I have done some buffing and polishing of engine cases, while this next guy does a good job of prepping your cases and getting them ready for buffing, he elects to use the Mothers Cream Buffing and Polishing method, I have used this before but I think it takes way to much time. Read through these pages and see what you think.
Refinishing Engine Cases and
Cleaning Aluminum.
These guys carry a full line of buffing supplies and even have a "How to" video.
Bright Works (Buffing Supplies).
After prepping the cases, I even glass bead blast if it is real rough and then lightly sand them with some #320 grit paper, I remove the part that needs buffing and head over to the buffer. Basically the typical setup includes a large electrical motor with two buffing wheels, one on each side, on the left side I have my cutting wheel, it is more ridged than the buffing wheel, I lightly apply the cutting grit to the wheel and and start buffing, the cutting grit removes and smoothes the aluminum cases to a pretty decent shine. After completly buffing the part with the cutting wheel I jump over to the buffing wheel and apply a light coat of jewerly polish and start buffing to a high luster. Be very easy on the wheel, let it do the work, the buffing wheel is very soft and plyable. This is a much quicker way to buff your cases and comes out looking very good. Be advised that this will almost look like chrome, in a lot of cases you won't need a chrome like finish but a satin finish (See Below).
You can convert a grinder to a polisher
There is no need to spend a couple hundred dollars on a buffer. Stop by your local Home Depot or Lowes, they should have a 1/2 H.P. grinder that you can convert easily to a buffer for around $50. Install some 8" buffing wheels on your grinder and your in business. TIP - Pickup a wire wheel brush for the grinder, this is a very handy tool, be sure to wear eye protection when using it. I remove old nuts and bolts and hit them with the wire wheel, then jump over to the buffer and polish them to like new condition.
Fork leg polished "satin"
How to get that"Satin Look"
Using the buffing wheels will produced a high luste shine on aluminium, almost like chrome, while this looks real good it is not the same orginal shine that came on most cycles from Japan in the early seventies. I recently restored a set of forks for a 69' Honda 750, It needed that satin polished look, and this is how I attained it.
Firt remove all grease and dirt from the fork legs and give it a good general cleaning, after this take some 320 grit sandpaper and sand the old clear coat off of the forks, now is the time to sand out all those little nicks, give the whole thing a good once over. Next use a 600 grit paper and repeat the process. Follow that up with a medium grade steel wool pad and then #0000 grit steel wool, at this point it should be looking pretty good, then buff it out with #00000 grade steel wool and this produces a very orginal type finish.
To finish the polishing job wipe down the fork legs with a paint thinner on a clean rag and remove any oils that may of come from your hands or anything else that may of gotten on the fork legs. Then apply a light clear coat over the polihed area. After this dries add another coat of clear, be sure to do this step when it is at least 70 degress outside as the clear coat will cloud up if the weather is cold.
Refinishing Engine Cases and
