Learn from my polishing mistakes

[katcurvincorners]

ok... so.. mistake 1 : deciding to polish the wheels when the weather is getting nice.
Mistake 2: In utter disregard to previous posts, I decided to use jeweler's rouge instead of sandpaper (which for the record, i believe does a better job.. since it doesn't ever scratch the wheel)
Mistake 3: Used a 550 RPM drill.. wow... i never knew it could take sooooo long. (Switched to a 2300 RPM Drill the next day.... quicker... but.. still not tooo good)
Mistake 5 : I GAVE UP. After about a combined time of 12 hours over 3 days, I had one side of the front rim done... let me tell ya... Aircraft Stripper isn't all it's cracked up to be.. either that, or in 99 Suzuki used some crazy a$$ paint.

So... what did I learn from all of this? well... for starters, the things up top of my post...next, Duplicolor makes a wheel paint that perfectly matches the OEM Silver from Suzuki. Also, a great way to prep the wheels for paint is to use aircraft stripper. It takes just enough of the paint off to create a wonderful bonding surface. Clean up after the stripper with some brake cleaner, and you're ready to spray. So.. my advice... if you want to polish your wheels... drop them off somewhere... for those guys one here that have polished wheels that you've done yourself... I bow down to you. You are gods. Also, on that note.. I'll never play chess with any of you polishers... if you have the patience for this, then I would expect the chess game to last months. But.. WOW... you guys are dedicated.

[KatDan]

for the record, you have to use sandpaper to remove the machining marks from the wheel, 400, 600, 1000,1500, then polishing compound, then Mother's mag polish by hand-mine looked like chrome after that. but i did have about 6 hours a wheel in them.

[katcurvincorners]

jeweler's rouge is also made in many different grit, just like sandpaper.... the black rouge will get rid of the machining marks with a drill pretty quick... the dang clearcoat is the problem... just getting down in all the little crevices.

[Micdalen]

Polishing takes time and patience. Each time ya start on a part it can be a learning experience. I am obsessive about polishing aluminum.


Only way to learn is trial and error. I may repolish a piece five or six times before it gets to where I want it.

[skasner]

Re: Learn from my polishing mistakes

Duplicolor makes a wheel paint that perfectly matches the OEM Silver from Suzuki.

Could you send me the product # of this paint? I'm thinking I could probably use it to repaint my scuffed signal generator cover? If not does anyone know what else I could us? (w/ part #)

[md86]

Duplicolor wheel paint (that's what it says on the can) , you can buy it at any auto parts store . I've used it , and it looks nice . Kinda like a graphite color .

[bigat06]

when I polished mine, I used brush on aircraft stripper, let it sit a few minitues, paint will slightly bubble, I then used medium steel wool, then fine steel wool. Looked like chrome in no time! I then taped up the lips and painted my spokes black.

[Waltari]

Just so you guys know, we do metal polsihing to a mirror finish at our foundry everyday and never, I repeat never go above 400grit with sandpaper. It mostly in tools and technique (I know since originally I spent 14hrs per rim sanding and polishing a nunber of years back).

Basically, use 180 to remove casting marks, 400 on a flap wheel to remove scratches and get the flow of the curves back if you've created any distortion in the reflections. Then use 400 git on a rubber backed soft pad which removes scratches andleaves a satin like sheen, then move onto a buffing with with the appropriate compound for whatever material you are trying to polish.

I'm not planning on polishing it but I did want to smooth out my SSSA before I get it powder coated (it was left completely with a rough cast finish from the factory) Using the 180 disc to 180 flap to 400 flap. I went from rough with casting marks to smooth as a babies bottom in about an hour. If I wanted to go the mirror polish route and softpadded it them polished it would probably be another hr.

Mainly the biggest problems in polishing is bein too aggresive with tools that dig into the material a opposed to flow over the material (if that makes any sense) and not using high enough rpm tools to do the final polish (or the wring kind of buffing wheels...sisal removes scratches, sewn is best for applying compounbd and polishing, loose is best for bringing out the final luster) check caswellplating.com for more reference...hope that helps

[The CyberPoet]

the dang clearcoat is the problem... just getting down in all the little crevices.

There's no clear-coat on the 98+ Silver-colored Suzuki wheels -- that's an heat-bonded electro-plate finish (something between powdercoat and oven-enamel)...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[katcurvincorners]

ahhhh maybe that was the problem....