Here are some tips explaining basic ways to cut, sand, polish or draw on a metal piece. By following this how to, you will learn how to make brushed metal, chrome imitations and the easiest way to make a shape without any heat source or hammer.

This can seem to be hard, but it's not. Before starting you need to know that doing this without electric tools is very long and repetitive.

Mirror finish:

1. In a tray, add some oil (kitchen oil can do the job) on the area.

2. Depending on the kind of surface sand with:

-150 sandpaper if there is some paint or irregularity

-400 if the surface is flat

* Sand always in the same direction

** Don't apply too much pressure

3. After 2 hour of manually sanding with the sandpaper of #2 then, 2 hours (each) with 200, 400, 800, 1200 and 1500

* It is not recommended to skip more than 400 from one type of sandpaper to the next, it will be longer.

4. You can finish with a layer of varnish, if you do not the surface will oxidize after a few months.

*remove all oil before adding the varnish layer

SHAPE:

1. Make a real size pattern

2. With the grinder slowly trace the form following the pattern.

3. When you will have finished, use the file to erase every small line for have a plane surface, yes this is hard and long, but it is necessary.

4. Now use polishing stone to remove the line made by the file.

5. Now, take the 150 paper and remove line made by polishing stone.

6. Now, take the 200 to remove line made by the 150.

7. Continue with 400, 800, 1200 and 1500.

If you to make a complicated draft, you can take sand paper with different grains to try to make shapes in the metal

For holes, use a drill.

For black metal parts, use a candle, burn the metal but if you are on a finished surface the color will go away every time you touch it, so sans it a little with 400 sandpaper.