Polishing metal bits- any good kit around?

[metalslug]

Hi I am looking for some advice on metal polishing. I wanted to polish the Hornet's swingarm and the metal bits. Have tried Autosol paste which was good for taking out the old oxidised parts, but not enough to bring the real shine back. (mirror like silver instead of matt looking silver)

I have heard that you can get polishing kits that attachs to hammer drills, just wondering if there is any around in NZ and what are people's recommendation with them?

Thanks !!

[bucket boy]

Just take it to a polisher and get it done properly, if your wanting the chrome look there is a lot to it if your wanting it mint.

[AllanB]

If the swing arm is factory polished to start with it will have a clear coat on it. You'll want to strip this off with paint stripper.

Then start buffing.

Any half decent tool supplier will have drill attachments - Bunnings does. They should also have alloy polishing sticks. These come in cutting and finishing compounds.

First any rough bits can be sanded by hand with some wet and dry paper - start with a 400 work your way to a 1200-1500 then start polishing with the drill.

A swingarm will take many hours to get mint. It may be worth getting a price from a professional polisher - if it's around $100 that's worth it, unless you have a lot of spare time.

Engine covers are a lot easier (it's better it they are removed from the engine first) and rewarding to do.

[barno]

Anyone know of anyone in Wellington who could do a good job of polishing an exhaust pipe (chrome, a bit matt looking now, about 50cm long?) cheers Barno

p.s. it's still attached to the bike!!

[Chancebmx25]

Anyone know of anyone in Wellington who could do a good job of polishing an exhaust pipe (chrome, a bit matt looking now, about 50cm long?) cheers Barno

p.s. it's still attached to the bike!!

remove it. strip it.. start sanding it wont take that long once you start to see results. i being polishing my frame and swingarm for the past week. i start with 220 grit and work right through to 1600, parts have got that mirror finish but you just gotta keep working it over and over again. then i get out the kit with the compounds and cutting mops. give it a real clean up and then go over with the finishing compounds and its perfect.

[barno]

dang I was hoping it could be done with out sawing off the pipe. Prob could leave it on there would just be a shitload of sanding...........

[98tls]

Hi I am looking for some advice on metal polishing. I wanted to polish the Hornet's swingarm and the metal bits. Have tried Autosol paste which was good for taking out the old oxidised parts, but not enough to bring the real shine back. (mirror like silver instead of matt looking silver)

I have heard that you can get polishing kits that attachs to hammer drills, just wondering if there is any around in NZ and what are people's recommendation with them?

Thanks !!

You would be suprised how cheap it is just to simply send it away to someone in the business and get it back perfect as opposed to hours of toiling away,dont get me wrong i love naffing about myself but with polishing bugger that i would rather just do a days overtime.

[Voltaire]

manukau metal polishers did some rims and headers for my old BMW. They are on Church St in Onehunga...IIRC two rims and headers were about a hundy...cash....round the back door...

or British Spares to a mop/polish set that you fit a spindle onto a drill in a vice or workmate.

[imdying]

Only looks good on bikes that aren't ridden. Dirty faded polishing just looks like shite. Definitely pay somebody else to do it.

[DEATH_INC.]

If you must do it yourself, PPS industries http://www.pps-industries.com/ in penrose have everything you need.

FWIW I've polished bits on bikes before, and I never will again. It looks great, but is a shiteload of work to keep that way....

[F5 Dave]

Barno- Sorry what? It was chrome & you want to polish it?

Are you sure you are talking about a 50cm section of chrome? polishing this will just destroy the (already knackered) chrome if it is past a wash to bring it to mirror again.

People are talking about polishing ally as that is what the thread is about. Are you not perhaps talking about an alloy muffler at the end of your pipe? Or has someone welded a sectiopn of chrome pipe to a painted section. n which case it is a total strip & rechrome. Valley platers in Gracefield will handle used pipes. Actually they've changed their name. Which I should know as I have a spannie there due to collect in a couple of days.


hmm, Zinc & Chrome is the name.