How can I achieve mirror finish on these wheels?

[-]

BlackFoxTom@reddit

This is rough casting if You polish it well You will effectively thin a lot of the material Then it is aluminium, it will never be shiny for more than a day or so, aluminium very easily oxidises If You want it shiny You have to coat it in something shiny

Reply

[-]

Mikethespark@reddit

You are going to hate life doing this by hand, find somewhere that does metal prep, an industrial vibrating polisher would make this a simple job

Reply

[-]

meeeeeeeegjgdcjjtxv@reddit

I concur. I have polished much easier wheels than this with a large buffer and it still took hours per wheel and I did not start off half as bad

Reply

[-]

noladutch@reddit

Yeah I tried that for my last pair nobody even remotely close to me. I wasn't gonna box up shit I searched for over a decade and send them off to someone I never shook hands with. So yeah did it the hard way. Hand sanded then down to scotch bright pads to super fine stuff. The one tip I have is do it when cold out so you can wear all the clothes and still be comfortable. It keeps you cleaner but gets your coveralls black Not bad just brainless work. All the clothes a face shield and headphones help pass the time. Watch YouTube videos I am sure you will find good videos.

Reply

[-]

clantontann@reddit

I do this when prepping my old motorcycle engine parts for a show. Take them off and go brainless on the bench polisher for a few hours. It's sorta therapeutic to watch it change from crusty to mirror. https://preview.redd.it/o7dn3e9ykhkg1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fe947f40b495baabbedbc27e17dd9eceede6a787

Reply

[-]

Accounttwoboi@reddit (OP)

Ill take a look at places nearby thanks

Reply

[-]

zshift@reddit

Some wheel repair shops offer service like this for really decent prices. If you have the budget, I’d go for it every time.

Reply

[-]

ShoemakerMicah@reddit

Surprisingly inexpensive too

Reply

[-]

Vast-Seat7448@reddit

https://preview.redd.it/u1we2grz7wkg1.jpeg?width=618&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=015fcb0d86de376687352f74eb86b2f2372a9363 This stuff works great

Reply

[-]

bestbusguy@reddit

Depending on how much you want to spend. You could get them electro polished. The shop I work at does this

Reply

[-]

hatingonthis@reddit

I have a shop in my city that does vibratory wheel polishing. It will restore the COMPLETE wheel to better than you’d ever expect. Even the back side gets shiny. never could you ever do by hand what those machines were built to do. where are you located ?

Reply

[-]

Rurockn@reddit

I got tired of polishing and just had a set powder coated with Prismatic Super Chrome Plus and wish I had done it years ago. Highly recommended if you can foot it, was $200 per rim and they repaired scrapes and damage before coating.

Reply

[-]

jefffisfreaky@reddit

That sounds dope. Do you have any pics of the wheels?

Reply

[-]

Rurockn@reddit

I had this in my text messages, had the same powder applied to my turbo. This was over the bare casting. https://preview.redd.it/mecq4o1iepkg1.jpeg?width=879&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87ae2f8e18f5350ca54004ca260290db02f42cca

Reply

[-]

Rurockn@reddit

I'll get some when I'm back in town. For now though, what sold me is the motorcycle wheel and BMX bicycle frame in their gallery. https://www.prismaticpowders.com/shop/powder-coating-colors/UMS-10671/super-chrome-plus

Reply

[-]

Thunderchox@reddit

I’d also be keen to see some pics!

Reply

[-]

kingc42@reddit

Take them to a chrome shop. Polishing them will work for about a day. Aluminum oxidizes. Need to chrome them

Reply

[-]

boondoggie42@reddit

I love the look of polished aluminum, but don't really like chrome. Heck I'll take nickel plating over chrome. It's just too much.

Reply

[-]

Fit-Presentation-778@reddit

They make polishing attachments that connect to your power drills.

Reply

[-]

Visible_Street1557@reddit

I‘m no expert, but can‘t you just get it chromed

Reply

[-]

tojmes@reddit

This is a job for a shop but I too might do it by hand. I’m would start with a high power pressure wash. Then go to #00 steel wool with a good liquid metal polish (flitz or this [cheap one works great](https://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Polish-Bottle-Stainless-Aluminum/dp/B000QOIEVC) for me on the boat aluminum). Use gloves. This stuff is corrosive. Most of the pits and oxidation will be gone and you’ll really see what you have to work with. To go further to a mirror finish you’ll need to sand and polish. Start with maybe 800 wet sand, then 1000, all the way to 2000 before. Sandpaper leaves scratches so watch your rotation and direction. Try to achieve a uniform pattern. Head on to a gritty polish compounds, and drill attachments or buffing wheel. Good luck.

Reply

[-]

Thee_Sinner@reddit

You ever heard of [Jafromobile](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbGs6OYpwJlbyOtXbyUlHC9KJ2fH61xxL)?

Reply

[-]

CartoonistNo9@reddit

Lots and lots of sanding. Nice wheels!

Reply

[-]

Swumbus-prime@reddit

Whatcha...whatcha putting those on?

Reply

[-]

Accounttwoboi@reddit (OP)

A 1978 mgb gt

Reply

[-]

Swumbus-prime@reddit

Ah. I want to toss some of those onto my Esprit S2.

Reply

[-]

-Rusty__Shackleford-@reddit

I used mothers aluminum polish and power tools with good results

Reply

[-]

BarnBuiltBeaters@reddit

Its honestly a pretty easy process but its a ton of work. Get sand paper from course to super fine and work your way up. Be sure to rinse between stages so you arent making deeper scratches your next finer paper is trying to remove. Once you get to 2000 or 3000 grit get the polish out and go to town. It sucks. Honestly I might see what a local shop would charge to get these back looking good.

Reply

[-]

plywooden@reddit

COARSE to SUPER FINE... yea. Send the guy off to ruin his wheels.

Reply

[-]

Accounttwoboi@reddit (OP)

I might try give it a try and if worse comes to worse ill just pay to get them done, thanks for the tips guys

Reply

[-]

UnbelievableDingo@reddit

Call a wheel repair place and have them machined, / polished / clearcoated tires mounted and balanced for $125 each.

Reply

[-]

Bergwookie@reddit

It will be easier to build yourself a polishing mill (big vibrating barrel with abrasive "pebbles" in it)

Reply

[-]

roasterpig@reddit

get them media blasted then get yourself a high rpm angle grinder and buffing pads with polishing compound for aluminum

Reply

[-]

HeroMachineMan@reddit

Before polishing the wheels, check them for roundness.

Reply

[-]

Dolf260z@reddit

Here is a video I made a few years back when I polished some rims, It's took alot of elbow grease, wouldn't really recommend it. https://youtu.be/65OtV9veRDI?si=UD9SVbkBoBrpInde

Reply

[-]

Weldertron@reddit

Do not do this by hand. You will hate your life. The vibrations in your hands will make you hate it more. You'd be better off spending that time building a vibratory tumbler.

Reply

[-]

Own-Opinion-2494@reddit

Elbow grease

Reply

[-]

name4231@reddit

Pay to get them vapour blasted then polish them. It’ll make your life so much easier

Reply

[-]

MyNameIsBenM@reddit

I have heard that toilet bowl cleaner will clean up aluminum, but I've never tried it. Legend has it you have to let it sit for 5 minutes then wash it off, otherwise it will damage the aluminum. Worth a shot!

Reply

[-]

A_man_and_his_truck@reddit

Start sanding... coarse grit to start, and work your way progressively finer, use wd40 or metal polish when you get to 1000 and upwards, wet sanding it, then metal polish it with your kit, and a microfiber cloth to finish.

Reply

[-]

Accounttwoboi@reddit (OP)

Okay thanks for the words of wisdom. Might be a silly question but how do you know when to move onto the next level of grit?

Reply

[-]

Crazy83519@reddit

When you can no longer see evidence of the previous grit. So you sand with coarse grit to start, and once you don't see any of the original pitted surface, you would move to a medium grit, right? Apply that same process from grit to grit. Once you sand with your medium grit and can no longer see any of the scratches left by the coarse grit, you move to fine grit. And so on until you have a pretty mirror surface.

Reply

[-]

A_man_and_his_truck@reddit

This is the answer right here.... and also try to keep all your sanding in the same direction, to avoid cross scratches. Will be way easier to finish properly.

Reply

[-]

GayForPay@reddit

Progressively smaller scratches. Not rocket science but also not a lot of fun.

Reply

[-]

ZaMelonZonFire@reddit

You should watch Jafromobile's series on cylinder head polishing. Not the same part, but he sheds a ton of light on what it takes to truly get to where you are trying to go. It's a LOT of work to do it right.

Reply

Reply to Post

45 Comments