Aluminum Polishing By Hand

Polishing the aluminum turbo manifold from a 1982 Mazda 626/Capella. Even heavily oxidized aluminum can look brand new with enough effort.

Here's the Intake Manifold video using only the wire wheel drill attachment.

[rhkips]

I'm sitting here, watching some guy from the internet scrub a manifold clean with a series of brushes.  ...What on earth has my life come to...?

...Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to watch this a few more times just to make sure I got everything.  ;-)

Awesome video, man!  Lots of great information here.  Thanks for posting!

[Crx]

polishing is addictive, but is a game of patience, end result is extremely satisfying

[kylelangley]

You da bomb! I used your degreasing method with a tooth brush & 320 grit sand paper and my skateboard trucks look practically brand new. Thanks a ton.
-Kyle

[DJDevon]

Want to see a heavily oxidized aluminum part transformed into a shiny part?  Basic aluminum polishing for the DIY'er.

[OGKILLa]

I did this to aluminum cr250 muffler and it came out perfect, sanded, with 320 grit, 400, 600, 800, 1, 000, 1, 200, then got buffing compound from harbor freight and a buffing wheel, the final result looks nice you just gotta take your time sanding, if you have deep scratches it's better to start with rougher grit sand paper

[moosedrummer]

Use a flapper wheel or a sanding wheel on a die grinder to knock down any high spots. Trust me. Works way better. Can use it knock down all the pitted areas. Cuts time down a ton!

[moosedrummer]

Also use a buffing wheel and polishing rouge for better results

[OGKILLa]

Get some paper tape, tape over the turbo letters and cut with a razor knife and paint the (TURBO) letter black

[DRKDGFX]

When you say hand polish, people think you actually did everything using hands tools. But the use of a grinder, sanding discs, Dremel, and wire brushes aren't what I call a Hand Polishing demo.

[nilyed]

For how long does the aluminum stays polished without any “retouch”?

Btw Thanks for the video!

[nitrousshovelhead]

use a file to knock down the high spots first. that way it will be flat when you are done

[FergusScotchman]

Admirable job and looks great! But about 10X more detail work than I would have time for. Lol

[jayryan]

Why not after cleaning it work 400 grit first and lighten the pressure as you progress? 600 sounds too fine to start with. I've never polished aluminum. I've done autobody sanding & I've polished out decades worth of scratches on an acrylic windshield on a 60's boat with mother's liquid polishing compound (with a wool pad on a DA) before so I'm hands-on trained. Just looking for some aluminum help. Nice vid!

[qball]

Improper tools and abrasive choices.
You can get a mirror finish in under an hour if done properly.

[MrWiskin]

You better not be cleaning your motorcycle parts on the dining room table!? I'm not!

[rahoffman]

I watched a man put metal cleaner on a big rig gas tank and sit and watch no rubbing I told him it ain't going to work without rubbing it in so basicly nothing happens but tank atill completely dirty and after wiping off cleaner nothing

[officialfatNinja]

I would really like to see it in the car.

[doyleboyscustoms]

Purp power oxidizes aluminum wash off immediately after you use

[daily]

devon, what do you recommend to take out 2000 grit scratches on aluminum?  I just spent close to 50 hours on a various engine parts to produce a polish finish.. I took it from a cast factory gray to basically chrome and now left with 2000 grit scratches in certain areas.. started at 120, 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 and went in opposite directions with each stage... 

thanks and great video

[Shoresy]

Ever use any high heat enamel paint for inside the lettering since it is harder to polish?