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quickest way to polish aluminum

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
J

jtkwest

recreational user
Dec 2, 2007
808
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i am loking for a better way to polish aluminum. preferrably with power tools. i have a couple dremels and 4" grinders and a bench grinder. the new dremel kits came with little polishing wheels, but i tried them and they didnt do much. i am loking to take kinda rough neptonics handle frames in plain silver aluminum. and polish them up. so far, i have been using 220 grit and sanding under running water in the sink. but i usually giveup before it gets really shiny, because it just takes FOREVER! anyone got any tips on how to use the dremels or steel wool,(i have heard) any tips?
 
Maybe a buffing machine? I'm not sure how well they work to polish aluminum. Another possibility might be a vibratory polisher, like they use to polish stones and de-burr small parts.

I bet Don Paul would know.
 

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JTK, How much bling do you want? See if there is a chrome shop near you.
Time is money. There is lots of info on the net but it is all time consuming.
Chrome shops pay guys min wage to do this on 10hp buffers before the rechrome. I like clear anodized as it will protect the surface more in sea water.
Cheers, Don
 
Don - Any experience with vibratory polishers? I had envisioned dropping the part in a container, and just leaving it to run until it looked right. I do have a habit of drastically underestimating the difficulty of things though!
 
Tin Man said:
Don - Any experience with vibratory polishers? I had envisioned dropping the part in a container, and just leaving it to run until it looked right. I do have a habit of drastically underestimating the difficulty of things though!
Click to expand...


I use a Dillion CV2001 it has a 12.5 qt chamber, crushed walnut shells for fine
work, ceramic media on the rest.Rock tumblers are another way ($100.00) Back at ya after work.
Don
 
the polishing tools for your dremels will work fine you need a polishing compound for them you should be able to find that at any hardware store
 
So the litle white wheels in the dremel kit will work, then.? i bet they would be ok. a new bench grinder is only 50$, i could get a polishing wheel for it for another 15$. i thought sandpaper was the way to go. it does work, but it takes forever. i am looking for a nice super shiny surface. not quite chrome. i need some paste. some came with the dremel kit. there is a dremel set JUST for polishing. i bet if i got that , it would have some instructions. i know its probably not complicated i just dont really know anything about this at all. i have been a woodworker since i can remember, but metal polishing is new to me. thanks for all the input! would a vibrating polisher work then? i could maybe take my parts somewhere and pay a little $ to have a turn on the machine. its just that those neptonics handles come very rough, but they look SO nice when polished!
 
It should not cost more the 10 to 15 bucks to have a metal finisher or chrome
shop do it. It is time consuming and dirty. It's a good job for a young helper
that works for min wage.
Cheers, Don
 
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