus other metal things.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 02/24/11 at 13:27:42

I use beer. I just drink enough till the thing looks great to me, then , I dont have to mess with rubbin on the bike AND I done got me a beer buz, Its a win, win. & the REALLY good part is, when I wake up, Ill see the bike & have to drink more beer,,so, I have a really good reason to have More Beer! Man,Ive got this stuff DOWN!!!

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by jandaso on 02/24/11 at 14:13:41

I have this spots around my bike and I wanted to know I can get rid of them and how. Keep in mind that I don't have a garage and the space to have big tools, so it will have to be a hands on work or with some small tools.
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m638/jandaso/092d58de.jpg
http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m638/jandaso/be154758.jpg

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by MotoBuddha on 02/24/11 at 16:11:58

As for the engine cover -- remove it, strip it with clear coat remover, then sand the hell out of it with progressively fine grit, as mentioned earlier, then use aluminum polish.

As for the turn signal mounts -- it would be really hard to work on them while still attached to the forks. That means removing the fork caps, loosening the pinch bolts on the lower triple clamp, then sliding the forks down enough to slide the turn signal mounts up and off.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by jandaso on 02/24/11 at 19:45:57

092B302B063120202C25440 wrote:

As for the engine cover -- remove it, strip it with clear coat remover, then sand the hell out of it with progressively fine grit, as mentioned earlier, then use aluminum polish.

Should I sand it with water ???
Thanks for the advice.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by MotoBuddha on 02/24/11 at 19:58:13

Yes, wet sanding. I do mine in the kitchen. I can do that since I live alone.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by jandaso on 02/24/11 at 22:20:50

Is there any solution for the black paint of the motor and frame because mine looks likes is fading. Thanks.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by MotoBuddha on 02/25/11 at 04:52:28

Go over it with a ScotchBrite pad until it's uniformly dull so the new paint has something to grab onto. Then spray with VHT Epoxy Paint or caliper paint on the frame and high temperature engine paint on the engine. Mask off what you don't want black.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by randyradio on 02/25/11 at 06:44:20

That picture above of the turn signal clamp is just like mine. Thanks for the tips on how to take em out and wetsand em and to buff em. Charlotte's where the hills start maybe a weekend ride from your place some time for fellow and fellowette listers. Bot when they see a herd of dem Savages coming at them real men are gonna turn to cheese.

Title: Re: What compound is used to buff out aluminum.
Post by verslagen1 on 02/25/11 at 22:28:43

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