| Author | Message | ||
     Mm128 |
Ok... Well I started today. My swingarm (99X1) came in yesterday and I have begun the polishing TODAY.. I started at approximately 1130 am. We will see HOW LONG it will take to FULLY complete it. *PICS WILL FOLLOW LATER TODAY* -Matt. | ||
| Cyclonemick |
Talk to you next week then!!  | ||
| Wickedx1 |
I need to clean mine up but the hardest part is getting the clearcoat off. I started with 180 grit to get the paint off. Then once into the aluminum, 180, then 600 dry, then 2000 wet, then polishing compound. If you have a DA sander it will go faster. I would do the wet 2000 by hand. But otherwise, a power method will work quickly. Mine took me about 2 hours or so with an hour or more being the 180 grit. | ||
| Spiderman |
get a 180 or 200 grit flap disk or wheel put in your drill or angle grinder. It makes things go a lot faster and the 200 grit doesn't dig in too much making the finer grits that much easier. Also when you go to the finer grit use a bucket of water and rinse the part/paper often. | ||
| Mm128 |
Gotcha... I started with 180 on a POWER Sander. STILL getting the coating OFF.. and I am about 3 hours into it.. Normall breaks for drink/ lunch.... I WILL be going to 2000 and doing it wet ONCE i get to about 800 grit or soo.. Its NOT hard... just TIME CONSUMING. I WILL have pics up later... Going to try and get the FIRST coating OFF then show a photo of it.. Thanks, -Matt. | ||
| Spiderman |
what kinda "power" sander? I tried a orbital nut that only worked well for finer grits and even then I was going thru TONS of paper. This wan't cheapo paper, it was 3M stuff. I found that the Flapdisks and wheels work great and I have been using the same 180 and 200 for well over 2 years.   | ||
| Mm128 |
My POWER SANDER is a regual drill with the flat disk attachment. It works VERY well and only spins up to about 1200 rpm... Sooo it wont really go fast enough to hurt anything. Hopefully.... Tomorrow everything will be done... Here are some pics that show the work... The LAST pic shows the shifter link and it was ONLY POLISHED to 1000 grit with some BLUE CORAL polish.... I still have to go to 2000 grit... Soo... all in all, THIS project SHOULD come out VERY nice once its all done. Thanks and MORE pics to come ONCE its finished. -Matt (LEO SOUTH GA.)     | ||
| Tq_freak |
What about using a chemical striper first to get the clear off? Or is it a powder coat that really couldn't be touched by chemicals? (sorry XB guy thinking about getting a tuber for a stable mate) | ||
| Mm128 |
I DONT think that its a CLEAR coat... I BELIEVE that its some type of finish OR rough casting of the Aluminum..... I am NOT sure... I DONT think that a Chemical will remove any of it... ONLY an abrasive seems to work. Matt. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Mm128.. Go to O'Reillys, or you favorite auto parts store.. "AirCraft Remover", by Hayes, I believe, or something like that(I know the can)... Spray or brush it on... OUTSIDE, come back in 10 minutes, it will scrape right off with you rimplement of choice... Then, sand away...  A swing arm I did for someone... the lighting is horrible in my old office, plus the floro adn flash.. but, you ge tthe idea... One thing I have noticed with the aluminum on these bikes, it seems to be... variable.. It seems some parts are VERY porous, which, doesnt lend well to polishing, and some, are really good... Just be patient... it will look alot better than that normal crap... BTW, I think the coating is a lightly pigmanted clear powder coat.. Chase (Message edited by chasespeed on October 06, 2007) | ||
| Buellgekk |
Hi, I made a swingarm polish tutorial a while ago. It's in dutch, but the pics says it all   | ||
| Mm128 |
Needless to say, THIS is NOT a 2 hour job for me.... I have got it ALL done up to 2000 grit... I will HIGH Speed buff it with McGuires Polish tomorrow... Its going to look PRETTY good. *** QUESTION *** Those that HAVE had their swingarm polished did you all do the MOUNTING BLOCK as well..????? Matt. | ||
| Buellfighter |
Glad my swingarm came in plated, just had to mount it. Now as far as front forks go, took my hands two weeks to stop hurting! | ||
| Kyrocket |
I'm still looking for a "cheap" extra that I can cut the tabs off of and polish. Anyone giving one away?  | ||
| Mmmi_grad |
Nice job Buell Fighter! | ||
| Bht911sc |
Can anybody give me tips on how to detach the mounting block from the aluminum swingarm? I would like to polish it before I instal it on my 98 s-3...Any help will be welcome... | ||
| Wickedx1 |
Doh...I dunno why I thought you were talking about the tail section. I did my tail section. My swing arm was already partially polished. I need to redo it though. | ||
| Mm128 |
Yeah... The tail section was EASY... The swingarm.... WELL.. its been a PAIN IN THE BUTT. It WILL be FINAL polished TONIGHT. I STILL need to KNOW if its feasable or not to polish the MOUNTING BLOCK. I have one to do.. but just CANT make up my mind... *I will be doing the UNDERSCTION of tail after this project is complete. Matt. | ||
| Chasespeed |
Can barely see my mounting block... I wouldnt bother... Chase | ||
| Mm128 |
Chase, THANKS.... This thing is WHIPPING my butt.... It does look NICE though.... I am ALMOST done and its already SHINY. Matt. | ||
| Limitedx1 |
can anyone write a grit step procedure for sanding? like 120 or 300 down to 1000, 2000, etc.? when should the power tools stop being used, around 1000? i will want to flap wheel the majority off, until i get to smooth un porus metal. is there a different step procedure for a tail section? as they are much smoother to begin with | ||
| Chasespeed |
I will be doing the UNDERSCTION of tail after this project is complete. Is it welded one piece like mine? I was initally gonna do with diamond plate, BUT, didnt think the weld would flow all that great... as it was, the consistnacy of the tail, or, lack thereof showed A LOT when welding the panel underneath... And the polish doesnt keep very well, especially, RIGHT ABOVE the tire.. It looks like its getting sand blasted, well, it is basically.. I find, I have to get under there, about once a month with the portable wheel, and buff the hell outta it... Chase} | ||
| Mm128 |
Limited X1, Start power tool at 180 grit THEN: 220 340 or 320 400 800 1000 2000 At about 400 to 2000 I did it by HAND and WET After you get the 2000 done WET... Then try some ALUMINUM POLISH with the 2000 grit. Clean it off and HIGH SPEED buff with the polish. It WILL come out like CHROME !!! Matt. | ||
| Limitedx1 |
can i use something like a mothers power ball with alluminum mag polish? or more of a professional product? that mothers power ball works wonders on stuff. thanks much for the list though! | ||
| Mm128 |
Yes, The power ball will work, BUT FIRST you have to get that tough finish off and SOMEWHAT smoothed out. I am acutually using the SAME power ball method... BUT... i have a SPECIAL mixture of polishing compound that I came up with. Basically, its Blue Coral Mag polish, Mothers and some FLITZ polish stirred up... Its works VERY QUICK!!! -Matt. |
