Stainless trim polishing day

[RJ Squirrel]

Spent a day and 6 dollars getting the stainless trim cleaned up and polished, I found this buffing pad at harbor freight, it is made from several layers of fabric stacked together and doesn’t seem to rip the piece out of your hand and beat you with it as bad as the wool pads do. I put it in an old 6 inch grinder and used the same compound I use for buffing clear coat. You can rub it down into the fabric layers good and it stays in there long enough for the first couple passes. It worked well and pretty quick too. I moved the grinder further out past the edge of the bench after these pictures

 

[340sport]

No before and after pics? You're a tease!

 

[RJ Squirrel]

Here is a polished one next to a dull one, but polishing them is the easy part. Sanding out the scratches and dings is where all the work starts!

 

[RJ Squirrel]

I am re-installing all the glass and trim now. I did not spend a lot of time getting it perfect, just cleaned up a few of the real noticable scratches that I think were done by me when I took it apart. I think it looks pretty good but I am not trying to build a show car.

 

[BigFlo]

Here is a polished one next to a dull one, but polishing them is the easy part. Sanding out the scratches and dings is where all the work starts!

What do you use to sand. Any special techniques?

 

[440 4 speed]

I have worked my way from 800-2500 grit on some stainless. Even started at 600 testing some bad pieces.
Then I polish. Sometimes I will start polishing after 1500.