8 more hours of polishing

[mark247]

Bored yesterday, managed to get this done. Not perfect but I ran out of autosol so what can i say? The great thing about polishing stuff is if you dont like it you can just paint over it :2thumbsup but I think the front wheel and forks are really going to go well with my spare polished rear wheel, which I think I'll be using all the time now. As i said not perfect but when I have the time ill whip the wheel off again and go over the entire thing and make it prurrrdy.

What du ya fink?

[MIXONE]

Great stuff that autosol.Just add elbow grease!

[NOMIS]

Great stuff that autosol.Just add elbow grease!

autosol mixed with steel wool can work well on exhaust systems to , stainless ones of course. myte try the forks as well.

[R6_kid]

Dont be leaving it outside overnight or riding in the rain. Polished bits on vehicles become a labour of love - i used to spend nearly every weekend polishing the exhaust on my old R6. The guy i sold it to left it for a few months and now its an oxidised piece of shit.

[vifferman]

Dont be leaving it outside overnight or riding in the rain. Polished bits on vehicles become a labour of love - i used to spend nearly every weekend polishing the exhaust on my old R6. The guy i sold it to left it for a few months and now its an oxidised piece of shit.
On the other hand, sometimes it's more betterer.
My VFR750 had white painted wheels, which were veritable road spooge magnets. I stripped and polished them, and instead of having to scrub them every few weeks, I just needed to give them a quick wash every couple of months.
<img src = "http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=9036&d=1112574583" /img>

[mark247]

Dont be leaving it outside overnight or riding in the rain. Polished bits on vehicles become a labour of love - i used to spend nearly every weekend polishing the exhaust on my old R6. The guy i sold it to left it for a few months and now its an oxidised piece of shit.

I have had one of my rear wheels fully polished up for months, a quick once over with autosol every few months and it looks fine. I dont mind polishing, wheels and forks arent hard to get at so it doesnt really bother me.

[vifferman]

When the silver paint on the VFR's wheels gets a bit more ratty looking, I fully intend to either strip'n'polish the wheels, or have it done. The fork sliders already look ratty, but I've no intention of doing those - they'll get stripped and repainted.

[bucket boy]

you must have to much time on your hands mark

[SPman]

Had polished rims on the ZX9 and they were a doddle to keep clean...

[mark247]

you must have to much time on your hands mark

Certainly do.

[Spyke]

I'm making a cafe racer out of an old gt50 and the forks and a few other alloy parts are oxidised. I'm looking to make them shine, can you kind guys tell me the steps to making them stunners?

cheers

[lostinflyz]

my rvf had a fully sand blasted and polished up engine. man it looked cool. but no way was i pulling the thing out to clean it up and several days on a trailer made it dull again. soo sad.

nice looking forks though.

[ZephyrMark2]

Glad I'm not the only one that spent a whole day polishing my bike..

Wife came home the other week (Went back to work a week earlier than me), and asked what i had done with the day..

Said... "Can you see the shine on the bike?"

She still gives me grief about it! :Oops:

hehe.. my bike was neglected by a year of storage from previous owner!

[AllanB]

I'm making a cafe racer out of an old gt50 and the forks and a few other alloy parts are oxidised. I'm looking to make them shine, can you kind guys tell me the steps to making them stunners?

cheers


1. Strip the existing coating - a paint stripper is quick but obviously be careful as it will strip anything it touches - including fingerprints!

2. Get some wet & dry sandpaper (Bunnings, Placemakers etc) if its a bit crappy maybe start with a 400 grit working your way to 600, 800, 1000. You can go higher if desired/required - 1200 & 1500. The higher the number the finer the paper thus the greater the shine.

3. Start on a practice piece to check the grit is correct. Using the wet & dry paper - keep it wet (by dipping into a bucket of water) and start sanding - best to do this in one direction. Keep clean by wiping every now and again with a wet rag. It will start to buff and smooth the alloy leaving it in a satin finish. Once smooth do it all again with the next higher grit, keep doing this until you hit the 1000 grit. Each successive higher grit will polish and smooth the alloy.

Note it will be wet and messy <_< and you'll be covered in black stuff (extremely fine alloy filings) - I wear latex gloves.

4. Start with the Autosol (or any good alloy/metal polish) and a lot of soft rags. Or pop off to your local tool store and buy a stick of alloy finishing polish and a buffing wheel that fits a hand drill. Polish to buggery. Polish to buggery again.

5. Admire your reflection in the mirror finish :sunny:


Note if the alloy is really shitty you can start with a lower grit than 400 but be careful as it will give deeper initial scratches.

I've managed to clean up road rash on older bikes by carefully filing out the deep marks and applying the above system ending up with a polished show shine. The same method may be used on scratched painted engine cases etc the 400/600 grit finish will leave a surface 'keyed' enough for top coating with paint.

[mikeey01]

On the other hand, sometimes it's more betterer.
My VFR750 had white painted wheels, which were veritable road spooge magnets.

What's wrong with white wheels?

I've had white wheels on two of me dukes, looking after them is a piece of piss, Here's how I do it....

1. Polish them with a good car polish, twice!
2. Spray them with silicon spray..

When bike / wheels get dirty hit it with the wash brush / hose when you wash the bike and all the dirt falls off, once dry spray again with silicon spray!

I polish them two to three times per year, at 30,000k they looked as good as the day I picked up the bike brand new.

I also spray the engine in silicon as well, same thing dirt just falls off and when it's dry spray again. It really is the easy way out for keeping a bike clean.

As it's pictured here off memory it's got just over 20,000k on it! you can see the silicon on the belt side covers.

[laserracer]

i love to polish stuff ,,seeing im a mobile car and bike detailer i get to do it alot:yes:..but theres only one problem ive found and thats once ive started polishing a bit of alloy or stainless i cant seem to stop, and go looking for other bits to polish,,i almost talked myself into taking off my swingarm to strip and polish it but thank god i came to my senses

nice job on the rims and forks guys:woohoo:

[imdying]

Polished stuff is a pain if it's not lacquered. The only people that thing raw polished alloy is easy to keep clean are people with pretty low standards.

[mark247]

Polished stuff is a pain if it's not lacquered. The only people that thing raw polished alloy is easy to keep clean are people with pretty low standards.

When i polished my rear rim originally I lacquered it and it looks horrid, it stayed somewhat shiny but it also went somewhat yellowy over time. I stripped the lacquer and now autosol it every now and then and it looks way better.

[imdying]

Yeah, finding the right coating is a pain, would be worth asking a polishing guru what they recommend. Chrome is the way to go once you've polished, it's pricey, but it's a genuine 'just wipe with a rag to bring back to awesome' solution.

A friend polished up his swingarm on his NC30... from that horrible rough cast finish. It was a mamoth effort, but shit it looked a million bucks.

[vifferman]

What's wrong with white wheels?
Two things:
1. Mine were scratched, and had some corrosion under the paint.
2. I think the paint actually ahs some sort of electrostatic attraction for road spooge.
3. Road spooge (and chain spooge) shows up more on white paint.


I've had white wheels on two of me dukes, looking after them is a piece of piss, Here's how I do it....

1. Polish them with a good car polish, twice!
2. Spray them with silicon spray..
Okaaayyy....
When I could get hold of Wurth 'Intensive Rim Cleaner' (or was it 'wheel cleaner'?) it was a piece of piss: spray on the diluted cleaner, wait uno momento, hose off. Nothing I've tried since worked as well.
Fifthly, I've learned to never let any silicon products near my bike wheels. I was using some wheel cleaner on the cars and thought I'd try it on the bike too: spray on, clean wheels, spray on again while wet, = (supposedly) nice clean wheels that rejected brake dust and road spooge.
I ended up with tyres with silicon soaked into the surface of them, which were fine on dry days, but were dangerous on even mildly damp days.
To get them normal again, I had to clean them thoroughly with brake cleaner. The back one needed a mild burnout to return it to stickiness (well... that was the rationalisation I had for doing it..)

Once your wheels have no paint on them, you can polish any scratches out (with paint, you're removing paint and exposing the underneaths), grime has more trouble adhering, and doesn't show up as much.

[vifferman]

Yeah, finding the right coating is a pain, would be worth asking a polishing guru what they recommend. Chrome is the way to go once you've polished, it's pricey, but it's a genuine 'just wipe with a rag to bring back to awesome' solution.

Chrome can be prone to cracking and peeling, cost a lot to have done, and I believe isn't suitable for all alloys.
From other forums, apparently the best thing to protect your polished alloys with if you don't want to occasionally polish them with Autosol or Simichrome is Nikasil. As mentioned, lacquer / clearcoat can go yellow and crack or peel.

[imdying]

Yes, a shitty chrome job will be... shitty! Try an industrial chromer, some like Poles who does things like towballs :)

[laserracer]

Polished stuff is a pain if it's not lacquered. The only people that thing raw polished alloy is easy to keep clean are people with pretty low standards.

or maybe people who have to lacquer it are just to lazy to keep it polished ?

[Owl]

Yeah, finding the right coating is a pain, would be worth asking a polishing guru what they recommend. Chrome is the way to go once you've polished, it's pricey, but it's a genuine 'just wipe with a rag to bring back to awesome' solution.

Here is an option and one fit for purpose!

http://www.por15.co.nz/POR15Prod/pollishedalloykit.htm

[AllanB]

Paint bakers, Enamelers can do a clear coat. I have no experience with this so I cannot account for yellowing etc.

[nico]

dam dats hot when have ya got another spare 8 hours m8 lol my vfr needs some shiney metal

[imdying]

or maybe people who have to lacquer it are just to lazy to keep it polished ?No, they're just the smart ones... oxidisation of the surface starts to occur immediately. Basically, polished alloy is for bikes that never get used.

[AllanB]

No, they're just the smart ones... oxidisation of the surface starts to occur immediately. Basically, polished alloy is for bikes that never get used.

True about alloy however if maintained it will not be a issue. Metal polish plus a occasional wax is good.

I'd polished the crap out of the engine covers, cam cover, forks, basically any easily accessible or removable bit of alloy on my old 750 twin Kawa. Granted I was a fine weather rider by choice, but after the initial weekly polishes of Autosol it required only monthly hand polishing.
Winter was the main time to keep an eye on it, however a spray of CRC or similar coated it and stopped any oxidation.

Factory parts that are polished are always coated or they would quickly turn to crap. Unfortunately if you don't look after that the coating will breakdown.

If you choose to polish it you are committing to maintain it.

[H00dz]

autosol mixed with steel wool can work well on exhaust systems to , stainless ones of course. myte try the forks as well.

Mate that is all good....just goes to show what a bit of time can do

[laserracer]

True about alloy however if maintained it will not be a issue. Metal polish plus a occasional wax is good.

I'd polished the crap out of the engine covers, cam cover, forks, basically any easily accessible or removable bit of alloy on my old 750 twin Kawa. Granted I was a fine weather rider by choice, but after the initial weekly polishes of Autosol it required only monthly hand polishing.
Winter was the main time to keep an eye on it, however a spray of CRC or similar coated it and stopped any oxidation.

Factory parts that are polished are always coated or they would quickly turn to crap. Unfortunately if you don't look after that the coating will breakdown.

If you choose to polish it you are committing to maintain it.

What he said :2thumbsup

[imdying]

If you choose to polish it you are committing to maintain it.Yep.... fuck that :oi-grr:

Be alright if it wasn't one of the crappiest jobs around... Definitely prefer to have things plated these days, wipe with a damp rag, maybe even splash a little CRC about for corrosion resistance, job done.

[TLDV8]

Polished stuff is a pain if it's not lacquered. The only people that thing raw polished alloy is easy to keep clean are people with pretty low standards.

I must have low standards then.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/DSC0A-2.jpg>


Rain and gravel roads did take the shine off though.

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/8-1.jpg>

Shine on :laugh:

<img src=http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/manurewa/resto.jpg>

[laserracer]

Nice one TLDv8 ..:niceone:

[imdying]

I must have low standards then.I'm not sure how you get that from a few glamour shots? You're saying it's wipe with a rag easy to keep it in photo standard condition?

[mark247]

I'm not sure how you get that from a few glamour shots? You're saying it's wipe with a rag easy to keep it in photo standard condition?

It's really not that hard, are you sure you are using polish and not toothpaste?

[imdying]

It's really not that hard, are you sure you are using polish and not toothpaste?Cleaning hubs behind large discs, and inside nooks and crannies can often be a pain in the arse, and given the frequency that you need to do it, assuming you actually ride the bike, that makes it impractical... assuming you want it to look properly polished, and not some second rate 'quite shiny' finish. Depends on what your standards are I guess, but to me a second rate polishing job looks crap. I am of course talking about polished parts, and not the almost brushed type finish that you've achieved. Thus the love for chrome or nickel plating.

[vifferman]

Here's a useful site (http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm) I've bookmarked for my next polishing marathon.

[imdying]

There's some good shit on that site :yes:

[mark247]

Cleaning hubs behind large discs, and inside nooks and crannies can often be a pain in the arse, and given the frequency that you need to do it, assuming you actually ride the bike, that makes it impractical... assuming you want it to look properly polished, and not some second rate 'quite shiny' finish. Depends on what your standards are I guess, but to me a second rate polishing job looks crap. I am of course talking about polished parts, and not the almost brushed type finish that you've achieved. Thus the love for chrome or nickel plating.

With only a few hours spent on each piece on my front end and doing it all by hand, I wasnt expecting a perfect finish first time. But from what I have learnt from other bits and pieces of metal i have polished, once you have them to the point where they are infact "very shiny" it is not hard to keep them at that. The hardest part is getting it to the point in the first place, which i obviously havent acheived yet on my forks and wheel. A bit more elbow greese and I'm sure will be a bit closer to that.

[bucket boy]

Cleaning hubs behind large discs, and inside nooks and crannies can often be a pain in the arse, and given the frequency that you need to do it, assuming you actually ride the bike, that makes it impractical... assuming you want it to look properly polished, and not some second rate 'quite shiny' finish. Depends on what your standards are I guess, but to me a second rate polishing job looks crap. I am of course talking about polished parts, and not the almost brushed type finish that you've achieved. Thus the love for chrome or nickel plating.

You keep quoting chromeing everything, chrome is so exspensive.Give the guy credit for sitting down with autosol for 8 hours instead of giving it to me and getting it done for $100. And nothing looks better than doing it yourself.

[imdying]

The hardest part is getting it to the point in the first placeDefinitely agree with that. Have a squiz at that page that was linked, much of the work can be pushed off onto machines :)


You keep quoting chromeing everything, chrome is so exspensive.Expensive, adds weight, looks like a prostitutes makeup if done overboard, etc etc, plenty of reasons to avoid it also. All I'm saying is that polished alloy parts are a pain in the arse to maintain on a bike that's actually used, and that having something electroplated generally reduces maintenances to a wipe with a damp cloth and a quick buff to remove water marks. Personally, I prefer a brushed alloy finish on bikes that are actually used... sure it still needs to be maintained, but the redo times are minimal in comparison (takes a lot longer to notice the oxidisation) and redoing it only involves a scrub with the right pad.


Give the guy credit for sitting down with autosol for 8 hours instead of giving it to me and getting it done for $100.Why? :confused: He doesn't need me sucking on his cock telling him what sort of job he's done, he's got eyes you know.


And nothing looks better than doing it yourself.Well, no, nothing gives people with a DIY disposition more satisfaction than having done it themselves, but that doesn't affect the quality of the resultant work :confused:

[Chocky]

It sounds like I have made life that much harded for myself lol
I have a product called 'Glisten PC' it's a 2 pot clearcoat uv proof
made for alloy and chrome
<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9818fd29617663" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbnails7.imagebam.com/2962/9818fd29617663.gif" alt="free image host"></a>
<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e1e97b29617664" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbnails6.imagebam.com/2962/e1e97b29617664.gif" alt="free image host"></a>

[mark247]

It sounds like I have made life that much harded for myself lol
I have a product called 'Glisten PC' it's a 2 pot clearcoat uv proof
made for alloy and chrome
<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9818fd29617663" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbnails7.imagebam.com/2962/9818fd29617663.gif" alt="free image host"></a>
<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e1e97b29617664" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbnails6.imagebam.com/2962/e1e97b29617664.gif" alt="free image host"></a>

It's painted? Looks pretty good to me!

[Chocky]

It's painted? Looks pretty good to me!

not yet havent got that far, I'm still pulling things off-turps and a toothbrush-
wash-put back on-pull off next bit....ad nauseam....etc...8 fuc#n months later.... fuc#n road grime....

[imdying]

Naw, not too hard on yourself... it'll stay like that for ages if you never ride it :)

[ukbandit]

Bored yesterday, managed to get this done. Not perfect but I ran out of autosol so what can i say? The great thing about polishing stuff is if you dont like it you can just paint over it :2thumbsup but I think the front wheel and forks are really going to go well with my spare polished rear wheel, which I think I'll be using all the time now. As i said not perfect but when I have the time ill whip the wheel off again and go over the entire thing and make it prurrrdy.

What du ya fink?

looks great, just spent 5 hoours myself on the front wheel alone,(finger tips are worn away) done similar to yours left the hub and spokes behind the disc's black ( to hard to get at for up keep).
will be doing the forks as they are chipped to bit's. i used 340 grit 1st then 600 then 800 then wire wool then solvo still a few minor blemishes so will need to work on them. good luck with the rest and post the finished result.:scooter: