Bitten by the Bling bug !

[Astro4x4]

Picked up a polishing kit today. $36 at Princess Auto and had a go at the sprocket cover (easy to hide if I farged it up) to see what I could. You can see the casting flash in spots, it really should have been wet sanded first for best results. Anyway not too bad, the other covers will get wet sanded first with 600 grit, then polished to a mirror shine. This one still needs to be buffed out with white diamond compound.

More pics here http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/Astro4x4/Katana/

[BlackburnD]

Looks pretty good. I have thought about doing this myself, but am a little worried about rust. Correct me if I am wrong but there is no protection from rust on polished parts. Won't aeration eventuallt take place?

[chinto]

you can clear coat em

[Astro4x4]

Yep, can even powdercoat clear them. I'm going to try Por 15 - Glisten PC

[Spedee]

Aluminum doesn't rust.

Looks pretty good. I have thought about doing this myself, but am a little worried about rust. Correct me if I am wrong but there is no protection from rust on polished parts. Won't aeration eventuallt take place?

[kwebbel]

It does, won't get orange but dark-grey so two options are left either wax it regularly or clearcoat it.

[Spedee]

I didn't know oxidization was the same as rust.
Rust will eat metal away. But aluminum just greys and pits if left long enough. Hmmm. Yes maybe it is the same. Sorry.

It does, won't get orange but dark-grey so two options are left either wax it regularly or clearcoat it.

[Steveb]

I didn't know oxidization was the same as rust.
Rust will eat metal away. But aluminum just greys and pits if left long enough. Hmmm. Yes maybe it is the same. Sorry.

Aluminum creates it's own protective layer of aluminum oxide...but aluminum oxide doesn't bling!

[suzukisportrider2004]

after you polish it use zoop seal

[muck]

looks nice. Ive been thinking about doing that

[BlackburnD]

Ok... Now not to be facetious, but if you polish then powder coat with a clear coat why not just get it chromed? In the end wouldn't it cost about the same, and be more blinged? I know it is a different look, but I guess I'm just trying to figure out which way I wanna go with this when I do mine.

[KatanaSoldier]

looks real nice

[Astro4x4]

Ok... Now not to be facetious, but if you polish then powder coat with a clear coat why not just get it chromed? In the end wouldn't it cost about the same, and be more blinged? I know it is a different look, but I guess I'm just trying to figure out which way I wanna go with this when I do mine.

Not sure about pricing on chrome, but I imagine it's more than PC. It still needs to be polished to some extent before chroming. For me, it's two things - pride in workmanship and building a nice bike relatively inexpensively. Polishing does take some time, so beer and a stereo are a must.

[BlackburnD]

I guess that makes sense. If you gotta polish it all up to send it out to be chromed then I understand how this would be more cost effective. Thanks for the 411. I may have to do this myself.