Polishing the Case -

jimdi · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Oct 27, 2005 Posts: 512

My aluminum engine case has lost it's luster - I am using Mothers mag and aluminum wheel polish to polish it up - does OK - Anything better out there? Any Special techiniques I should use?????

I wan't my case to shine again!!! Very Happy

TheDude · Posted: April 3, 2008, 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

I have just a little experience with this (I still need to polish my cases). If Mother's (a great product IMHO) isn't up to it, try using a buffing wheel. For under $20, I purchased an aluminum polishing kit from Harbor Freight. It has buffing wheels of various sizes and shapes that fit into an electric drill. Don't use a die grinder; they run too fast thus generating heat that will be degradational. The kit also comes with various polishing compounds (start w/ black, move up to red, then white) and instructions. you can purchase these items at any hardware store as well.

if the surface has any texture or is heavily oxidized, try wet sanding it first. I start with 500 grit than go over it with 1000 grit. this cuts down on the time spent buffing dramatically.

here's an article i found on frame polishing. Youy shouldn't have to follow all the steps if you have polished the cases in the past.

forum.caswellplating.c...php?t=1755

royfisk · Posted: April 3, 2008, 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

Well polishes are for lustering already buffed and polished cases. If your cases are real bad it would be better to buff them out and the use the polish to maintain the shine.

jimdi · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Oct 27, 2005 Posts: 512

My case isn't really bad - It is just dull - the Mothers shines it up - but it doesn't "chrome" it up. I've seen guys on e-bay sell a shining service - and I wondered what they did to get such a great shine.

Cooltouch · Posted: April 5, 2008, 12:59 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

Probably a bigass buffing wheel with a variety of buffing compound grits.

Best,

ichael

silverfox · Posted: April 5, 2008, 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

dose your caseings still have the clearcoat on them or have you removed it

NateDogg · Posted: April 5, 2008, 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

You can buy an arbor for your regular old drill, a little cloth wheel and a stick of white compound, each thing I listed is about $5....I used it on mine and works great

jimdi · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Oct 27, 2005 Posts: 512

I think the clear coat is long gone. I get the black residue when I buff with mothers - I doubt I would get the black if the clear coat was still on it.

jimdi · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Oct 27, 2005 Posts: 512

While we are on the subject - HOW ABOUT THE SPOKES??
How do you get the shine back on them (short of replacing them)?

Cooltouch · Posted: April 5, 2008, 11:50 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

Welp, the spokes are steel. So, to get them bright again, I dunno what else you would do other than sand each and every one to remove the corrosion. But then what? Spray clear coat on 'em? That doesn't appeal to me.

Seems to me that, if you want them shiny, you got two choices: the plated ones like Mikes sells or the stainless ones like Buchanan's sells.

Best,

ichael

WayneMeuir · Posted: April 6, 2008, 12:26 am Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

In order to buff aluminum to chrome like finish you need to sand (in a sotra criss-cross random pattern) all the imperfections out first. If its not too bad, you can start with 400 sandpaper, then 600, then 1000, and if you really want it slick, go to 1500. I had a sprocket carrier for a H2 that the chain had come off and chewed the hell out of it so I started with a die grinder and porting bobs, then 100 grit and worked down and it looks better than new.

After it is sanded and all imperfections are gone, then buff it on an electric wheel, wear gloves cause it gets really hot. Some folks use two or three different compounds. I just sand it until it is really slick then use white compound.

Good news is that after sanding as above, you can polish a clutch cover in 20-25 minutes. I ahve a buffing machine that I bought from Harbour Freight for $50. It has a long shaft on one side for the buffing bonnet and a grinding stone on the other end. Works good for Chinese junk.

Wayne

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

CT's right, all you can do is replace them. The originals are cad plated. When they get old and tarnished, they turn dull dark gray. If you polish them, they'll be shiny dark gray. Personally, I feel the stainless spokes are too expensive for the 650 at near $90 a set. You can get 3 sets of the steel ones from Mike's for less than that. If you care for them and keep them clean, they'll look good for years.

royfisk · Posted: April 6, 2008, 6:54 am Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

there is another alternative, that is pretty trick. spoked and mags can be sand blasted and powder coated as a set. theres new powders out now that resemble both chrome and alluminum. Or for that custom touch solid or transparent colors. Also powder has a nice clearcoat to top off your highly polished alluminum. It doesnt dull the finish as much as clearcoat paint does. Another note is high temp powders are also available for those hot spots, exhaust,cyl heads and barrels. If you have a old electric oven powder isnt that expensive to get started with either. check out eastward co coating system and supplys. I am presently in midst of building a oven to do frames in and going to try coating a few things and see how it goes.

weekendrider · Posted: April 6, 2008, 10:26 am Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

Roy why electric as oppossed to gas? Paint fumes?

royfisk · Posted: April 6, 2008, 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

absolutely

georelle · Posted: April 6, 2008, 8:08 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

The best way I have found to polish the cases is to wet sand them. Depending on how bad they are you can start at 400grit the go up to 800 or 900. I then use a buffing wheel on my 4.5" hand grinder and some Mibro Cleaning and Polishing compound. They have it at Lowes' and other places. The results are amazing. You can get a chrome like finish for less then $50.00 including the cost of the hand grinder. If you get a hand grinder pick up a cutting wheel too then throw away your hack saw. I did the rims whith this as well. You can use a bench grinder as well but then you have to take off the side covers
Check out the web site:
www.mibro.com/content/...shing#buff
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and check out "Applying Compounds to a Buffing Pad" and "How to Clean and Polish"
Georelle

NateDogg · Posted: April 6, 2008, 8:44 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

I agree with geo...I wet sand then buff with white and get a chrome like finish, even with an old peice of s*** drill

Irish · Full Member Joined: Jun 12, 2007 Posts: 250

Also as you go, if you are wearing gloves, change to a new pair when you switch wheels and compounds, if you don't the gloves will contaminate the progress you have made. The Horse Magazine had a pretty good article on polishing a few issues back.

jimdi · 650Rider Supporter Joined: Oct 27, 2005 Posts: 512

Thanks Guys!

noxious · New Member Joined: Sep 16, 2007 Posts: 1

This is the best stuff around. I spent all day polishing the engine covers on my 1980 XS650, then spent 20 minutes with this stuff on my 40-year old BSA - and the BSA's cases looked better for a longer period of time.

Aluminum Deoxidizer

Polish

GrImReaPeR · Full Member Joined: Dec 31, 2007 Posts: 17

my buddy at work borrowed me some "wizards metal polish" i tried it yesterday and this stuff works wonders. just use a little bit maybe 1 inch by inch piece and you can use it over and over. then just wipe it off it works better then any wax or cleaner ive tried for the engine side covers and block and all the metal non-painted.

wizardsproducts.com/Me...gory_Code=

i cant wait to use it on my wheels, ill post some before and after pics when i get chance to clean'em

Chopdoc · Full Member Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 47

Step 1) Get a dedicated woman that loves to ride.

Step 2) Tell her: No rides until the thing shines everywhere.

Worked for me. Wink

Then we got married...the bike does not look nearly as good anymore.... Sad

xsjohn · Posted: April 23, 2008, 12:33 pm Post subject: Re: Polishing the Case -

Perfect anology........no truer words have ever been spoken......at least it wasn't lets get rid of those things.......and grow up.......

xsjohn

Chopdoc · Full Member Joined: Aug 26, 2007 Posts: 47

Ah yes.....that was the first wife....

Hence....I have a second....

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650