i decided to polish the cylinders today. i have about 1/2 of a cylinder done and about 5hrs on it with 1 blister on my thumb. i am only at 60grit!
damn if i knew it would take this long i wouldnt have even tried. i guese it will be worth it in the end.

i am using a dremel for the tight places.

any advice to make this quicker?

should i clear coat them when done? or should i leave them raw so i can polish them with mothers when they dull?

 

I'm not sure.. but maybe a fine sandblast?

 

I'd get them sandblasted or, try soaking them in paint remover then use a paint scraper or something (go with the direction you have been going in with the paper) I polished my KX case with just sand paper and it took forever, I polshed my throttle cover by soaking it in paint remover and lightly sanding it afterwards, took alot of the work out of it. But the easiest way would be to get it blasted and then you can just polish it with some mothers polish.

 

<< I polshed my throttle cover by soaking it in paint remover and lightly sanding it afterwards >>



Just be really careful about paint removers or anything acidic. It can stain the aluminum. Even Super Clean will do this.

The absolute easiest way to bust the paint off is to bead blast it. Start with glass bead, and finish with walnut shells. Then you can go on to the high speed buffer and finish the job. Clear coating will definitely keep things looking nice without so much work (without it, every finger print will cook onto the surface and you'll have to clean it off!).

If you don't have a sand blaster, save yourself time and energy. Take it down to a machine shop and let them do it for you in about 20 minutes. Mask off the cylinders and water ports with duct tape before you take it to them.

Blasting will look better and more uniform also.

 

if you have an air compressor...get a sandblaster hose/nozle/pickup for around $50 and blast it with beads/walnutshells/or even kitty litter. And then annodize it!!

post some pix when you are done!!

 

i did my throttel cover and it came out almost like chrome.

i plan on doing the same process to the cylinders, so i have got all the burrs and paint off with 100 grit and for the tougher spots 60grit. then i used a dremel for the very tight impossibe places to get at.

i think i am just going to keep on sanding them. eventually i will get to 1200 grit, and then use the scoth pad, rubbing compound, steal wool, rubbing compound, mother polish. then they will be a close to chrome look, that is hopfully.

i plan on doing this about 5hrs a day till im done. i should be done in no time at that speed. give me about 3 or 4days. i will try and get some pics. maybe ill get a pic of my blisters to show you how much work this is.

 

<< i think i am just going to keep on sanding them. eventually i will get to 1200 grit, and then use the scoth pad, rubbing compound, steal wool, rubbing compound, mother polish. >>



Man, I wish I had your time and energy! Oh, to be young again!

 

Try using a wire wheel on a bench grinder, Or even in a drill. It will speed up the process but the fine sanding will still have to be done by hand. A sanding wheel will also work. Not a disc, I dunno what they are called, but it is a shaft with pieces of sandpaper almost like attached like dart-vains would be (the fins on a dart).

 

OH MY GOD! 60 grit is WAY to course for the aluminum! When I polish cylinders, I start out with 180 grit and work my way up from there. Never increasing the grit more than 100 (ie. 180, 220, 320, 400 ect). Usually I dont go past 600 grit, the compound can take it from there. I use a dual action air sander for the easy to get to areas, then hand sand or dremmel the small areas. Finish up with the buffing wheels on my bench grinder and dremmel tool.

 

i worked 3hrs straight on it today. got almost all of the 1cylinder done. im at 100 grit. i still have about 3 or 4hrs more till the whole cylinder is 100 grit. after that it goes pretty fast.

i also you the drill with a wire brush. it doesnt take the paint off to easy, maybe it is worn out or something. it did though make more sanding for me by leaving a texture on the aluminum. kinda sucked to sand the same place over again.

later.