The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Paint & Bodywork > Detailing

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 03-19-2014, 08:18 PM   #1
diggerbob
Registered User
 
diggerbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Bartlett, TN (near Memphis)
Posts: 202
Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Can anyone point me to some tips on polishing stainless windshield trim? I have some old trim that is in good shape but I'd like to clean it up before I put it in the gasket and install my windshield. I have a buffing wheel for my bench grinder.
diggerbob is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 08:34 PM   #2
Zoomin
Man of Mini-Talents
 
Zoomin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 4,295
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

000 steel wool followed by a polish and your buffing wheel works pretty good.
Zoomin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 09:39 PM   #3
yj4000
Registered User
 
yj4000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Pulaski, ny
Posts: 117
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

X2. Steel wool works great.
yj4000 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 10:35 PM   #4
Drewski23
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Saint Louis, MO
Posts: 142
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

should you get the steel wool wet? what polish do you recommend?
Drewski23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 10:58 PM   #5
Zoomin
Man of Mini-Talents
 
Zoomin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 4,295
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by Drewski23 View Post
should you get the steel wool wet? what polish do you recommend?
Steel wool comes in the following grades from fine to course:
0000, 000, 00, 0, 1, 2, 3

You don't use water like you would with sand paper. Mothers makes a good polish. If you don't have a buffing wheel, one of Mothers Power Balls that you put in your drill helps.

Steel wool is good for a lot of things. I tried some on my paint finish just for grins. This was steel wool only - no polish.


Zoomin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-19-2014, 11:03 PM   #6
litew8
Registered User
 
litew8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Posts: 3,016
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Isn't the trim anodized?
__________________
project: "my happy mess"
litew8 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2014, 12:55 AM   #7
FirstOwner69
Senior Member
 
FirstOwner69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin & Arizona
Posts: 4,846
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

The windshield trim is stainless. I used this Eastwood kit for my 58 Vette (LOTS of stainless) and my 69 CST/20. Works great.

http://www.eastwood.com/stainless-steel-buff-kit.html
FirstOwner69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-20-2014, 03:26 PM   #8
yj4000
Registered User
 
yj4000's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Pulaski, ny
Posts: 117
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Aluminum foil works on chrome. I've used it on bumpers it work wonders. Not sure about stainless but worth a try.
yj4000 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2015, 10:26 PM   #9
BC10
Senior Member
 
BC10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 493
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Bringing up an old post.
I tried using foil, 000 steel wool, Brasco, and Never dull, on some windshield trim that is In decent shape (no deep scratches).
But it still looks dull to me. Does the polishing need to be repeated several times until it really shines? Or are my expectations to high, hoping that it will look as good as new like shiny chrome? Any other suggestions? Thanks!
BC10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2015, 10:49 PM   #10
FirstOwner69
Senior Member
 
FirstOwner69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin & Arizona
Posts: 4,846
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by BC10 View Post
Bringing up an old post.
I tried using foil, 000 steel wool, Brasco, and Never dull, on some windshield trim that is In decent shape (no deep scratches).
But it still looks dull to me. Does the polishing need to be repeated several times until it really shines? Or are my expectations to high, hoping that it will look as good as new like shiny chrome? Any other suggestions? Thanks!
Look into purchasing an Eastwood polishing kit as I mentioned in post 7. You need to use polishing compounds for a mirror finish. Be careful though using the buffer since the it is easy to wrap the trim around the shaft if the buffing wheel grabs it. I've used this setup to do all the stainless on the truck and my 58 Vette to a mirror finish.

For a buffer I use an old sump pump motor strapped onto a cradle made of a couple V-notched pieces of 2X6 attached to the end of my workbench. Cheap and works fine. Eastwood also used to sell an arbor to use with a motor such as mine. Harbor Freight sells some inexpensive bench buffers.

Last edited by FirstOwner69; 07-12-2015 at 11:05 PM.
FirstOwner69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 01:37 AM   #11
BC10
Senior Member
 
BC10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 493
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by FirstOwner69 View Post
Look into purchasing an Eastwood polishing kit as I mentioned in post 7. You need to use polishing compounds for a mirror finish. Be careful though using the buffer since the it is easy to wrap the trim around the shaft if the buffing wheel grabs it. I've used this setup to do all the stainless on the truck and my 58 Vette to a mirror finish.

For a buffer I use an old sump pump motor strapped onto a cradle made of a couple V-notched pieces of 2X6 attached to the end of my workbench. Cheap and works fine. Eastwood also used to sell an arbor to use with a motor such as mine. Harbor Freight sells some inexpensive bench buffers.
Will a bench grinder work, or a drill?
I got a quote to have the pieces refinished and buffed, $45 a piece, that's 6 pieces, and $270! Yikes...
BC10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 09:21 AM   #12
FirstOwner69
Senior Member
 
FirstOwner69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin & Arizona
Posts: 4,846
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by BC10 View Post
Will a bench grinder work, or a drill?
I got a quote to have the pieces refinished and buffed, $45 a piece, that's 6 pieces, and $270! Yikes...
My experience with a drill didn't work well. It doesn't seem to have the needed RPMs. A bench grinder may work if properly set up. You'll need to find an arbor. It doesn't appear Eastwood sells them anymore. However, a $40 buffer from Harbor Freight may be a good investment. Since I've had my setup I've used it on dozens of items and have somewhat regretted not getting a real buffer. Be sure whatever you decide to secure it to a workbench so it stays in place.
FirstOwner69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2015, 03:35 PM   #13
t76turbo
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N.E. Florida
Posts: 215
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

I just bought a couple arbors, and a number of 4 inch wheel from eastwood to polish aluminum and some stainless. I will use these on my .75 hp matco air powered die grinder. I would also like to get a bench top grinder one day to polish larger things. But the little hand grinders with the buffing wheels will work great for small trim and even polishing stuff on the vehicle. Taping off everything around the polished piece of course.

Unfortunately Eastwood had a fire in their warehouse and the only thing I didnt get with my order was the polishing compound kit. So I havent been able to try it out yet. But I see no reason it will not work as good in my case as a big benchtop grinder. Also they do sell a stainless specific grinding/polishing compound. The 6 piece kit of compounds I bought has the stainless stuff in it. So we will see.
__________________
1970 Shortbed 2wd C-10
t76turbo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2015, 04:06 PM   #14
5567Cruiser
Registered User
 
5567Cruiser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Cannon Falls,Minnesota
Posts: 99
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Dido,I used the Eastwood kit on my windshield trim with a bench grinder and it worked great.
__________________
GARY
67 LWB CST FLEET
56 CHEV 3100
55 CHEV BEL AIR 2DR SEDAN
67 BUICK GS400 CONVERT
5567Cruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2015, 05:23 PM   #15
BC10
Senior Member
 
BC10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 493
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

How do you know know what size to get, does it mainly depend on the size of your grinder?
BC10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-16-2015, 05:49 PM   #16
5567Cruiser
Registered User
 
5567Cruiser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Cannon Falls,Minnesota
Posts: 99
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by BC10 View Post
How do you know know what size to get, does it mainly depend on the size of your grinder?
I have a sears bench grinder and the polishing pads that came with the Eastwood Kit will bolt on most grinders. The kit comes with different polishing compounds with the white being used for stainless. The polishing pads for the grinder come as coarse and fine. Can start with fine steel wool and then the coarse pad and a final polish with the fine pad and the trim should look like new.
__________________
GARY
67 LWB CST FLEET
56 CHEV 3100
55 CHEV BEL AIR 2DR SEDAN
67 BUICK GS400 CONVERT
5567Cruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2015, 03:08 AM   #17
BC10
Senior Member
 
BC10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 493
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Update, after calling Eastwood a few times, and sending an email with no response. I headed down to Harbor Freight, and got black, green, white and blue compound.

I then went to Lowe's and purchased a spiral and loose cotton wheel. http://www.lowes.com/pd_548873-16878-BTA30739___

Hooked all these things up and started polishing.

A few things that I had problems with:

1. I had to use a metal file to level out a few spots. But the scratches I created are taking FOREVER to buff out with the black compound and spiral wheel. Is this due to cheap HFrieght compound that I bought, or should I attack it first with sand paper, before using the polisher?

2. Do I really need a third softer flannel wheel to make the stainless steel really shine using the blue compound? Or will the loose cotton wheel be suffice?

3. Any products or coatings that are recommended to protect the steel by slowing down oxidation? I heard some good things about a product called Diamond Blue Clear?

Thanks in advance!
BC10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2015, 08:52 AM   #18
5567Cruiser
Registered User
 
5567Cruiser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Cannon Falls,Minnesota
Posts: 99
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

I have found that for scratches the use of fine steel wool and 1500 to 2000 3M sandpaper will work with lots of work. Good luck.
__________________
GARY
67 LWB CST FLEET
56 CHEV 3100
55 CHEV BEL AIR 2DR SEDAN
67 BUICK GS400 CONVERT
5567Cruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2015, 09:21 AM   #19
FirstOwner69
Senior Member
 
FirstOwner69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin & Arizona
Posts: 4,846
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by BC10 View Post
Update, after calling Eastwood a few times, and sending an email with no response. I headed down to Harbor Freight, and got black, green, white and blue compound.

I then went to Lowe's and purchased a spiral and loose cotton wheel. http://www.lowes.com/pd_548873-16878-BTA30739___

Hooked all these things up and started polishing.

A few things that I had problems with:

1. I had to use a metal file to level out a few spots. But the scratches I created are taking FOREVER to buff out with the black compound and spiral wheel. Is this due to cheap HFrieght compound that I bought, or should I attack it first with sand paper, before using the polisher?

2. Do I really need a third softer flannel wheel to make the stainless steel really shine using the blue compound? Or will the loose cotton wheel be suffice?

3. Any products or coatings that are recommended to protect the steel by slowing down oxidation? I heard some good things about a product called Diamond Blue Clear?

Thanks in advance!
A clean fine file is an OK start if used with little pressure, but then use sandpaper in increasingly fine grit to smooth it out. After using a file, I'd start with 220 grit then 300, 600, and 1000, followed with the finer grits and ultra fine steel wool as mentioned above. It takes a lot of time and patience, but the results are worth it. I have no idea how the Harbor Freight compounds and Lowe's buffing wheels compare to Eastwood's. The flannel wheels do add a little more luster. They also have a much greater tendency to grab the piece you are polishing so be careful and work slowly.

Stainless does not normally oxidize. Normal wear and tear on the road are what usually affects it. If it's in good shape, all I've ever used is car wax.
FirstOwner69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2015, 09:40 AM   #20
5567Cruiser
Registered User
 
5567Cruiser's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Cannon Falls,Minnesota
Posts: 99
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

My answer for #3, I use Wenol metal polish(German product) for protection and final polish of stainless.
__________________
GARY
67 LWB CST FLEET
56 CHEV 3100
55 CHEV BEL AIR 2DR SEDAN
67 BUICK GS400 CONVERT
5567Cruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-23-2015, 03:51 PM   #21
BC10
Senior Member
 
BC10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 493
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Thanks for the info everyone.
I think I was a little overzealous with the file, just trying to take it down patiently now. I will probably attack it with sandpaper first before going to the machine to level things out.
BC10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2015, 12:54 PM   #22
BC10
Senior Member
 
BC10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 493
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Check these out! http://www.caswellplating.com/buffin...extenders.html
BC10 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2015, 10:06 PM   #23
FirstOwner69
Senior Member
 
FirstOwner69's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Wisconsin & Arizona
Posts: 4,846
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

Quote:
Originally Posted by BC10 View Post
Good find! That's what I was trying to describe in post 12 that I got from Eastwood.
FirstOwner69 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-01-2015, 12:00 AM   #24
Foot Stomper
Registered User
 
Foot Stomper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 1,252
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

This product works extremely well! Stainless and aluminum.
Not selling it... just know about it.

http://www.autosol.com/
__________________
So when is this "Old enough to know better" supposed to kick in?

My 1959 GMC build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=686989
Foot Stomper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-07-2015, 11:16 PM   #25
Foot Stomper
Registered User
 
Foot Stomper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 1,252
Re: Tips for polishing stainless windshield trim needed

I'm going to try using my car polisher with black wool pads and coarse compounds to light ones for these hubcaps. Has anyone tried using car polishing pads and what level of success?
Attached Images
 
__________________
So when is this "Old enough to know better" supposed to kick in?

My 1959 GMC build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=686989
Foot Stomper is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:48 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com