Question about polishing bodies and rails...

[JadedT]

I have read about using the multitudes of various grits of sandpaper to polish rails and bodies going from rough (100) to fine grit (1000+) and then using a polishing wheel and jeweler's rouge or the like. I have also read about striping the finish off barrels to anno them to match the anno of rails and the powdercoat of bodies.

My question is whether using "drano" on a rail or body is feasible to strip the finish off to make it easier polish? I realize the anno on the rail is a chem-bond into the surface metal, so would using a harsh chemical do anything? Would using this method also damage a SS body internally? I figure a barrel is more surseptible to damage, yet people claim to dip their barrels into these types of bathes.

Please let me know your attempts at this or should I just stick to the tried and true method of elbow grease and a few hours of sanding. Thank you for your response.

[Nobody077]

The draino or oven cleaner method will work to strip the rail. On the SS body if its a black body it should strip the coating but it will not hurt the SS, if its the standard "oiled gray" body it also wont hurt it but it wont make the polishing easyer either. With the all the risks involved with the draino method I personaly would just use some fine grit paper on the rail 600+ to remove the anno, you wouldent want to use inything much rougher because the rail is already smoth your just removing the anno coat. Good Luck

[athomas]

Any high stremgth acid based cleaner, such as draino, will strip annodize from aluminum. This is the best method for removing the annodize. Then all you have to do is polish.

Be careful when removing the finish off the barrels. You will be removing the hardened protective finish from the inside of the barrel surface. You can repolish and reannodize, but the barrel id will be slightly larger.

[JadedT]

Thanks!

Appreciate the response. Did not want to experiment and screw up anything. Thank you.

[BunkerRat]

Once I got the ano off my body rail I used a dremel with the buffing pad on it and buffed it with mother's aluminum wheel polish then went to just hand buffing with Mothers.The mothers will make it knock your eyes out.You have to be easy with the dremel if you use one though if your not careful you will make it look kinda rippled.

[JadedT]

Thanks for the tip and will try and have a go at it soon.