[NegativeGeForce]

ok...this is my second try at polishing aluminum, and here it is. I used 80 grit to knock off the pits and raises, and casting lines on the aluminum...then i used 200, 600, 1500 to get it smooth...and then i rubbed it down with very fine steel wool..im not sure if anyone tried steel wool, but its GREAT!!! the aluminum shines like a mirror! check it out, i would like to know if anyone has tried steel wool to polish metals

 

[Interex_87]

Lighting and picture quality aren't too good. Got any other pics? I've never heard of anyone using steel wool to polish. Get some more pics posted!

 

[Dachande]

Looks nice and shiny...and the guy who owned your car before you did the single wiper thing, or is it just missing the other wiper? lol

 

[Guest]

I would stay away from using steel wool on aluminum if long term shine is what you are going for. The steel (cathode) fragments bet embedded into the aluminum (anode) and promotes galvanic corrosion. It will turn dark gray in short order, especiallly if it gets wet (electrolyte).

I would buy some buffing compound (the hard stick type) and use a buffing wheel on a bench grinder to make is shine real nice. Then wax it.

 

[Mostly Thumbs]

Or use synthetic steel wool. It lasts longer anyway.

 

[Supra Junky 101]

Powdercoated 3000 pipes look nice too

do me a favor please...no super street embelm

 

[TT_6SPD_95]

NegativeGeForce,

If you use a buffing compound the quality will come out MUCH, MUCH better and if you use the RIGHT buffing compound it will come out even better than that.

Later

 

[Guest]

for all that time and money you spent on materials, you could have spent 100 bucks and bout an hks 3k pipe wich flows better and is already polished and looks alot better

 

[williamb82]

yeah, the compound you want is tripoli. i used it on my dull enkei's when i got them. results can be seen here.

enkei's

only step you need to change is instead of using steel wool, get a grinder and mount a buffing wheel on it after you remove the gaurd. put the bar on the buffing wheel while its spinning till the wheel is black, then buff the pipe. it will be worth it i promise.
william

 

[turbotoy]

You can't go from 200 to 600, considerable time needs to be spent sanding with 320 then 400 before you go to 600. If you get everything to 600, you can usually go straight to buffing compounds.

 

[Bishop92T]

for all that time and money you spent on materials, you could have spent 100 bucks and bout an hks 3k pipe wich flows better and is already polished and looks alot better

HKS 3000 pipe is not polished.

 

[Guest]

HKS 3000 pipe is not polished.

humm... i thought it was... maybe it was just one i saw... well its a hell of alot better than the 3k pipe

 

[Bishop92T]

HKS 3000 pipe is definitely superior for flow, the stock 3000 pipe can almost fit inside the HKS pipe. I personally wouldn't waste time polishing the stock 3000 pipe, it's a major bottleneck which should be removed.

 

[NegativeGeForce]

OK soo using steel wool is ok to get it to a semi-final surface, and then use a buffing compound to get it to the final product? The steel wool polishing actually looks very good to me hehe...ill try to test it with time

im sorry for the pic this webcam isnt cutting it, but here is a sorta better pic

 

[LuMpY]

Here's a shot of my polished 3000 pipe..

 

[Thermactor]

I personally think it looks very, very, very nice. I tried polishing my valve covers, and it was a complete disaster. I don't have the patience for that kind of thing, so I can definitely appreciate a job done nicely like yours. Cheers.

 

[NegativeGeForce]

Here's a shot of my polished 3000 pipe..

wow that looks freegin great dude...hope mine looks like yours

 

[LuMpY]

Thank you! Good luck.

 

[IdealSupra]

wow that looks freegin great dude...hope mine looks like yours

hey bro you gonna come to the huge dec 6th supra meet in clearwater? ididnt know you were in tampa....

and the 3k pipe loos good but those are bad pics...and lumpy yours is gorgeous...

i myself was going to polish the 3k pipe or whatnot bt because of the same reasons that bishop mentioned its gonna get replaced in due time...so im not wasting a ton of time on it so im gonna sand it up really quick....and then spray it with this aluminum paint....looks JUST ilke a polished surface

hopefully it will turn out nicely

neways hit me up bro!

 

[NegativeGeForce]

woah dec 6 is my 19th bday! Im unfortunatly not going to have the car ready by then. Im hoping my xmas it will be done. If there is a meet after xmas somewhere id like to go!