Polishing metal (quicker)

[RogerFoxTerrier]

I'm starting to polish various metal bits of the boat (stansions, cleats etc). Autosol polish is working really well- the cloth turns black with the dirt it's removing almost instantly.

But is there a quicker way? I've tried some fine wet and dry but this still seems to scratch, as does a sanding flap-wheel in a drill. I see you can get some polishing attachments for drills (for cars mainly it seems) - but there seem to be a lot to chose from.

Any advice please?

 

[Bobc]

Autosol and a polishing wheel on a drill

 

[Refueler]

Avoid like the plague any solution using abrasive material ... any abrasive no matter how fine the Wet and Dry is ......

To protect the shine and metal surface - only metal polishes ... to avoid scratches / loss of shine etc.

Brasso ... Silverene ... Autosol ... any of the recognised metal polishes ..

If you do use abrasive and create scratched surface - its near impossible to get the smooth shine back again ...

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

Autosol and a polishing wheel on a drill

Any particular type? There are so many on Amazon!

 

[cherod]

Any particular type? There are so many on Amazon!

Go into halfords and have a look , best use a cloth type ( other attachments maybe required )

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

I was thinking something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SIQUK-Poli...3ea-a9a3-dae008f53e3a&pd_rd_i=B0BXL49Q6K&th=1

 

[B27]

If you want to polish out deep scratches you will need coarser polish or abrasives.

Depending on how rough it is to start with and what you want to achieve, the best thing to use will vary from Jeweller's Rouge up a coarse file!
For various things, I've found wet and dry paper very useful, working finer up to about 2000 grit before going to Solvol Autosol or similar.
One guide is to use say 400 grit until all you can see is sanding marks from that, then go to 600 or 800 and use that until all the 400 marks are gone, then go to 1000 grit or something.

Alternatively, use mops on a bench grinder with abrasive polishing 'soap' bars.
That's even messier!

Practise on something that doesn't matter, as the saying goes.

There are other possibilities like Scotchbrite pads and wheels which can be very good.

That's all good for stainless, or bare ali on a motorbike.

For a lot of alloy on the boat, you are not really wanting to polish the metal, you are wanting to remove a layer of crud.
You don't want to cut through the anodising or other coating.
T-cut is a fine abrasive polish, with a lot of solvent mixed in, it's good on grime without taking off too much paint or anodising.
Sometimes Cif is very effective on hardened grime.
Sometimes a good detergent is all you really need.
Sometimes wax polish from a spray can is good at removing grime and leaves a wax layer behind.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I do a lot of polishing of stainless steel.

The amount and grade of grit you use depends on the finish of the metal you start with.

I generally use an abrasive flap wheel in a small angle grinder and wit raw mill steel I start with 120 grit to get the steel smooth and even followed by 240 then 320 grits removing the previous finish.

I then use a polishing mop in a grill of better a bench polisher with a suitable polishing soap until you get the required finish.

Do remember in polishing you are removing metal a little at a time.

If you have some scratches, you need to remove the scratch before final polishing

If you already have base polished use a polishing soar / compound with a polishing mop in a powered bench polisher.

This is how I polish mainly stainless steel

Amazon.com : stainless steel polishing wheel

Flap wheels I use in various grits

stainless flap wheels - Bing

 

[PaulRainbow]

I was thinking something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SIQUK-Polishing-Buffing-Polisher-Attachment/dp/B0BXL49Q6K/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=umtmX&content-id=amzn1.sym.d63274d0-bf52-45e7-ae69-2bcf85c5865c:amzn1.symc.ca948091-a64d-450e-86d7-c161ca33337b&pf_rd_p=d63274d0-bf52-45e7-ae69-2bcf85c5865c&pf_rd_r=SJK8FWVQ86E3FX79S26Y&pd_rd_wg=8QyLb&pd_rd_r=63d8b152-78f6-43ea-a9a3-dae008f53e3a&pd_rd_i=B0BXL49Q6K&th=1

OK for gelcoat, only any use for final polishing of metal.

Autosol is too fine for all but putting a shine back on something that was previously polished and just needs bringing back to a mirror finish. I would use polishing compound, such as Farecla. G10 works really well on previously polished stainless.

If you have alloy fittings, these are generally anodised, a light polish/clean by hand is all you should do with these, or else you will remove the anodising.

 

[Minerva]

On a point of note, if you’re doing online shopping for Brasso best not inadvertently buy the 1l bottle. I’m pretty sure my son will be leaving the remnants of that bottle in his will.

 

[vyv_cox]

On a point of note, if you’re doing online shopping for Brasso best not inadvertently buy the 1l bottle. I’m pretty sure my son will be leaving the remnants of that bottle in his will.

One of my colleagues wanted to use Silver Dip in the lab. Knowing that it came in 100 ml bottles he ordered five. The lady responsible for ordering duly placed it, not checking the volumes. What arrived was 5 x 5 litre bottles. Years later when the lab moved to another building we took 4 full bottles and one that was down about an inch from the top.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

I'm starting to polish various metal bits of the boat (stansions, cleats etc). Autosol polish is working really well- the cloth turns black with the dirt it's removing almost instantly.

But is there a quicker way? I've tried some fine wet and dry but this still seems to scratch, as does a sanding flap-wheel in a drill. I see you can get some polishing attachments for drills (for cars mainly it seems) - but there seem to be a lot to chose from.

Any advice please?

This is good stuff!
Shiny Sinks Cream Sink Cleaner 290ml

 

[MontyMariner]

I find 7" cotton disks don't work too well in battery powered electric drills, to get the torque, speed and running time it needs a mains drill. Also to get to inside curve's you need the small cotton attachments like the sort used in a Dremel.

 

[rogerthebodger]

This is my stainless-steel polishing setup

https://flic.kr/p/WooWib

https://flic.kr/p/WHVYdu

I now use angle grinders with 5-inch flap discs for prep before final polishing

 

[cherod]

And / or if it is staining that you are concerned with then buy stainless “ pickling paste “ from most ( i believe ) welding stores or other industrial outlets , paint on , wash off , v easy but does not polish

 

[PaulRainbow]

And / or if it is staining that you are concerned with then buy stainless “ pickling paste “ from most ( i believe ) welding stores or other industrial outlets , paint on , wash off , v easy but does not polish

Oxalic acid is a better bet for removing rust stains on polished stainless.

 

[rogerthebodger]

And / or if it is staining that you are concerned with then buy stainless pickling paste from most ( i believe ) welding stores or other industrial outlets , paint on , wash off , v easy but does not polish

Pickling paste is what I use to removing staining from welded joints, but this still need mechanical polishing to get a shiny finish

 

[cherod]

Oxalic acid is a better bet for removing rust stains on polished stainless.

May well be the same stuff , although i think hydro chloric , commonly used in welding industry

 

[rogerthebodger]

Oxalic acid is a better bet for removing rust stains on polished stainless.

I have found that repeated use of Oxalic acid or any acid on polished stainless causes pitting thus dulling the stainless. When that happens on my tubular handrails I mechanical repolish using my big angle gander as pictured above

 

[cherod]

Pickling paste is what I use to removing staining from welded joints, but this still need mechanical polishing to get a shiny finish

It is what most ( in my experience anyway ) places use , not just for cleaning post weld but for cleaning up older stuff , but yes , as stated , still needs proper polish to finish