| Author | Message | ||
     Phelan |
Wow this is going to take a while... I wish it didn't have the small dent in the bottom too. Oh well, it'll be fun. Will post pics when I'm closer to done. | ||
| Easy_rider |
I looked at mine sitting on the floor today and considered it, but kept finding other things to do. If I had remembered the grits to use I probably would have been right there with you. Keep at it. The look is just too cool. | ||
| F_skinner |
Posted for Mr Phelan.  | ||
| Phelan |
Thanks Frank! I think it came out pretty good, for now. It's not perfect, but I'll spend some more time on it when I get a new buffing wheel. | ||
| Buellerthanyou |
Ross, What buffing compounds are you using? I'm in the midst of doing the same thing (and have been for several months!). I started with sandpaper and got down to about 400 grit and just started buffing today with black compound on a spiral-sewn wheel. I still see a lot of machine marks though, so I think I'll have to go back to sandpaper for a while longer, then to black again, then green compound on a loose wheel. Anybody else have first hand experience doing this? Thanks, Jay (Message edited by buellerthanyou on April 08, 2009) | ||
| Phelan |
Honestly dude, I'm not done yet, but it looks pretty good just using the Corded power drill with a softer 3M stripping wheel, then used Mothers alum polish and a rag. My stripping wheel is dead so I gotta get another one from WallieWorld to finish getting the heavy stuff off. I'll probably finish it off with some 400 or 600 on the areas you can see when mounted. I'm not too worried about light machine marks. You can't see them til you're a couple foot away anyway. The mothers is the secret to making it super purdy. | ||
| Phelan |
I looked at the tag and the wheel/bit I use is a 3M Scotch-Brite Paint & Varnish Remover. It works EXTREMELY good for this purpose. My header looked just as a 14 year-old stainless one does when I started and I got it to the position above in about 45 min with one bit and a little Mothers polish. The first bit is dead now, so I'm gonna get another bit and some fine sandpaper to finish it off. It'll look even better when I'm done. | ||
| Phelan |
BTW if anyone wants the look but doesn't want to spend the time polishing out theirs I'll gladly trade mine straight across for a non-polished header without a dent when I'm done  . | ||
| Armorguard |
hey everyone. I did the center section, by design, on mine. I used to polish metal for a living so I just used 400grit lock bads on a pnumatic die grinder. I set the pressure to 55psi and just sanded till the scratches were gone then I buffed on my baldor 2hp wheel with a straw pad and red compound. Changed to a cotton pad w/ red compound then a soft buff with white rouge. Looks sweet and I was done in about 3 hours. You can buff most all the imperfections out of it. Just the deep stuff needs to be sanded over and over slowly so it'll flow and not have noticable dips in the metal. Good luck. Im going for a ride. YIPPIEEEE!!!  | ||
| Kmbuell |
It's much easier to have the stainless parts "electro polished". It's done to medical equipment. It removes microscopic amounts of metal but all impurities. It's relativly inexpensive. I did two headers at AAA Metal Finishers in St. Paul MN last year for under $80.00 including shipping back to me in NC. I did two to make the minimum charge! Others may do this check around. AAA does a perfect job reasonable. That's why I still use them after moving out of the area. Best part, no sore hands! | ||
| Buellerthanyou |
Hey Angelo! I was just talking with you today about your decals. Does the white compound polish stainless as well as the green? I was told green was specifically for stainless steel. KMbuell, I'm curious. Does electropolishing actually remove the machining marks or just make 'em super shiny? Thanks, Jay | ||
| Armorguard |
You are right Jay the colors are blue, green and white. They all serve the same purpose on different types of metal based on its strength. Since I used a powerful, high speed buffer the white (used in softer metals like brass and gold) is less abrasive and really brought out the shine. Since it's steel and I took it down gradually with sand paper then different buffs and compounds, any color will work really. At that point it's about how much you're using, what pad, how fast you're turning and how hot it is. Hotter is better.. Shine on and thanks for hooking me up with the decals | ||
| Armorguard |
BTW Ive never used electroplating. I'd love to see it up close. Sounds more like a cleaning process than a polishing process but it's a great place to get all the dirty work done for you. Once you get it home a lil hand polishing job will bring out the shimmer | ||
| Littlebuggles |
Called around for electro polishing from local metal finishers and no one does it. May have to ship my parts off, I'd really like my supertrapp to gleam. | ||
| Kmbuell |
Little, Try AAA Metal Finishers in St. Paul, MN. They have a $75.00 minimum if I remember right. That's why I did two. It was $80.00 for the pair. I'll try to shoot a picture of my M2 header tonight. It's on the stand and half apart anyway. It was done two years and 5,000 miles ago. The electropolishing will not remove scratches. I buffed out a few with sandpaper and polished the header with skotch brite and it is impossible to see where they were. It will look like chrome when you get it back. Wash it carefully with hot water and soap before installing. After installing and before firing the bike up, wipe it with mineral spirits or a light solvent to remove fingerprints and skin oil. If you don't they will burn in. It will turn gold again in a few miles, but stay bright for a long time. | ||
| Kmbuell |
Here is a shot of the header on my M2. This was electro polished 2 years and 5000 miles ago. The bike is apart and not real clean right now. I'm adding S3 bags to it. Wrong thread, I know.  |
