Sanding/polishing in tight spaces..

[Bdubbz]

Hey everyone,

Newbie to the forum and detailing.. I did some searches but didnt find much on the topic.

Im working on my first every show car.. 2005 VW GLI

I am working on resurfacing rims for my car.. I got a set I like alumium rims that have some polished areas and some painted. My goal is to remove some of the painted area's and polish them up. I have mostly figured out how to do this in the easy to sand areas.

I recently learned you have to sand in cross directional ways. This is definitely working but I am having some difficulty with the area on where the spokes meet the lip of the rim. Previousely they were painted so it wasnt a big deal.

I have already stripped the paint and so I am ready to polish them up. What ways or suggestions are there for accomplishing this?

here are pic's of the Wheels for reference..

this is one where I am stripping the black paint, as you can see where the spoke meets the rim theres not much room.






And here it is all stripped down, now I need to figure out how to get in that low corner there where the lip is..

just thought I would ask before killing my fingers and hands today.

Thanks for any input!

David

[rms64]

How 'bout somethin like a dremel with a polishing (not sanding?) attachment. Just a thought.

[Bdubbz]

How 'bout something like a dremel with a polishing (not sanding?) attachment. Just a thought.

I do have a dremel, but I was under the impression I had to sand first.. Will a dremel with a polishing tool take down the aluminum the same? I can imagine that the speed and a polishing attachment could achieve similar results..

[ken tuep]

Possibly try a brass wheel on the dremel to strip it, then a polishing buff.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AG Online

[Bdubbz]

Possibly try a brass wheel on the dremel to strip it, then a polishing buff.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I777 using AG Online

Well the paint is off it now.. but its rough aluminum thats left.. so from what I understand it has to be brought to one slick surface by cross sanding.. or maybe the dremel can do that for me.. I'm just afraid the dremel will take to much metal off..

[thebamboo23]

you could use a dremel for the first passes, but it is not going to be smooth sanding and you'd have to follow it up by hand sanding

Theres really no way around it (at least to my knowledge). Cut up a bunch of small sanding paper and try and rap it around something really really skinny to get in between.

[Mike Phillips]

I don't know if this would help for the very intricate design of the wheels you're working on so for what it's worth...



Optimum Double-Sided Rotary Adapter - 3M Quick Release Adapter










I started with the Edge 6" Medium Cut Wool Buffing pad, the unique center system reduces/removes vibration while buffing.









Note I have removed the handle options from the Flex 3403 Lightweight Rotary Buffer, this gets them out of the way for intricate work in tight spaces and is my own personal preference.

[Bdubbz]

yeah I knew there probably wasnt an easy way to do this..

Well I'm about to get started... I will take pic's and share my results..