Polishing cranks and other stuff?

[TooHiBMI]

the Lava Dome is stripped of all but the BB & headset. Whilst I try to decide the colour for the frame I want to clean up the bits going back on. So is it possible to polish up to a near mirror finish the alloy cranks? If so then any advice on products, tools or technique would be appreciated.

As for colour I'm leaning towards the pale blue Kona did the Cindercone in 94 or 95 with the 98 type decals ... but this is likely to change several times before paint is actually applied.

 

[sandmangts]

Wet sand starting at 400 grit to get all the coating and ano off. Go up to 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500 until you get a smooth uniform base. Use a bench grinder with a 6 inch buffing wheel with a standard 4 compound buffing kit. Go from the heavy coarse compound and go through to the fine. You will be left with a mirror finish. To keep it from oxidizing use a standard off the shelf automotive aluminum polish like Mothers. It sounds like alot of work but depending on the material you may be able to skip ahead to the buffer. The best thing to do is to practice on a piece of aluminum that you don't care about.

 

[Jamis Diablo]

Good tips!

To keep it from oxidizing use a standard off the shelf automotive aluminum polish like Mothers

.
Is that all you use? So no wax or other coating?

 

[TooHiBMI]

OMG .... that finish is amazing - almost intimidating, but I'll have a go and see how I get on. Thanks.

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

No need for all the machines and compounds really....none involved here.
95 vintage frame that had that original dulled 15 year old surface oxidized appearance upon arrival.

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

No need for all the machines and compounds really....none involved here. Just aliitle elbow grease and the whole process took less than 60 minutes.
95 vintage frame that had that original dulled 15 year old surface oxidized appearance upon arrival. There's no doubt though that they don't oxidize as bad when they are ball burnished. This one was cleaned up with a little Brasso in the tough spots with white 3M scotchbrite pads cut into strips, wrapped around the tubing and buffed like a shoe shine. Final rub down with Nevrdull and a clean cotton terry cloth rag before decals. All told about 14 dollars in materials that would easily do four frames.

 

[sandmangts]

Stripping a painted frame and then polishing is another can of worms entirely. I polished a Zaskar and all I used was a rag and it came out fine. They came very smooth from the factory because they were never intended for paint. If you have ano to remove though wet sanding will get you results fast.

 

[SeeingisBelievingGTMuseum]

I tied the lye dip strip on an ano frame and it was faster than sanding but the fumes would melt a horses lungs.