Don't know if this helps.... but I do it the hard way.... heres a tutorial I wrote up for some other guys on diesel valve covers I did a while back on my 1947.... Alright guys.... got it written up for you. Enjoy and feel free to ask questions as they arise and I will be more then happy to answer. THE HOW-TO-TUTORIAL ON POLISHING ALUMINUM (VALVE COVERS OR WHATEVER YOU MAY HAVE) Step One: REMOVAL : DRY 60-80 grit with power (DA, Palm Sander etc) Alright guys, this is probably the MOST important step. Nothing special to this at all, remove all old paint, and really dig into the metal on this one. Any mistake or laziness on this step is VERY apparent in your final result and it is the easiest step to do, so do it well. Remove paint and make sure you bottom out all pits, nicks, etc as you must have an even surface with no pitting left over. Leave a pitt or a knick on the surface and it carries through all the way to your mirror finish. (BAD) Step Two: LEVELING: DRY 120-180 grit by hand/block Again, this one is pretty straight forward. It still is in free-style mode with no directional discipline. This step is to simply remove all the grooving left from the DA/Palm sander etc from the first step. Simply continue to sand whether by hand (preferably by block) to remove all the swirl circles left by step one. Step Three: DISCIPLINED DIRECTIONAL SANDING: WET 220 grit by hand This is where the hands start to hurt, the blisters form and the fun begins. Get a spray bottle, a bucket of water, and put on some old clothes. Begin sanding in one direction across your entire part. Before doing so, use your spray bottle filled with water and spray your sanding surface so its wet. Your bucket, dip the sanding paper in the bucket. You can NOT use too much water, but you can use too little. Continue sanding in one direction until you no longer see any other patterns formed on the surface except lines of sanding in the direction you are going. How to hold your sandpaper to get uniform pressure as well as directional sanding. (See how it is vertical path) Step Four: PERPENDICULAR DIRECTIONAL SANDING: WET400 grit by hand After the previous step has been completed, you no longer see any other marking on the metal except the directional sanding from the last step, its time to move up to 400 grit. Spray your entire surface with the spray bottle to removal all of the liquid aluminum dust and debris. (Or simply dunk your part into your water bucket). We will now begin wet sanding again (so spray your clean surface, dip your 400 grit paper in your bucket) and begin sanding now perpendicular to your previous direction and continue to do so until all of your markings from step three are no longer visible. If you cheat on this cross-hatching and do not sand until all of the previous steps markings (scratches) are gone, you will begin to form micro pits and your finish product will NOT shine but have a white haze to it) Gentlemen, take your time and patience now. If youve think youve removed all of step three markings .CONTINUE TO SAND because you havent. (Speaking from experience) (Shown is now going horizontal and how the vertical groves have only been removed by 50%. Keep sanding until all vertical grooves are gone) Step Five: PERP DIRECTIONAL SANDING WET-600 grit by hand Same as step four except with 600 grit. Change directions again to go against the grain of the 400 grit. Make sure to dunk your part(or spray off all aluminum debris) and apply water to clean surface and dip your paper before beginning. Continue with 600 grit until all of step four markings are gone and you can only see the directional markings of the 600 grit on the metal. Step Six: PERP DIRECTIONAL SANDING WET-800 grit by hand Same as step five except with 800 grit. Change directions again to go against the grain of the 600 grit. Make sure to dunk your part(or spray off all aluminum debris) and apply water to clean surface and dip your paper before beginning. Continue with 800 grit until all of step five markings are gone and you can only see the directional markings of the 800 grit on the metal. Step Seven: PERP DIRECTIONAL SANDING WET-1000 grit by hand Same as step six except with 1000 grit. Change directions again to go against the grain of the 800 grit. Make sure to dunk your part(or spray off all aluminum debris) and apply water to clean surface and dip your paper before beginning. Continue with 1000 grit until all of step six markings are gone and you can only see the directional markings of the 1000 grit on the metal. DESCISION TIME: Show quality or just mirror finish? If show quality is desired continue to repeat Step Seven with both 1500 grit and then 2000 grit sand paper. All wet, all by hand. Before proceeding to Step Eight Step Eight: POLISHING TO MIRROR FINISH: Dry/Clean Metal Alright guys, heres were all the time and hard work pay off. On your clean metal surface, use old white cotton t-shirts (YES THEY WORK THE BEST AND ARE THE CHEAPEST do not use terry clothes, microfiber or any other material besides 100% cotton weave) Give your t-shirt or rag a spray or two to moisten it to a damp feel. Take your mothers polish (personal preference of mine) and begin swirling polish in circles. It will start to blacken on the metal and that is GOOD. Continue and really put in some elbow grease hear. Average use should be about a dime size of polish cream on each surface of the valve cover. (Top, Side, Side, Side, Side) Use our finger picking through the t-shirt to apply and swirl. Then use the clean white spots on the t-shirt to remove the polish in a swirling motion. Once most of the polish cream is removed, again find a new clean white section of t-shirt and again swirl like your removing wax from a car. Step Nine: ENJOY!!!! Put in front of face and wave to your mirrored image. Yup, the engine color is heat enamel 'old ford blue' As far as a buffing wheel with the polishing compound, I've yet to see a machine mirror up as good as a one finger result were you can vary the pressure were need be to clean up 1000 and 1500 grit mistakes. That being said, I HAVE used the buffing wheel on a few motorcycle frames that I did, but still ended up doing some clean up work were even the lowest speed RPM's and light pressure still left some pretty hefty swirl scratches in the finish. Time saver yes, but when you get to that point, it takes so little time to do the surface area that is 4 valve covers by hand anyways. Valve cover polishing time can take anywhere from 2-4 hours EACH pending your experience with sandpaper in hand and wet sanding. Remember polishing aluminum requires patience, if you get frustrated or bored, walk away, because cutting the corners on a step WILL indeed show up in your final result.....usually REALLY REALLY bad. BELIEVE ME THO.... ITS ALL WORTH IT! EDIT: In regards to the intake side of the turbo, be VERY VERY carefull on the low grits when your removing all the casting material. I have seen it done, and it indeed DOES look good, but I would imagine with all of the curved surfaces with casting ribbing, it would take some time. That being said, the .020 to .030 of material you remove will not degrade the structure of the turbo and the safety of it. More importantly, make sure you really seal it up, aluminum dust inside a turbo will reek HAVOC on bearings the shaft. Ooo and water too (wet sanding)
BOO! AAHHHH! He said it! Just kidding, Looks nice. I mean, you did a great job polishing your shaft! Then showing the guys. Hmmm..
47 Ford,I use the orbital too (oops i forgot to mention that part) but i don't use it on stuff thats already smooth.Thanks for adding that.By the way i was looking at your build thread for that truck,Great job man u should be proud of it.I'm surprised there aren't more heavy truck builds like that.chevy57dude,I'm glad your happy with the looks of my shaft
a light grit sand paper and a product called (one grand)the business is located in ventura california it really works! i use it on all my stuff!!!
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