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Joes924Racer · Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 8:54 am Post subject: How to polish aluminum wheels

This post is just to show how easy it is to get a shine on aluminum.
I glass beaded mine with 60 grit glass bead, Picked up
from harbor freight along with a gun. This alone gives a nice matte
finish. I want a shine though, The secret is in the prep.
Which means hrours of wets sanding with fine grit sandpaper

Ill now sand with wet n dry 600 grit in opposite directions, ending
up in one direction with 1000 grit.

Ive made this list of materials for polishing. Ill get whats available
to me. I eneded up using mothers aluminum polish.

Materials to polish aluminum.

A small wheel attached to a drill will work. You can switch to a dremel tool
for hard to reach areas.

Materials:
A:Tripoli - an excellent cut and color bar for brass, copper, bronze and aluminum.

B:Aluminum Oxide - an excellent cut for chrome and stainless and is used to remove
bluing from exhaust pipes, as well as general polishing.

C:Chromium Oxide (superfine) - a finishing compound that will leave an excellent
mirror finish on stainless, chrome, aluminum, brass, bronze etc.

D:Calcined Aluminum Oxide (ultrafine) - ultra fine polishing compound for finishing
only, and can be used on plastics and glass, as well as serving as a replacement
for jeweler's rouge.

E:Jeweler's Rouge - one of the finest out there, colors gold beautifully.
Our jeweler's rouge is exactly made from ferric oxide. Expensive, but
best quality available, which is what precious metals need.
_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:59 am Post subject:

Picked up this multi-wheeled buffing kit. Comes with a 2"-3"&4" wheel and 2 1oz sticks of tripoli mild abrasive, There finishing sticks for a bright ,shiny luster to metals.
The other 2 sticks are white rouge buffing compounds. Its a medium abrasive. The jar is eagle one brand wheel polish. Im sick this weekend
though this will be a perfect monday project. Stay tuned for updates.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

PORSCHEV · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 5:54 am Post subject:

A word of advice is to have multiple buffing wheels. If you try to use the same buff wheel for each grade of compound you end up cross contaminating the buff wheel with coarse compound when you are trying to fine buff.

Good luck.
_________________
1976 924
5 lug conversion, 17'C2 wheels,custom body work,327 vette engine.

1978-#53 "D" track racer.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Mon Mar 15, 2010 12:34 pm Post subject:

Round one
The only issue I have is the prep. I sanded a little and buffed without
the sticks. I used mothers aluminum polish. The rims polished up.
Its just that its not good enough for me.

I have hours of sanding to do because I want them to be nice.
Maybe tonight after we go to bed Ill steal away out to the garage
(where I have the rim on my bench) & wet sand & rebuff & polish on monday.

Heres some pics as I polish more Ill just do an area and polish it.
In this first pic I did the whole rim then cleaned it & polished it.
I only spent about 1 1/2 hrs on this rim.

This would of been fine though.The bead blasting made me think all the kinks and the few gouges were gone. Not so. Its wet sanding these out
that takes the cake.

If I sanded half the night (2 to 3 hrs). Id be happy on this wheel.

He knows.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 5:50 am Post subject:

Have my laptop out in the garage listening to
my favorite radiostream. Colorado rock. Wheels
looking pretty good Im just wet sanding it.
Im hungry too.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 7:22 am Post subject:

More wet sanding, managed to get the center deal done to.
Im gonna try some reg. turlt wax rubbing compound
before I use the mothers. then seal it up with
some wheel seal wax.

[/img]
_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Tue Mar 16, 2010 10:17 am Post subject:

Its not bad & its only one. One more front one to go.
The other 2 need to go to the dechromer.

This ones a indoor pic.

& this is outdoors.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:53 pm Post subject:

Theres a ridged groove that runs in a cirlce around the outside of the flukes on the fuchs. I used a wire brush(in a drill)
after spending hrs trying to get at the dark crud by
hand. After that I only spent a little time sanding here
before using buffing comp. and polish. Time to sand
again with 1000 grit.

Cheap turtle wax brand buff compound works before applying the motheres. So one more time, it takes time & a smile.
_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2010 1:28 am Post subject:

If you look close at the 1 1/2" ring between the outer lip and the ridge
that runs around the flukes you can see the scratches, these have got to go.. pics coming tonight.
_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Nobbi · Joined: 24 Aug 2006 Posts: 1396 Location: Germany

Tolle Arbeit ! Great job.....i send you mine to build up more muscles.....
_________________
NA 924 - april/1977- 4-speed-audi gearbox.
500.000 km with fun.....and new toy:Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet.Other car Daimler c-class cabby,brandnew..Plus : DEUTZ 4005 tractor Built 1967

Joes924Racer · Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2010 6:18 am Post subject:

aaww shoot Nobbi Now Im gonna have to much fun this spring.

Thank you for the compliment..

Fuchs ownership is pretty neat
the polished look is pretty sweet. I dont know you think you
can trust me, if you send them here. Have one of your kids
do them.
_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 6:07 am Post subject:

Close to 3 hrs of sanding pics progress. I have a dremel tool
and Some pretty neat little buffing wheels. I need to start the other.
After this is polished again. I concentrated my efforts the pics show.
I might have to it again later on. Pics later tonight.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:40 pm Post subject:

I dont know do you have kids Nobbi I dont have any... not yet.

Pics ! pics ! pics ! After sanding.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 3:00 am Post subject:

Different!

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.

Joes924Racer · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:14 am Post subject:

See what the sunshine can do.. this pics better.

_________________
1979 porsche 924 Na
1980 porsche Turbo 931GT Replica
Have u ever driven a turbo.