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  • A Better Way to Polish Aluminum...

    ... or at least I think so....

    Every time I've posted pics of some of my polished bike parts or even the SG I re-did last year, I always get questions about 'how did you get those parts so shiny?' Well, I just finished polishing most of the stuff for my current XJ project, so this time I documented how I do this. Now, even with my method you'll still have to put some time in and there's a definite money investment needed, but if you're willing to trade some money for time, this can reduce the amount of time needed a bunch. I've been polishing my own parts now for 4-5 years, and have settled on this way as taking the least amount of time while still getting good results. You have to make a tool investment, but this can save literally hours and hours of hand work...

    If, like many here, you've got a bike that's 'cosmetically challenged', the paint and chrome are fairly easily dealt with. New paint if needed, and chrome polish on the chrome if it isn't rusted beyond hope. But that aluminum isn't so easy sometimes. Factory clearcoat that's bad or missing, oxidized surfaces, discoloration, or the worst, pitting. Any clearcoat will need to be removed, and just straight buffing won't always clean up bad surfaces, or takes forever. You can laboriously hand-sand the pieces, but deep surface problems are extremely hard to sand out.... there's gotta be a better way...

    There is...

    First, the tools needed.



    Here's the real secret; surface conditioning discs AKA Scotchbrite, as seen to the left. These are made by a number of companies in 'standard' grits, I buy mine here: http://keenabrasives.com/Surface%20C...20Type%20R.htm. I'm sure you can find these locally also, but Keen has by far the best prices I've found. You need a bunch of 'em, you won't get by with just a few...

    Shown are the four main 'grits'; brown (coarse), maroon (medium), blue (fine), and grey (very fine). The ones I use most are the blue and grey, but the other two are handy to have too; I'll get to specific uses further along. I also use the 2" size, as I've found that to be the best size for getting into places. I also use 2" sanding discs, usually in 240 and 320 grits for more aggressive material removal. Note that the disc holder is broken; that's on purpose. By not having the whole disc supported, this allows the edges to 'curl' when sanding into curved areas, giving you a nice 'blend' rather than gouging the metal, although the discs need to be used a while before they'll do this. To run these, I use a $15 HF angle-head die grinder.



    You'll also want a larger 5" disc sander. Again, an inexpensive HF unit is used with a foam-backed pad and adhesive-backed sanding discs. This unit will both 'orbit' and spin; I lock it on spin. 400 grit discs are as coarse as you want these to be. I'd get some 400 grit, and maybe some 600. I use this for smoothing/blending larger areas. Great for removing deep scratches. Keen also carries these, so you can do one-stop shopping. Got all this stuff? Let's do a piece....



    A XJ alternator cover. Here's most of the problems you'll run into in one place. Clearcoat is mostly gone but it's been painted, dull oxidized metal, and some deep scratches on the face. I've already hit the face with the disc sander to level that (a matter of a few minutes), so let's move on to the conditioning discs...



    After about 20 minutes with the conditioning discs (blue, then grey), it looks like this. This is ready to buff, no more work needed; total time about 1/2 hour!



    After only 15 minutes at the buffer, the restored part.

    Sometimes you'll have a part that you're sure is beyond repair... or is it?



    Not a great pic, but this XJ ignition cover has been laid over and has some nasty deep scratches in it. If you were hand-sanding this, you'd throw it away.



    After some serious use of the 5" discs, this cover has been smoothed out and is ready to polish. There's still a bit of damage visible and the OEM contours have been changed, but I'll call this acceptable. A bit more work, a bit more time; about 40 minutes.



    After buffing; not bad eh?



    For fork sliders or other 'long' or flat pieces, I'll use the 5" discs to initially smooth the main areas, then follow up with the conditioning discs.
    I've 'blended' some pretty deep scratches out of the cast aluminum grab rails on both this XJ and the SG I did with these.



    For really rough areas, I'll use the 2" sanding discs to level, then follow with the conditioning discs. You can sometimes use the brown or maroon discs instead of the sanding discs, but they work better at 'blending' rough areas rather than removing material. The area around the axle mounts on these XJ forks took some time; about an hour for each fork lower in prep. Yamaha only 'polished' about half of these at the factory...



    The quality of the metal used isn't always that good; you may find pieces that have 'stuff' embedded in the metal or 'soft' spots. No fix for it; the best you can do is try to blend it out; sometimes these things won't show up until you do your buffing. This XJ sidecover casting had 'pits' in the metal that I managed to reduce but not eliminate. Again, the 5" disc was used. This wasn't caused by corrosion...



    This will give you an idea of the difference in finish between 'blue' and 'grey' discs, blue on the left. Remember, any scratching you can still see after using the grey discs will be harder to buff out. Do the whole piece with blue, then follow up with grey.

    A few tricks...



    One area on these that's always hard to get is next to the 'fins' on the shifter cover and cam cover. Using a new disc, hit these areas first before the disc starts to break down.



    Same thing for some of the edges...



    Ok, these discs do have a few drawbacks; they can overheat and 'smear' onto the work surface as seen here, particularly after they start to wear. Keeping the disc moving over the surface will help with this. Not a big deal when it happens, I use some 0000 steel wool to remove it. How many discs will you run through? Well, that depends; figure about one disc of each type per piece, maybe two for larger pieces, less for small parts as a general rule. The number will depend on how bad the part is and how 'perfect' you want it. The 5" sanding discs don't last long either, I went through six on the ignition cover shown above. You can save the 'worn' blue discs and use them to clean gasket surfaces after scraping most of the gasket off though..

    I'll talk about the factory clearcoat here; if yours is still on the parts, the conditioning discs should take it right off, no paint stripper needed. You might run into some that they'll have a hard time with, generally if it's extra-thick. I had a bit on the XJ shifter cover like that, I sandblasted it off. The blue discs will quickly restore the surface, but you might check before starting to see if it's going to be a problem. In places where the discs wouldn't go, I simply scraped it off with a sharp knife; the buffing process will smooth this well enough.

    So, how long did all this take me? I did 14 pieces; all the lower engine covers (4), the fork sliders (2), muffler/footpeg brackets (2), handlebars (2; remember this is a XJ), sidecovers (2), and grab rail (2). There was three days of prep, but this includes repairing and I smoothed more places than was done originally. And the buffing? I buffed all of it in 8 hours, start to finish. Probably somewhere around 30 hours, not bad for at home.

    What do I buff with?



    Ok, this is probably more than most will have; it's 1.5 HP Baldor buffer spinning 10" wheels. But even if you have a smaller buffer, that still won't increase your buffing time that much if the parts are well-prepped. Buffers can be put together pretty cheaply, and buffing wheels and compounds aren't expensive either. You'll need a sewn cotton spiral with tripoli to remove the scratches, and a loose cotton flannel with white for the 'color' buff. If you really want to 'detail' your parts, the wheels won't quite get into some recessed areas, you can use one of these...



    ... felt buffs for those spots.

    And the parts? Here they are...



    Questions and comments welcome!
    Last edited by crazy steve; 07-03-2012, 08:57 AM.
    Fast, Cheap, Reliable... Pick any two

    '78E original owner - resto project
    '78E ???? owner - Modder project FJ forks, 4-piston calipers F/R, 160/80-16 rear tire
    '82 XJ rebuild project
    '80SG restified, red SOLD
    '79F parts...
    '81H more parts...

    Other current bikes:
    '93 XL1200 Anniversary Sportster 85RWHP
    '86 XL883/1200 Chopper
    '82 XL1000 w/1450cc Buell, Baker 6-speed, in-progress project
    Cage: '13 Mustang GT/CS with a few 'custom' touches
    Yep, can't leave nuthin' alone...

  • #2
    You are certainly crazy, Steve!

    Nice write-up. Might give it a try.
    Nathan
    KD9ARL

    μολὼν λαβέ

    1978 XS1100E
    K&N Filter
    #45 pilot Jet, #137.5 Main Jet
    OEM Exhaust
    ATK Fork Brace
    LED Dash lights
    Ammeter, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp, and Volt Meters

    Green Monster Coils
    SS Brake Lines
    Vision 550 Auto Tensioner

    In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

    Theodore Roosevelt

    Comment


    • #3
      Awesome work, thanks for the info. I don't have 3 phase at the house for the buffer
      1970? Honda Z50... gone
      1974? Yamaha 100 Enduro... gone
      1974 Honda CB200... gone
      1981 Yamaha Virago 750... gone
      1993 Honda Shadow 1100... gone
      2008 Honda VTX 1800F
      1982 Yamaha XJ1100J w/850 final, Raptor ACCT
      1979 Yamaha XS1100SF "Chewey" Raptor ACCT

      http://www.johnsoldiron.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Flying Fins

        Steve, would love to see some pics of any engine fin work you have done!
        1979 XS110F, Stock
        1980 XS1100G, Mostly Stock, gifted to my son.
        2000 YZ 250, Sold
        2002 YZ125, Sold
        2009 Royal Star Venture
        '94 Pontiac Trans Am, 25th Anniversary, For Sale

        Ernie

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by WSL91 View Post
          Awesome work, thanks for the info. I don't have 3 phase at the house for the buffer
          http://http://www.bing.com/search?q=Build+3+Phase+Rotary+Converter&FORM=QSRE1


          http://http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/phase-converter/phase-converter.html
          Last edited by crazy steve; 06-23-2012, 12:53 PM. Reason: fixed links...

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by ESJr1642 View Post
            Steve, would love to see some pics of any engine fin work you have done!
            Years ago, the engineers at the airplane engine companies found out that an "as cast" surface on the aluminum heads had better heat disapation properties than did a smooth or polished surface.
            If you are making a "show" bike, then polishing might contribute to the "look", but if you ride in warm weather, I'd give some more thought as to whether the fins should be polished. CZ

            Comment


            • #7
              Good write-up Steve. Once everything is finished and waxed, the polished parts are easy to maintain. A little Eagle-one or Mothers Milk polish on an occasional basis will keep them looking great.
              Skids (Sid Hansen)

              Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.
              03 Honda ST1300 ABS

              Comment


              • #8
                No, that's a single-phase buffer... it is the biggest one you can buy though...

                What if you want to polish a part that wasn't polished originally? Pretty much the same procedure with some added steps up front.

                For most die-cast parts like the handlebar switch housings, master cylinder, etc, that's where you seriously use the brown and maroon discs. These will remove the paint and smooth the metal in one operation. If the part has heavy casting lines (like brake calipers or the top tree), some work with the 2" sanding discs may be needed, maybe some work with a hand file will be needed before moving to the conditioning discs depending on how smooth you want the finished part. The brown and maroon discs work very well for removing heavy scratches left by grinders, files, etc.



                Stock brakes polished....

                For particularly lumpy parts or sand-cast parts...



                ... like this lumpy modified FJ lower tree, you may need to use a grinder to shape the part...



                ... before moving to the discs and final polishing.

                You can polish pretty much any aluminum part, but getting into all the nooks and crannies is what will consume the time. For 'outside' surfaces, it's not that bad, but on some parts with 'inside' surfaces where you won't be able to get the discs or buffs in easily, the hand labor can become daunting...



                I won't admit to how many hours these took, let's just say a lot...

                The finished part will only look as good as the prep work you put into it. While small flaws in the prep (mostly places you can't get into well like in holes or around some bolts) will buff out enough to not be noticable, buffing alone won't fix poor prep. Better prep will also mean your buffing wheels will last longer. If you haven't tried buffing before, there's videos available showing the various 'tricks' to that, they will help.

                Keep in mind that after you do polish any parts, you'll need to keep them polished. I haven't found any 'permanent' coating that can be applied to keep them shiny that isn't more trouble than it's worth; the downsides to all of them outweigh their positives IMO, ranging from badly dulling the shine, the difficulty of getting them to stick to a well-polished surface, and if you do get it to stick, the difficulty of removing it when it inevitably gets damaged and corrosion gets under the coating. Which is why your aluminum probably needed polishing in the first place....
                Fast, Cheap, Reliable... Pick any two

                '78E original owner - resto project
                '78E ???? owner - Modder project FJ forks, 4-piston calipers F/R, 160/80-16 rear tire
                '82 XJ rebuild project
                '80SG restified, red SOLD
                '79F parts...
                '81H more parts...

                Other current bikes:
                '93 XL1200 Anniversary Sportster 85RWHP
                '86 XL883/1200 Chopper
                '82 XL1000 w/1450cc Buell, Baker 6-speed, in-progress project
                Cage: '13 Mustang GT/CS with a few 'custom' touches
                Yep, can't leave nuthin' alone...

                Comment


                • #9
                  Is this what the XJ is going to look like? (Polished al instead of chrome)

                  1970? Honda Z50... gone
                  1974? Yamaha 100 Enduro... gone
                  1974 Honda CB200... gone
                  1981 Yamaha Virago 750... gone
                  1993 Honda Shadow 1100... gone
                  2008 Honda VTX 1800F
                  1982 Yamaha XJ1100J w/850 final, Raptor ACCT
                  1979 Yamaha XS1100SF "Chewey" Raptor ACCT

                  http://www.johnsoldiron.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I was just poking fun at his buffer. I have 8" Craftsman that will run buffing wheels.
                    1970? Honda Z50... gone
                    1974? Yamaha 100 Enduro... gone
                    1974 Honda CB200... gone
                    1981 Yamaha Virago 750... gone
                    1993 Honda Shadow 1100... gone
                    2008 Honda VTX 1800F
                    1982 Yamaha XJ1100J w/850 final, Raptor ACCT
                    1979 Yamaha XS1100SF "Chewey" Raptor ACCT

                    http://www.johnsoldiron.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by WSL91 View Post
                      I was just poking fun at his buffer. I have 8" Craftsman that will run buffing wheels.

                      Oh, well, maybe somebody else can use the info. CZ

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Sooo... Do you actually spend any time riding the bike Steve?? Looks good, but wayyy tooo much time involved for me to comtemplate that level of detail.
                        1980 SG. (Sold - waiting on replacement)
                        2000 XJR1300. The Real modern XS11. Others are just pretenders.

                        Woman (well, my wife anyway) are always on Transmit and never Receive.

                        "A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be" Albert Einstien.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Steve,

                          I use a very similar process. I just wish 3M made one more grade of disk a tad less aggressive. Would save a lot of polishing time which is the really dirty/nasty part of the job.

                          Doug
                          1995 KZ100P
                          Pods, jets, pipes, cam adjuster, oil cooler

                          1977 Ironhead - custom build
                          Hot engine, custom frame, KZ front and rear, high torque starter, alternator conversion, Progressive shocks, Thunderheart wiring, Dyna ignition, oil cooler, Dakota Digital instruments, etc.

                          Sold all my XS's to Eastcoaster but still love to keep up with you guys. This is the best cycle forum on the web.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by b.walker5 View Post
                            Sooo... Do you actually spend any time riding the bike Steve?? Looks good, but wayyy tooo much time involved for me to comtemplate that level of detail.
                            There are only two or three nice days a year where he lives.
                            Marty (in Mississippi)
                            XS1100SG
                            XS650SK
                            XS650SH
                            XS650G
                            XS6502F
                            XS650E

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Aches n Pains View Post
                              ...I just wish 3M made one more grade of disk a tad less aggressive. Would save a lot of polishing time which is the really dirty/nasty part of the job...
                              Yes it is... You might want to check out the Keen site, specifically the self-adhesive paper sanding discs. They are now selling (weren't the last time I ordered) these in grits of up to 1500. Not all that expensive either; 50 for $7.

                              While the better the surface finish you have, the less buffing time it takes, it will still be a dirty job...
                              Fast, Cheap, Reliable... Pick any two

                              '78E original owner - resto project
                              '78E ???? owner - Modder project FJ forks, 4-piston calipers F/R, 160/80-16 rear tire
                              '82 XJ rebuild project
                              '80SG restified, red SOLD
                              '79F parts...
                              '81H more parts...

                              Other current bikes:
                              '93 XL1200 Anniversary Sportster 85RWHP
                              '86 XL883/1200 Chopper
                              '82 XL1000 w/1450cc Buell, Baker 6-speed, in-progress project
                              Cage: '13 Mustang GT/CS with a few 'custom' touches
                              Yep, can't leave nuthin' alone...

                              Comment

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