Polishing Aluminium frames

TrevorKershaw · Sep 3, 2013

Hi there, I've got some way into polishing my E3 frame, using Mothers and microfibre cloths, and progress is going well, but I have noticed patchy, "cloudy", sections on the frame. I have tried to photograph the bits I mean.

Is there any way I can polish these out and get a mirror finish all over, or am I wasting my time trying to achieve the unachievable, since the bike is 17 years old?

widowmaker · Sep 3, 2013

I did my Merlin frame with ultrafine wire wool, then tons of autosol and most came out

Miguello · Sep 3, 2013

1500-2000 grit wet or dry paper followed by vigorous polishing should work. Doesn't look "that" cloudy, but outdoor pictures would help. Sunny day, but in full shade, is the best picture formula I've found.

saulus · Sep 3, 2013

Yes, I had a couple of cloudy areas on a Klein Pulse frame; more elbow grease fed into it soon got the cloudy spots gone.

Photographing polished Alu is a b*gger isn't it!...Agree with Miguello. Sunny day, object in the shade

is the optimal scenario.

Miguello · Sep 4, 2013

I just blasted & polished a stem. It had forging marks in it but I was able to get them out. You might try an auto buffer(rotary) with some aluminum polish? It definitely helped with the stem.

dan smith · Sep 5, 2013

I spent a lot of time polishing a frame to a mirror finish, 12 months later it still looks good but it would need to be lacquered to protect the metal from oxidation or it will dull over time. If you are not going to lacquer it might not be worth getting it 100% perfect, maybe just 99% 

I found brasso worked a lot better than some of the recommended Alu polish.

A smallpolishing mop attached to a drill also speeds things up.

zetecmk2 · Sep 5, 2013

zetecmk2 · Sep 5, 2013

g3 is your friend!!! get some!!
any bodyshop should let you try a bit before buying a litre bottle (£20)

Smithjss70 · Sep 5, 2013

Miguello":ulzjcwap said:
1500-2000 grit wet or dry paper followed by vigorous polishing should work. Doesn't look "that" cloudy, but outdoor pictures would help. Sunny day, but in full shade, is the best picture formula I've found.

This has been my experience as well and I use a 2000 grit wet disk on a drill on lower speed RPM and use a Dremel in the tight spots. Follow up with Mothers and a lot of elbow grease can get you these results nearly 100% of the time.

Polishing Aluminium frames

TrevorKershaw

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widowmaker

Miguello

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saulus

Miguello

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dan smith

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zetecmk2

Senior Retro Guru

zetecmk2

Senior Retro Guru

Smithjss70

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