DIY polishing aluminum

[Beez_S13]

Alright, so I got bored last night, decided I wanted to polish my valve cover. So I went into town and got a few things.
Die grinder from lowes (36.99)
Paint stripper (1 can will do)
2" sanding discs from Advanced Auto (13.99)
and various sizes of sandpaper (180-1000 grit)

Alright. I started out by spraying the paint stripper on the valve cover and letting it sit for about 5 minutes. Dont get this stuff on you, it burns like hell. Then I took some brake cleaner and sprayed all the loose paint off. Yes, brake cleaner. It sortof neutralizes the acidity of the stripper. I tried using the air compressor blower, but stuff got all over me. This gets it away. Then I repeated until I got most of the paint off.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish001-1.jpg

Next, I put on the little scotch brite pad that came from Advanced Auto and started to clean stuff up. First, I got the rest of the paint up. Then i put the setting on the grinder to high and moved across the cover slowly, so it didnt leave marks. Dont forget to get in between all of the fins and such.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish003-1.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish004.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish005.jpg

When it comes to getting inside and in between letters, the little scratcher tool that dentists use to get the crap off of your teeth works great. I just couldnt find mine and settled for this. If you put a little bit of sandpaper on it, it works great. Get all that junk off.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish011.jpg

Then last, take the sandpaper and sand everything down. Moving up in grit every time you go. Sand until you are satisfied.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish008.jpg


This was my final product. Im going to try something else to get it shinier. Ill update if i figure something out.
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/polish012.jpg






Edit: it took me about 3 or 4 hours. not hard. just time consuming.

[Casey]

dang kid. thats pretty nice :) +4

err
edit
+5

[hellfire]

Looks good buddy. How much you want to charge me to do a Greddy Intake Mani? We are too lazy and don't have the time..

Tyler

[Beez_S13]

thanks man, im still not finished. im going to get a rubbing compound and a buffer wheel. should polish it up just a little more.

[zcrew]

yeah, buffing with a good compound should really bring out the bling

[Beez_S13]

oh, sorry tyler, didnt see your post. i dont know how much. i do most of my stuff for free so i can get experience and also get my name out there. but i need to start charging. i dont know. pm me with what you think a fair price is and ill meet up with you and do it.

[v-empire]

you must be really bored.


making babies is what we did in the past. these days we have the internet and games, and cars and all kinds of cooties.


man, why do you think we have so many people in china.

[Beez_S13]

haha, well, i wanted to do something productive. toward my car. so this is what i decided to do.

[Cash]

looks good. nice job. that's very inspiring.

[PRJECTA.D.D]

looks good ..impressice

looks good... impressive

[Beez_S13]

thanks yall. i would do my block like that, but it would take forever. so im going to do a little bit of work and then paint it. im polishing my intake manifold and my head too.

[babowc]

polishing a BLOCK?
bottom end block?
That's a new one!

Polishing is a messy and looong process, especially if you want mirror shine.

GJ, and btw, if you got stripper |INSIDE| of your VC, wash it away numerous times, so it won't get in the oil.

I know some guy that beadblasted his vc and bits of the bead got in the underside of the vc and spun a bearing from that.

Anyhow, how come you didn't shave the fins and letters?? :D It'd look much cleaner!

[Beez_S13]

im thinking about shaving the NISSAN because it doesnt look that clean, but other than that, i like it.

[babowc]

do eeet, :)

[Beez_S13]

i will. tomorrow.

[zcrew]

if you shave the nissan on the valve cover, you should put a huuuuge sticker on your windshield that says nissan. that way the ricers will know what you drive.

[Beez_S13]

nah, well, maybe. i still have to get the back varnish that says 240sx. but even if i kept nissan on the valve cover, the ricers wouldnt know whether or not i drive a nissan when i fly by them. but even so. i dont really want a huge nissan logo on my windsheild. i do have to get some badges though.

[zcrew]

'twas a joke.... my friends and i always talk about the honda guys that plaster honda all over their crap, its like yes, we know its a honda already, thank you

[badass240]

very nice, u should do mine too...

[ThatS13Guy]

good job man +1

[Beez_S13]

thanks yall. yeah. i guess ill give in and do some. but seriously, i posted it here so that you could do it yourself.

[Beez_S13]

ok, so i got some rubbing compuond from sears yesterday and a buffer wheel. im going to try it tonight when i get off of work and then ill post some new pics.

[AFSil80]

Damn, looks real good! I may do this with my intake manifold.


polishing a BLOCK?
bottom end block?
That's a new one!

There was a guy here in Grand Forks that polished the transmission for his Civic.

Yes, I am serious. Then he engraved his name in it.

[babowc]

thats crazy.
very useless.
very.
very very very.

bllllllllllllling

[Beez_S13]

yeah. ok, ive finished, but im too lazy to take a picture and post it. ill get to it sometime though. wow. a polished transmission for a civic.

[babowc]

arrrg i want to see!
ill be polishing my spare fn on a rainy day one day.
lol.

[Beez_S13]

ok, ill go take some more pics

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/001-1.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/002.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb222/beezeroni/003.jpg

there you go. im done. until i redo it.

[babowc]

not bad.
i think the flash makes it look swirly-er than it actually is?

[Beez_S13]

no, actually i went through and used the old abrasive pad and it scratched it up a little. in a swirly pattern. so ive got some new ones and im going to try again when i get the time. but im satisfied now.

[homeslicej2]

Nice job man.

[babowc]

w3rd