Polishing paint and polishing chrome

[grilla]

Hi,

I have a quick question, hopefully someone can help. I am about to start polishing up a frame before fitting replacement decals. The frame has a chrome rear triangle and forks, the rest is paint.

I have bought autosol metal polish for the chrome, and autoglym super resin polish for the paint. How painstakingly careful do I need to be in keeping the autosol on the chrome and the autoglym on the paint? Is anything terrible likely to happen if one gets on the other, as it were? :shock:

Cheers

 

[old skool babe]

Slap it on.....
You'll be fine. Just shine away.

 

[grilla]

That was quick, cheers!

Is it likely to damage existing decals that are on the frame at all?

 

[cyfa2809]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAGOKqOyojc

 

[grilla]

If I can get even half the shine of Cube's cars I'll be a happy man. However, I listened to the whole song, and as enjoyable as it was he has little in the way of tips regarding the effect of metal and paint polishing compounds on decals. I expected more of him to be frank, no wonder NWA ditched him.

 

[cyfa2809]

If I can get even half the shine of Cube's cars I'll be a happy man. However, I listened to the whole song, and as enjoyable as it was he has little in the way of tips regarding the effect of metal and paint polishing compounds on decals. I expected more of him to be frank, no wonder NWA ditched him.

Hahaha excellent post!

Not sure if it will, try a tiny little bit in a hidden area?

 

[grilla]

I'll give it a go and see what happens...

As an aside, is there anything more tedious than, a, watching instructional autoglym polishing videos on the internet, and then b, comparing prices of said polishing product on ebay and other online retailers?

 

[lewis1641]

i would be careful of autosol on the paint - it is pretty abrasive.

 

[silverclaws]

I suppose it helps to understand exactly what polish is, it can be either an abrasive concoction that 'cuts' a microscopic layer off the surface to reveal less weathered paint beneath, or it can be more akin to a wax, in that it creates a layer of highly refractive material on the paint, so the paint looks brighter given the fact that the colour we see is in fact reflected light.

But for polishing, I just use the same stuff I smear on my car, T -Cut, but not necessarily T-Cut as in the brand, but the same sort of stuff, usually the stuff from the 99p stall, which does the same job as the expensive stuff.

Then I wax with the same wax I use to wax the woodwork in my house and it smells lovely, just got to be careful with the lavender smelling one as it can make me all too tired.

But take a microscopic look at polish and you will notice it is all scratches, loads of them, the smaller the better and the more shiny.

 

[grilla]

i would be careful of autosol on the paint - it is pretty abrasive.

OK, I'll see how it goes. I hadn't thought it would be that abrasive myself! I'll go carefully at the joins between chrome and paint.

Silverclaws - from your description of the two different kinds of polish it sounds like the autoglym fits more into the "akin to wax" category, what with a name like "super resin wax polish"...

Do you have any expert tips, do you build it up in coats of polishing, or just do it all in one go? Also, from your experience is the polish likely to damage the likes of old columbus frame stickers?

Cheers