Polishing Motorcycle parts

[rojoracing53]

So with several of my projects only needing a bit of color to call complete I'm looking for a local Anodizing shop as well as a way to polish up my parts to remove all my machining marks.

I was cruising the net and came across this kit that looks like it will cover just about all future projects I could come up with. http://www.eastwood.com/ew-buff-moto...-buff-kit.html

Anyone have any experience with cleaning up & polishing steel and aluminum parts?

[Racer x]

That is a nice kit. I got a big buffer from harbor freight. 90 bucks I think. I polished my forks and engine covers with it. Also made my wife's titanium bicycle look like chrome. Lots of fun.
I you are doing anodizing you will need to polish everything. But ask first. Some shops do it for you.

Have you looked into powder coating? You can get better longer lasting finishes with powder.

[rojoracing53]

I have a powder coating shop just down the street that I use on occasion but for my more recent projects I want to keep my tolerances tight so I don't want the thicker powder coating. Going to try a practice and perfect the whole process with these current project before I dive into making my own racing rearsets.

[alex.s]

ghetto-polish:

1) apply layer of tin foil tape on top of part to be polished.
2) ...
3) profit.

[Racer x]

That is the drawback to powder. I have tried at home anodizing. Gold and silver come out just OK. But colors would not come out right. Maybe they have better stuff now. That was twenty years ago.
If you have an old oven you can do a decent but limited powder coat job.

[rojoracing53]

Originally Posted by Racer x

That is the drawback to powder. I have tried at home anodizing. Gold and silver come out just OK. But colors would not come out right. Maybe they have better stuff now. That was twenty years ago.
If you have an old oven you can do a decent but limited powder coat job.

I'm looking at used electric ovens right now

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by rojoracing53

.......Anyone have any experience with cleaning up & polishing steel and aluminum parts?

It seems to me that the buffs of that kit are a little weak for big parts.

Being so thin, those tend to deform for parts that take some pressure to reach complex forms, specially aluminum (I would choose ~1" thickness and some with smaller diameter).

3/4 HP is more than enough and 3600 rpm + 10" diameter may be excessive speed for aluminum (you can burn it and stain the surface).

The paste in blocks should be for specific materials and with different grades of abrasive.

If the surfaces are perfectly clean before buffing, steel should be easier to polish than aluminum.