Advice on how to (re)polish my supercharger and intake tubes

[Michael]

Hi everyone,

I just picked up a used Paxton SN89 supercharger kit, and while everything seems to be in decent shape, virtually every piece that was once nice and shiny needs to be repolished. I want to do it myself, but I've never polished aluminum before.

Does anyone here have any advice or tips on the best way to do this? Any particular products that I should use?

Thanks in advance.

[383STROKER]

You could try a mothers power ball and power polish, or mothers mag and aluminum polish and a rag, anytime you can use a power something or other really saves on the elbows. There is also a MASTER aluminum polish that works well I've seen it on ebay.

[Michael]

Hi 383STROKER,

The powerball sounds like a good idea, but to be honest, I think I might need something with a little more "umph"! Some of the parts I have a badly marked up/scratched. Here's a couple of pictures to give you a better idea:




As it turns out, a buddy of mine has a power "professional" buffer/polisher at his shop. He uses it to polish steel parts for motorcycles, but I don't think he's ever done aluminum pieces. I know he'd be more than willing to try and polish the parts that I want done, but I'd like to go armed with some knowledge on how this is done. I really don't want this guy (as good as his work is) to be learning on my supercharger parts.

Thanks again for the advice.

[383STROKER]

I am no professional polisher but I have dabbled. I would sand the scratches out. Hand sand or random orbit sand if you have one. start with 100 grit or so and work to about a 300 grit, the finer the better. You can get the aluminum fairly shiny with just the sand paper. Once the scratches are out take it to your buddys power polisher. Those parts should be easy not a lot of nooks and crannies.
Be carful with the power polisher though, if you hook an edge youll send the part flying across the floor. Here is something I did last winter. The housing came off ebay not polished, the center we made at work and the clock came from a hobby store.

[Michael]

Hi again 383STROKER,

WOW! That looks pretty good! And you say it wasn't polished when you first got it? Impressive.

I may just take your advice to sand these parts by hand to as fine a finish as I can get them, then take 'em to my buddy's place for a final buffing. I have 220, 400, 600, 800, and (I believe I have) 1200 grit wet/dry paper here at home. I think I can get 1500 grit at work, but I'm not sure (I'll check tomorrow).

I'll try and post pics once I'm done. Thanks again!

[BLOWNBY]

I have had to sand and polish aluminum once before. I had some BRAND NEW billet aluminum wheels ready to be put on the car when my 2 year old decided to tip one over on the concrete driveway. Well needless to say there were some decent size pits created when it hit on the lip. I wet-sanded with 800-2000 grit sand paper till smooth. (Thumbs hurt like hell.) Then went through a lot of polishing with a aluminum polish. After a lot of work it came out. And good as new.

Mine was only a little section on the edge of the wheel. You will have a lot of work to do. Once sanded smooth definitly uses some sort of electric tool to begin the final polishing.

[straightliner1]

Kids, gotta love 'em! :)

[V2-SQ Jess]

polishing aluminum sucks.

[Blown coupe]

Don't use anything less than 600 grit. Those parts are smooth already you will make alot of work for yourself if you do. Go 600 to 800 to 1200 use wd40 or water as lubricant then use Autosol with paper towel then switch to cotton cloth. It has worked for 10 years for me

[Blown347Mustang]

Whoaaaa..... DO NOT USE 100 grit! Remember, aluminum is a soft metal - you will be trying to get those scratches out for weeks.

Start out with 600. I use an electric high speed drill (I bought a Sears crfatsman drill with the fastest rpm - its light and easy to work), with the stick on 600 grit paper. Then you have to work it down by hand with 800 and eventually wet sand with 1000 grit is my method. The 1000 with make the surface very smooth, hence the idea of no visible scratches. Then go to an automotive or paint supply shop, they usually have buffing supplies. You will need differnet buffing pads and various sizes also. They also have cone shaped pads of various sizes for the crevices. You will also need to get the white rouge bar. Get your pad coated lightly with the rouge. Slowly work the pad at high speed and watch the aluminum shine before your eyes..... it takes some practice but you will get the hang of it.

See the link - I just polished this aftercooler yesterday......
http://www.superchargerhelp.com/showthread.php?t=8150

I am no professional polisher but I have dabbled. I would sand the scratches out. Hand sand or random orbit sand if you have one. start with 100 grit or so and work to about a 300 grit, the finer the better. You can get the aluminum fairly shiny with just the sand paper. Once the scratches are out take it to your buddys power polisher. Those parts should be easy not a lot of nooks and crannies.
Be carful with the power polisher though, if you hook an edge youll send the part flying across the floor. Here is something I did last winter. The housing came off ebay not polished, the center we made at work and the clock came from a hobby store.