polishing aluminum

[HoppysMag]

yes i did a search, and all i could find were responses like " dont it will pit and oxidize to quick". i dont care about that.... how would i go about polishing it? start out with what 100 grit and get down to what? once its ready will a dremel polishing whele be enough?


any othere methods/ info are apreciated... this marker has probibly reached the end of its play time so it is going to become a functional display.... ( it was my first gun and im sentimental)

PS i plan to turn a rather beat maverick into a polished nasty stock gun for wall display....

[Load SM5]

If the pieces are annoed use some drano crystals to strip the anno off. Do it outside and be careful. That stuff is pretty powerfull. After that some good aluminum polish will shine it right up. No need to get rid of scratches. If it's painted use over cleaner and some soft steel wool. It takes a little time and elbow grease but it does come off.

[HoppysMag]

ya its annoed... thanks load

[Load SM5]

Sure, just use gloves and some tongs. Try not to get the Drano on your hands. And use the crystals only. The other stuff does'nt work as well. Good luck.

[HoppysMag]

one more question would doing this all in a disposably aluminum chaffing dish have any negitive effects? i wouldnt think so since its aluminum and so is the object im diping.

[Load SM5]

Should be fine....

[magman007]

well, just becareful to not destroy your moms chafing dish. If you leve it in the dish too long, yes, it will pit. you can use a plastic bucket, and that will be fine. If your using one of thise cheep thin aluminum pans, you know for roasting stuff one time? the bottom will eat out from the drano.


If you know what your doing, and really wanna strip that sucker fast, use hot water and add that to your drano crystals. be careful, as the reaction will get reall hot reall fast, it should actually boil.


if you want to be safe tho, remember cold water. I olny used hit, because well, im crazy, my dad knows science and chem out the wazoo, im the one who hom annoed his e-mag btw.

[ezrunner]

metal finisher

If you have any metal finishers in your area they are prolly setup
to do annodization. If they are they should be setup for stripping
old anno off. They will prolly do that pretty low cost.

If they do that, then you can sand it with 1000grit sandpaper,
then 1500, then 2000.

The 1000 go one way with, taking care to setup a grain pattern. When
you go to 1500, go 90degrees against the grain. Do this until
the original grain is gone. Then on 2000 go back to the original
direction until the 1500 grit grain pattern is gone.

That will leave you with a decent finish. The last step
is to buff the aluminum with any type of cloth wheel and
a rouge of some type, I suggest
white.

-rob

[HoppysMag]

ok thanks guys... ya im talking about one of those one time use pans, i might just use a bucket then.