SS buffing

[twodko]

Hey gang,

I need some advise or benefit of experience. I'm polishing the belt molding on my 69 and began lightly sanding to get all the scratches out. Beginning with 220 wet/dry then moved up the grits until I finished up with 1500 grit. Then off to the buffing wheel where I began using emory compound then green, white and finally rouge all on different buffing wheels for each compound. I've still got sanding scratches! The only wheel I don't have is a sisal buff. Is this the problem? Should I have begun using a sisal wheel in conjunction with the emory compound instead of a spiral sewn cotton buff? This is maddening! I've followed the progression of materials for buffing SS and still have these sanding scratches. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

Tom

[Belgium R/T -68]

Tom, I bought a complete kit from Eastwood with machine and all products incl DVD. I can just say after approx 100 hours of
buffing that the more you buff the more scratches you will see. I don't see how it's possible to get a "like new" look.

Now, I don' think anybody except myself will notice the imperfections but anyway.

Per

[twodko]

Per,
Everything I've read leads me to believe I should be able to bring SS trim to a near mirror-like finish. I've searched the interenet for threads about SS buffing/polishing and they all show a finished piece of SS trim turning out like a factory finish. Its become a personal challenge for me. I'd really like to get this SS polishing perfected like I was able to do with the aluminum grille trim. I guess its just a little more frustration. hahahaha. Thank you Per.

Tom

[E5 Charger]

Have you checked out Youtube? Search for stainless steel polishing. There are a ton of how to videos.

[twodko]

That's a good idea, I'll look into that this evening. There was a link to a trim restoration video here that I watched. SS restoration isn't going to be as easy as aluminum but I'm going to work it........and work it.......etc. Thanks for the idea.

Tom

[jeryst]

Neighbor up the street was polishing the SS trim on his 67 Charger when I walked by.
It's so nice it looks like chrome, so I know it can be done.

[vancamp]

i repaired all the dents and polished the trim on a 56 chevrolet bel air show car for a friend of mine, had several request for me to do other caars after this, i had to decline caause i hate polishing trim but what i used is a sewn buffing wheel with red,grey and white rouge/compounds then finally polishing by hand with rubbing compound, my best suggestion is to sand with the finest grade sand paper needed to remove scratches then go progressively finer and when you  think your ready to polish the part sand again. keep trying you will eventually get it.

[twodko]

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the info but I did overcome my SS polishing woes. I did use fine wet/dry beginning with 220 and finally 1500 because I had it in the shop. Turns out a sisal wheel/emory was the ticket after sanding then sewn buffs with green and rogue respectively. All of the trim has turned out very well and the level of profanity in my shop is almost socially acceptable!

Tom

[Long Island RT]

I've been doing a lot myself with the Eastwood kit.  I would say that your starting with to coarse a grit - like Vancamp said.  Use like 600 first - then down to 1000.  1000 easily polished out with the sisal wheel.

Also when sanding out scratches with finer grit, sand them out in a different direction until you don't see the original scratches any more. 

[twodko]

I suspect I should have forgone the 220 and 320............lessons learned. You guys are the best!

Tom