Author Topic: How to get the high polished raw look.  (Read 6444 times)

Offline Paradoxium

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How to get the high polished raw look.
« on: April 11, 2010, 02:36:34 PM »
The subject here is these London bars. To go from this (with paint now stripped off).....





To this.......







Instructions.

For painted metal, soak in paint stripper, then blast off with high pressure hose.
For alloys, soak in caustic soda to remove colour. Rinse thoroughly.
Wear glasses and gloves. Very toxic.

Now following this advice from my mate Jimmy....

Sand your now raw metal with wet n dry 320# (wet) until all scratches, rust, dirt, paint etc is all gone and you have a sparkling looking metal. This part takes hours or even days. If you're doing a frame, hit it a few hours each day.

Sand metal with wet n dry 2000# (wet) until all 320# marks are gone.
Now sand with 2000# (dry) so as to leave no rust.

Do not touch with your fingers. Use cleaner than clean gloves.
Wipe all dust from part, and immediately coat with your clear coat.
Do not buy your clear from a $2 shop. You need to pay around $20 to get a quality non yellowing can, preferably automotive acrylic.

Apply a few wet coats ten minutes apart in warm weather, or at least in the daytime.
Apply a few more coats over the next few days following instructions on spray can.


I found cutting long thin strips of wet n dry easy. I just placed it around the tube I was working on and grabbed it in both hands and patiently sanded away by left right sanding motions.

Total costs.
Around $10 or less for paint stripper or caustic soda.
About 90 cents per sheet of wet n dry. For me under $2, but a frame would cost $4.
Around the $20 mark for quality clearcoat.

So there it is, under $34 total.  :mellow:

Good luck.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2010, 02:44:11 PM by Paradoxium »

villetgk

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Re: How to get the high polished raw look.
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2010, 04:27:03 PM »
When using "wet or dry paper" *wet*  fill a bucket of water and put no more than 3-5 drops of liquid soap in the bucket.  (Depending on how big your water bucket is).    This will save some of the life out of your sand paper when wet, and maybe save some extra money because you will not have to buy as much. 

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: How to get the high polished raw look.
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2010, 03:10:47 AM »
Thanks for the tip Tim.  :beer:  I used a bucket of water, but never knew about adding liquid soap.  ;D

jm

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Re: How to get the high polished raw look.
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2010, 03:17:03 AM »
you can also use maroon, and then grey Scotchbrite pads on parts to give it a beautiful finish...another option

villetgk

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Re: How to get the high polished raw look.
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2010, 04:49:57 AM »
No problem!

=)


Offline The Brown Sound

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Re: How to get the high polished raw look.
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2011, 05:10:05 PM »
If I'm using caustic soda on a stem, should I sand as well like you did w the frame? It's an aluminum stem. thx
I'm like the brown LL Cool J.

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: How to get the high polished raw look.
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2012, 01:51:20 AM »
If I'm using caustic soda on a stem, should I sand as well like you did w the frame? It's an aluminum stem. thx

Sorry for the late response, haven't been around for awhile. Yep aluminium and alloys come up a treat.