Jewellers Rouge

[copper]

Well, the Fuch polishing project continues...

I've sanded and removed all of the anodization. When I use the aluminum polish, I can get them to a mirror finish, but I have to use sustained polishing over each area which is both time consuming and expensive on the massage therapy afterwards.

I bought a couple of buffing wheels for my drill to see if this helps speed up/ease up the process.

Question is, has anyone tried using the buffing wheels and jewellers rouge for the final polishing? If so, what were your experiences?

Also, as opposed to hand sanding, (still haven't tried the oven cleaner), has anyone used drills to sand with? I tried the dremel, but this seems to bite too much and covers a very small area, plus, they don't make the sanding accessories in high enough grits.

So to sum up the questions;

1. Jewellers Rouge
2. Sanding with a drill and round sanding pad.

Opinions? Thoughts?

Thanks again
Jim

[djmcmath]

1 - Jeweller's rouge works great, as an almost last step. Start with something a little stiffer, like a ... goshdernit, can't remember. Search for "polishing fuchs" and you'll get the whole sequence. Or most places that carry polishing compounds and polishing wheels have a recommended sequence. Basically you start with rough polishes (relatively -- like equivalent to 10,000 grit sandpaper) and stiff wheels, then get progressively softer. Seems like jeweller's rouge is last in the sequence. Finish with something like brasso or never dull.

2 - Don't sand with a drill. Try using lye-based oven cleaner, if you're intent on de-anodizing your wheels. Much easier, used by many with great success. Or sand for a long long time, and just be really super patient. You'll likely get better results if you have really serious patience.

Dan

[copper]

Oh, I have patience, I just don't have the shoulders, back and biceps to last as long as my patience. I enjoy the project. It's fun. But it gets tiring.

Maybe I'll cave and use the oven cleaner and then sand it down. Let the cleaner do most of the work.

I use Eagle 1 aluminum polish (pretty much the same as mothers) once all my sanding is done.


Jim

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by copper

I use Eagle 1 aluminum polish (pretty much the same as mothers) once all my sanding is done.

my ride with polished Fuchs


only my routine
"" I just completed 2 ten hr days after the shop gouged my bare wheels. Now the reflection is as sharp as a bathroom mirror.

220, 400, coarse rouge, fine rouge, Mothers with die grinder buff pad, wax..

fwiw, other metal polishes aren't as gritty as Mothers for machine buff. Mothers sucks for manual buff imo.
__________________
Ronin LB
'77 911s 2.7 ""

[copper]

I find the Eagle works well for hand buffing, but takes a while to do a larger surface area.

Please explain what a die grinder buff pad is.

And I assume you use wax to seal the shine. What wax do you use?

Any experience with oven cleaner?

Thanks
Jim

[rfuerst911sc]

I just polished my Fuchs recently and the oven cleaner is the way to go,I used Easy Off brand in the yellow can,it has more lye in it than the blue can.I found it worked best for me to do each wheel 3 times leaving the cleaner on for 20 minutes each time,then hosed them down with water between coatings and then started hand sanding.I then polished useing 3 different wheels chucked into an electrical drill,starting with tripoli compound,then a white compound and finishing with the jewelers rouge,I washed the wheels after each compound.Hang in there,the results are worth it.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by copper

I find the Eagle works well for hand buffing,

Please explain what a die grinder buff pad is.

. What wax do you use?

Any experience with oven cleaner?

after the shine from the die grinder I really can't hand buff without scratching the mirror. The heat from the 15-20k rpms & Eastwood Co's mini pads causes the wheel to glass pretty quickly. I use the larger mini-pad that looks like its parent belongs on a shop bench 2 wheel machine and another mini- gizmo-pad to get into the apex and the paddle black to bare mag side. I use a liquid, almost pure hand cleaner, without any grit for a quick monthly. [ big pelican thread on it awhile ago ] But I need a real soft rag or that will scratch it. If Eagle works it saves me a trip into the garage.

I use a pure Carbuna wax with a very soft rag and hardly touch it on wax removal. It's an easy removal. Again in the garage.

The pelicanheads who posted info on the oven cleaner act are giving great info imo.

fwiw, I give the tires a thick coat of Mcguires tire treatment Before polishing so as not to stain the tire. I like the leathery look better than other tire treatment mfgs. and any scattered rouge or Mother's cleans up with an extra dab of the Mcguires.

[mb911]

Hey what happens if you find pits under there?? Thats what I found. Has anybody gone as far to remove them?? Or can they be removed by al reed?? I was going to send mine out over the winter to get finished beyond what I could do (the pits are the problem not the shine)

Ben

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by mb911
Hey what happens if you find pits under there?? Thats what I found.

read my first post again. It's what I do with a machine. A hand job will be a long teidous task.

[mb911]

I have a walter big buff kit and used that and still could not get the pits out. Can al reed get pits out?? Or is there a secret??

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by mb911
I have a walter big buff kit and used that and still could not get the pits out.

I'd try new 400 W&D. I had to use 220.

what's a walter big buff kit ?

[KTL]

Some good info on waxing metals

http://www.englishcustompolishing.com/usca/myths8.html

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by KTL

Some good info on waxing metals

"Carnauba is great for show vehicles that are subject to regular repolishing, and useful for protecting from road salt in morthern climates. otherwise, leave it off."
-------- I didn't know that.. anyway I'm in salt air 24/7

[mb911]

It is an industrial buffing kit includes a "system" a variable speed buffing polisher and all the rouges and different step sanding discs. It works very well Look up walters and you will find a bunch of cool stuff

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by mb911

It works very well Look up walters and you will find a bunch of cool stuff

great... thanks

[mb911]

Yeah the only thing it does not help to much for removing pits

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by mb911
Yeah the only thing it does not help to much for removing pits

no sweat.. try the 400 on a small area and polish for a test.

[kqw]

It is a tedious job. When I polished mine, I didn't sand. I just started using polish. Over and over and over again until the shine came through.

[89911]

If your absoulutely sure your wheels are ready to polish, (wet sand with 1500-2000 paper or buff with 1500 compound), the last
step is tripoli and then rouge. The tripoli will do all the work getting the last fine scratches out and turning them into mirrors. It is really rewarding to see you fuch "awaken" into a mirror finish with this process. You need to use a buch of buffing wheels in different sizes and an electric drill. Don't mix the pads. Use the tripolis until the luster appears.

After that, the rouge will bring out the final chrome like finish. If you go too soon to the rouge, you will be polishing the scratches. The rouge will no remove any further scratches. I used a dremel with a small "puff" pad to get where the lug nuts are. I also used a small pad to use tripoli and rouge there. Get your electric drill up to high speed and use plent of the tripoli and really put the pressure on the wheel, you will see great results.



Pictured above, 9x16" fuch prior to painting after final polish.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by 89911

, the last step is tripoli and then rouge. The tripoli will do all the work getting the last fine scratches out and turning them into mirrors.

that's what I used. The die grinder pads & tripoli eliminates a lot of fine sanding.