Aluminium polishing

[Rare Bird]

Does anyone know of a very fine Aluminium polish? I'm having no luck with Autosol its leaving very fine marks after polishing (yes i do wash it down with fine cloth & soapy water before buffing, & it's not the cloth im using) even tried a liquid polish like Brasso but still the same.. I took the pieces to a proffesional polisher that did an even worse job, but told me you'll not get it perfect :mental:

You can't see the marks unless at an angle of light, they are very very fine but it's irritating me.. i'm seconds from lobbing this turntable through the window tbh :steam: only other option i see at the mo is going getting the parts finished in black!

:doh:

[prestonchipfryer]

You could try cleaning with isopropyl alcohol first. That should remove all traces of polish for a fresh start.

If I'm talking rubbish please tell me. :)

[Rare Bird]

I tried that no good, made a bigger mess if anything..I originally thought it was an Anodized finish but since it looked like bare Aluminium & the polish turned black straight away i discounted that! no laquered finish as paint strippers does nothing! it has to be down to the polish being too abrasive.

The wife can't see it but i can

[YNWaN]

It's more likely that the finish of the aluminium isn't smooth enough in the first place; polishing just polishes the scratches. Use very fine wet and dry with a touch of washing up liquid - worn fine wet and dry to finish - it should then polish like a mirror.

[Canetoad]

Professional polishers use a rouge of some kind as a last step to bring out the gloss. Not sure what they contain but you can buy hobby polishing kits.

Have you tried using talcuum powder as the final polishing step?

Gloss is also dependant on the quality of the alloy being polished too.

[Rare Bird]

News Flash

Just had an idea: Greygate Plastic Polish....Cloth was grey when rubbing so im happy using it as a very very fine polish that seems to have done the trick anyway..Thats about perfect now.

:carrot:

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w425/ELPFAN1968/DSCF1271.jpg

Bloody hell i don't half get the strop on when things don't work out perfect :lol:

[Dingdong]

Professional polishers use a rouge of some kind as a last step to bring out the gloss. Not sure what they contain but you can buy hobby polishing kits.

Have you tried using talcuum powder as the final polishing step?

Gloss is also dependant on the quality of the alloy being polished too.

Think that is jewellers rouge that you mention. I think it is iron oxide, but could be wrong. Available from ebay. Polishes stuff a treat.

[Canetoad]

Thanks Mark. :)

Looks like Andre has sorted it. Looks nice Andre. :)

[The Black Adder]

Prestige Stainless polish is very good. Or there is some that 3M make for lacquered surfaces.

To get old polish off use Fairy Power Spray... That stuff is brill. I used it on my alloy platter and worked a treat... It's powerful stuff so don't leave it on for long.

oOOPS... Sorted, nice one... didn't see that.

[walpurgis]

Jewellers rouge is incredibly fine and will take ages to show any result at all on aluminium and aluminium alloys.

Silver polish has finer abrasive than T Cut and Brasso and should work well.

As has been suggested an acrylic/plastics polish would probably be OK too.

[Techno Commander]

Smurf Poo (http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/350572776176?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y) and a Buffer Wheel

[Rare Bird]

' I've Done It '

[northwest]

Smurf Poo (http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/350572776176?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&cbt=y) and a Buffer Wheel

No, blue compound is too harsh. Someone has already correctly identified Jewellers Rouge http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/500g-BROWN-Polishing-Compound-Copper-Aluminium-Brass-Soft-Metals-/360465123362?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA% 252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D350572 776176%26ps%3D54
And an 8" open (non stitched) polishing mop on the machine will produce the desired result. I have done a LOT of metal polishing and the very best job I ever produced was a set of Ferrari Wheels in Magnesium. You could see your face in them at a hundred yards. Real quality stuff. The snag is,, when you are polishing some of the platters and suchlike, they are very cheap castings by and large and difficult to produce an even and consistant polish. My Lenco platter came out okay though but it wasn't easy.

[synsei]

I found that Silvo wadding was an excellent product for polishing up my old Thorens platter to a fine shine ;)

[Techno Commander]

I stand corrected.

Although I have had good success polishing bike parts with the blue compound.

[northwest]

I stand corrected.

Although I have had good success polishing bike parts with the blue compound.

Oh it certainly wasn't a criticism, you would get a decent result with the blue but the Rouge is by far and away the best.
You can also buy Polywatch made to polish Acrylic watch crystals as a final buff OR you can buy a "Cape Cod" polishing cloth from ebay and this produces excellent results.
The mistake most people make on the final polish is to use a cloth that is more abrasive than the polishing compound they are using.