Hi guys,
I've polished out my swingarm on my LT500, as well as the stator cover. I removed most of the paint from the cylinder and head, and tried to start polishing them, but since they are not smooth, I'm stuck on how to polish them. I tried one of those sanding wheels with the sandpaper flaps, but it is not doing a good job. Also, how do I polish in the little corners, etc. On the stator cover, in the little recesses where the bolts in to hold it on, I wasn't able to polish there because I couldn't figure out how to do it. Aluminum is soft, and so I don't want to use a dremel sanding wheel because it will cut through it like butter, and it won't have a smooth finish. If anyone has done this before, or has owned a shop that does this, please give me some hints. I don't mind working to get it done (my swingarm took 2 days) but I want it done right so it doesn't look like someone who didn't know what they were doing. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Thanks!

 

hey man on the cylinder I would have it sand blasted. Yeah sand blasted, concideing that you got a '87 then i'm figuring the cylinder was blue. If you take it to a good sandblaster and say you wanted done with sugar sand or something equal, the finish will be a lot smoother and shinier,but not polished. BUT if he does it with too coarse of sand it could possibly damage the cylinder. Also the cylinder must be cleaned very well to get all the sand out of hole and the cylinder. i have an '85 250 with the unpainted cylinder, i did it to mine and it made it shines more. i also took a small stainless steel wire brush and brushed it so that it gleams more. true the sand blasting job does take longer and involves pulling the jug but it looks good.

 

DON'T SANDBLAST IT. First of all you may not get all the sand out. If your going to use some type of force to strip it find a shop that does Carbon Dioxide stripping. Your best bet is to use a chemicial stripper. Once that is done get a metal finishing wheel for a die grinder. You can also go on Eastwood Company. They have lots of things avalible for polishing alum.

For the tiny areas get out the dremel or die grinder and a comfortable chair.

I have a Cannondale Speed the pictures are in my sig. You don't want to know how much time is on it.

Smitty

 

The 3M brand rolloc wheels are the best. You can start out with the red ones then finish with the blue...then follow with the elbow grease. These are the Scotchbrite looking wheels. You can GLASS bead blast a cylinder. Make sure to fully mask the ends, one good tape is the aluminum foil tape available at any Home Depot, or similar store. A 90 degree die grinder works the best for the polishing wheels.


Ken

 

Goto Sears and get there polishing wheels it comes with 4 different polishes the wheels mount on a bench grinder they work really well. that way you can get in to the small spots.

 

Yes, I'm not going to sandblast it. I have a high pressure sandblaster and that thing will cut through aluminum really fast. I'll try the other suggestions. Thanks!