Polishing my frame
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Polishing my frame
Hey guys/gals
Im looking into polishing my 600F4i frame. It currently black and with my new paint I think it will look better with a polished frame. Any suggestions on how to do it or has anyone done it before that can give me some pointers.
Im looking into polishing my 600F4i frame. It currently black and with my new paint I think it will look better with a polished frame. Any suggestions on how to do it or has anyone done it before that can give me some pointers.
Retired Super Moderator, Tin Star Man & Hurricane Saloon Prospect, ROTM Feb 2015
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Vääksy, Finland
First off naturally you need to get rid of the old paint. The less you scrape the metal, the less you have to polish later on, so either use a stripper chemical like Nitro Mors and a pressure washer, or media-blast it with low pressure, DON`T USE ANY LOW GRIT SAND PAPER!!! When you have it in bare metal, you need to start water-sanding it with about 800 grit paper. When you get it completely scratch-free, move onto 1200 grit. Repeat the process. When you have it totally perfectly matt, move onto Farècla, or some other polishing paste and either a lamb-wool disk or a cloth-disk on a drill, or buy one of those polishing machines that look like an angle-grinder. Low revs or you`ll burn the paste on the surface, also remember to spray a little water in there every now and then.
The rule of thumb #1: Every single scratch that you leave in there gets harder and harder to get off when you move onto finer paper/paste.
The rule of thumb#2: It`s a LOT of work, and there`s no really shortcuts around it. Be prepared that it will take a long time to do, and be thorough and patient, there`s not much sorryer look than a bodge polish job full of scratches.
Not trying to bring you down, but I have polished some clutch/brake handles and other little parts and even that is an all-nighter. It really is a heap to do if you are going to get it mirror-polished. Also the finished surface needs to be sealed or it will rust/oxidise pretty fast. If you have the chance to Ceracoat it, it will be the best seal (like spray-on super thin glass-layer of ceramic "paint") Clearcoat can turn it a little yellowish. Some just wax it, but IMO it`s a bad idea since you have to keep waxing it till the cows come home to prevent the corrosion...
Here`s an idea: see if you can get it chromed/electroplated somewhere. (although that can be pricy, for some reason that seems to be a LOT cheaper here than there, assuming "there" is in the US...)
The rule of thumb #1: Every single scratch that you leave in there gets harder and harder to get off when you move onto finer paper/paste.
The rule of thumb#2: It`s a LOT of work, and there`s no really shortcuts around it. Be prepared that it will take a long time to do, and be thorough and patient, there`s not much sorryer look than a bodge polish job full of scratches.
Not trying to bring you down, but I have polished some clutch/brake handles and other little parts and even that is an all-nighter. It really is a heap to do if you are going to get it mirror-polished. Also the finished surface needs to be sealed or it will rust/oxidise pretty fast. If you have the chance to Ceracoat it, it will be the best seal (like spray-on super thin glass-layer of ceramic "paint") Clearcoat can turn it a little yellowish. Some just wax it, but IMO it`s a bad idea since you have to keep waxing it till the cows come home to prevent the corrosion...
Here`s an idea: see if you can get it chromed/electroplated somewhere. (although that can be pricy, for some reason that seems to be a LOT cheaper here than there, assuming "there" is in the US...)
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