Getting mirror shine on polished aluminum

**Greg5OH** · 07-13-2015, 02:17 PM

Hey guys, I have had alot of issues getting that nice chrome like look from my polished aluminum wheel lips. I tried working up from a 400 all the way to a 3000 grit, rouge, mothers aluminum polish but there is always a little bit of a haze. They dont have the depth and clarity I am looking for.
TBH after that whole wetsanding process etc, they looked about the same as the other wheel just hand buffed with mothers aluminum polish!.

What am I missing here? i see guys with some crazy hi shine and clarity polished aluminum wheel lips!

**Rsurfer** · 07-13-2015, 02:59 PM

Are you using a buffing wheel?

**forrest@mothers** · 07-13-2015, 04:57 PM

After using Mag & Aluminum Polish, step up to a finer polish, like our Billet Metal Polish.

Technique and tools are important, too. The best results I've obtained have been with using Billet Polish and a nitrile glove - do your polishing with the glove, and then wipe the residue with a quality microfiber lightly - turning the towel over frequently and not using any pressure.

BTW, the shine is going to be dependent on the quality of the aluminum. The highest shine is going to come from billet, with forged right behind. Expecting that level of shine from a cast aluminum rim is hopeful, but not likely.

Have any pix of the rim you're working on?

**Vegas Transplant** · 07-13-2015, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by forrest@mothers

Technique and tools are important, too.

Have any pix of the rim you're working on?

Plus one.

At this point in the process one needs proper speed and pressure to eliminate the haze regardless of machine or manual correction.

Also sounds like you're working dirty.

**Vegas Transplant** · 07-13-2015, 07:25 PM

What was your last step, tool and product included, prior to MM&AP?

**forrest@mothers** · 07-13-2015, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Vegas Transplant

Plus one.

At this point in the process one needs proper speed and pressure to eliminate the haze regardless of machine or manual correction.

Consistent speed and pressure will give more uniform results. A tool to do the work will help. Btw, more speed is not necessarily a good thing.

**Vegas Transplant** · 07-13-2015, 09:20 PM

I think we kinda said the same thing. I enjoy working on aluminum as much as a fat kid loves cake.

If I live ten lifetimes I'll never possess the knowledge of blinging aluminum that you have acquired . Mother's quality control is world renowned.
I can't recall one week in the last year or so where I haven't used MM&AP. Its that good.
Knowing when and where in the process to reach for it separates novices from enthusiasts.

I spent seven hours touching up my tanks and wheels yesterday only to back into a bay at the tank wash today where a pinhole steam of caustic rinse ruined the drivers side.

**MIsnowman** · 07-13-2015, 10:28 PM

What material are you using for your final wipe? I've found flannel leaves the best finish. I was using multi-purpose microfibers and always seemed to have some haze/marring. On a recommendation from a couple guys who know aluminum polishing, I switched to flannel and haven't looked back. All of my experience has been on aluminum tanks and tubing, not wheels, but the results should be similar. Also, unless your wheels are pitted or scratched, I don't see any benefit in doing the sanding steps.

**Brody** · 07-13-2015, 10:28 PM

Well, they won't ever look like chrome, unless you actually have them chromed, but you can get a mirror shine without too much fuss. Sand out to 600 grit, then brown rouge with a yellow wheel, followed by white rouge with a white wheel. We use 8" buffing wheels on an old beast of a milwaukee grinder that spins around 5000 rpm. One of the keys to using rouge successfully is that the part you're working on has to be hot, like a couple hundred degrees hot. If the part is cold the rouge will just come right off the wheel and stick to the part you're trying to polish. Brushing and reloading the wheel with rouge every 30 seconds or so will make it easier to get a semi scratch free shine. Now, you can get aluminum really shiny without rouge, but if you want mirror, rouge is the only way. The spanish guys in SoCal that polish big rigs know what they're doing

Here's a couple after pictures of a set of bmw style 5's we did a full restore on. Cell phone quality, but better than nothing.

**Greg5OH** · 07-14-2015, 06:02 AM

Brody, yes! that is the shine I am going for, and I know it can be achieved. I have a set of Autocouture magnifiques on my ls400 I am trying to get the lip to look like that. They are $1k a piece new, so I would think the aluminum quality is decent. They are forged. (goot to know about billet vs forged, my billet wheels on the foxbody shine up super quick and easy!) I was using smaller buffing wheels on a plug in drill before. I have never used wheels on a grinder. I shall look into this.

are those buffing wheels something I can pick up at home depot or HF? I need these done before Friday so dont have time for shipping at the moment.

I will get some pictures tonight. Right now they are super dirty as I have yet to wash them in prep for polishing them.