bright trim polish?

[cdaniel]

Anyone got any recommendations for polishing up the tarnished aluminum bright trim on these old trucks?
I got a pair of the custom cab trim pieces that are real straight but really oxidized. I've tried "Never Dull" and "Barkeepers Friend". Barkeepers is too abrasive and the other isn't having much effect.

[dundunit]

Are you doing it by hand or a drill mount rig? If by hand, you might try Brasso or just plain old baking soda. A buff wheel set up is the most ideal. Good luck.

[coilspring66]

Yeah, I think the traditional buff wheel set-up is the only good way. I tried just about every hand polishing method, with little success. I bit the bullet & had mine professionally polished for $25.00 each & they came out very shiney. The guy that did it had some doubts due to the possibility that the factory anodization might hinder his methods. However, most of the anodization must have worn off throughout the years, because he didn't mention it when I picked them up. The same difficulties seem to hold for the side trim & the aluminum grill of the later custom cabs. The stainless of the earlier trucks (60-63?)is easier to work with & polish than the aluminum of the later trucks (64-66).

[greenmtnboy]

Try fine (00 or 000) steel wool.

[Hilandr451]

If you have the trim off the truck, I'd use a bench mounted polishing wheel like mine. I found the grinding/polishing wheel arbor at a swap meet for $5.00. I bought the 3/4hp motor attached to a craftsman 10" table saw at another swap meet for $75.00 Although it was originally intended to drive the table saw at 3400rpm, I geared it down for the polishing wheel (around 1750rpm) by sizing some new pulleys from ace hardware - $15.00 The cloth buffing wheels & "Dico" polishing compound sticks were also from Ace, but I have seen the same wheels & compound at Harbor Freight for a lot less. Just make sure you buy the compound meant for aluminum - it does make a difference.



You can pull the same thing off while the trim is on the truck, they sell drill mounted arbors & smaller polishing wheels. Just make sure you double mask the paint on either side of the trim piece before you start to polish. Aluminum is very easy to polish to a bright luster. You'll be amaized at how easy it is and at how nice it comes out. You might need to so some light sanding to alieviate pitting or deep scratches. Just use a 600 grit sand paper or for light oxidization, or irregular finish, smooth things out with some steel wool before putting a bright luster on it. I've even used 180 grit to remove gouges before, finishing it off with 800 grit before the polish. Warning!!! steel wool alone, no matter what the grade on aluminum will only dull the finish. That stuff works wonders on stainless & chrome though!

Now I'm the polisher guy in our neighborhood. Ever since I polished up some tarnished old brass candle holders for my wife - everybody brings me stuff to polish up - gold, silver jewelery, flat ware, you name it it gets shined up here!

[cdaniel]

Originally Posted by Hilandr451

If you have the trim off the truck, I'd use a bench mounted polishing wheel like mine. I found the grinding/polishing wheel arbor at a swap meet for $5.00. I bought the 3/4hp motor attached to a craftsman 10" table saw at another swap meet for $75.00 Although it was originally intended to drive the table saw at 3400rpm, I geared it down for the polishing wheel (around 1750rpm) by sizing some new pulleys from ace hardware - $15.00 The cloth buffing wheels & "Dico" polishing compound sticks were also from Ace, but I have seen the same wheels & compound at Harbor Freight for a lot less. Just make sure you buy the compound meant for aluminum - it does make a difference.

You can pull the same thing off while the trim is on the truck, they sell drill mounted arbors & smaller polishing wheels. Just make sure you double mask the paint on either side of the trim piece before you start to polish. Aluminum is very easy to polish to a bright luster. You'll be amaized at how easy it is and at how nice it comes out. You might need to so some light sanding to alieviate pitting or deep scratches. Just use a 600 grit sand paper or for light oxidization, or irregular finish, smooth things out with some steel wool before putting a bright luster on it. I've even used 180 grit to remove gouges before, finishing it off with 800 grit before the polish. Warning!!! steel wool alone, no matter what the grade on aluminum will only dull the finish. That stuff works wonders on stainless & chrome though!

Now I'm the polisher guy in our neighborhood. Ever since I polished up some tarnished old brass candle holders for my wife - everybody brings me stuff to polish up - gold, silver jewelery, flat ware, you name it it gets shined up here!

Thanks, I put a buff wheel on my bench grinder and have made a lot of progress. I'm thinking it may be a little too fast though. Is there any upper limit to the RPM's for buffing?

[Hilandr451]

I don't know if there is a RMP limit from a buffing/ polishing perspective. I have seen the big buffing wheels the pro's use spin a lot faster than 1750 PRM. You should be fine using the bench grinder motor though, they typically spin at or around 1735 - 1750 RPM. The limiting factor being the actual wheel. The design limits of the wheel should be printed on the wheel itself.

As you get more experienced in polishing, you'll notice that you get the best results with a light touch. make sure you clean your work thouroughly and sand down any scratches or abrasions before polishing.

Also make sure you use the appropriate polishing compound to dress the wheel. Also clean the wheel periodically by spraying brake cleaner and gently running the edge of a piece of steel perpendicular into the cloth wheel at speed to remove residual build-up. Aluminum deposits a lot of material into the wheel in a short time. I'm going to put together a pictoral "how to" page on my picturetrail web site showing some polishing tips & care of your wheel. I'll post the link when I'm done.

[The Hogdoctor]

I wet sanded my alum.wheels and the turned out perfect. I found some 12000 grit sandpaper that is used to repair plexaglass windshields on aircraft.
These wheels sat out in the Alabama sun for 4 years. I called every polish company and emailed every auto show on TV and and asked the what I could do.
The wet sanding came from desperation, I figured that they could't look any worse. Alter I put them on the truck,the person I bought them from wanted them back. He said they looked as good as the day he bought them.