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View Full Version : Easiest and quickest way to polish stainless IC piping.



turbovanmanČ
03-14-2006, 03:15 PM
Just got my stainless IC tubing from our vendor, Racing Solutions. Its raw so it needs polishing. So, as the title says, lets have at it, :D

JDAWG
03-14-2006, 03:19 PM
there is stuff at walmart that is blue and comes in a blue can, cant remember the name but it works great. I imagine that you could use a high speed buffer and a buff ball on a drill at it should work great. When I say high speed buffer I mean one that looks like and electric angle grinder, not one of those crappy slow low dollar ones. I did my buddies blocks to his hydraulic pumps with that blues stuff and a dewalt cordless drill and they came out looking chrome.

Mario
03-14-2006, 04:30 PM
Take a high speed buffer, put it in a vice. Put some rubbing compound on the buffing pad, turn the thing on and find a way to keep it on. The just take your pipe and have at it.

altered7151
03-14-2006, 05:41 PM
Get a buffing wheel for your bench grinder, they have more torque then the buffers usually and you can really press the pipe into the buffer. You could probably have all your pipes polished in about an hour.

Whorse
03-14-2006, 09:05 PM
How about keeping the polish on it? Is a clear coat any good or does that ruin it and wear off in time?

cordes
03-14-2006, 11:22 PM
The bench grinder sounds like the way to go for sure.

Phreakish
03-14-2006, 11:54 PM
the blue stuff in a blue can is called "blue magic" and it really is...

darkredturbo
03-14-2006, 11:54 PM
After polishing (yeah, a benchgrinder works well and 0000 steel wool is nice as well), coat with a clear lacquor. There are many types, but most work about the same. If using wax during th polishing stage, wash before painting.

Ian

gasketmaster
03-15-2006, 03:12 AM
I spent hours on my Buick 3" stainless exhaust with a real buffing wheel setup at my buddies........it was taking way to long...

Out came the DA with two different grits of sand paper and BAM it was done in no time ;) I took it back over to the polishing wheel and in minutes it was looking like glass :eyebrows:

turbovanmanČ
03-15-2006, 01:19 PM
I spent hours on my Buick 3" stainless exhaust with a real buffing wheel setup at my buddies........it was taking way to long...

Out came the DA with two different grits of sand paper and BAM it was done in no time ;) I took it back over to the polishing wheel and in minutes it was looking like glass :eyebrows:


Whats a DA? what grit of sandpaper? I think I will just get it all installed this weekend then polish it later, chunks at a time, :thumb:

I can get my bro to clear coat the piping after I am done, :nod:

altered7151
03-15-2006, 01:20 PM
After polishing (yeah, a benchgrinder works well and 0000 steel wool is nice as well), coat with a clear lacquor. There are many types, but most work about the same. If using wax during th polishing stage, wash before painting.

Ian

Eastwood sells a clear coat that is made just for that purpose. I had tried a couple other clears and some tended to yellow after some exposure to heat, giving the polished metal a milky color. The eastwood stuff works pretty good, so does clear powder coating.


Oh,and Terry, you polished your complete exhaust?! Now thats dedication!

2.216VTurbo
03-16-2006, 12:01 AM
You might consider just a quick scuff with some brown Scotchbrite pads. It will have a brushed look that is really classy IMO

johnl
03-16-2006, 03:13 AM
You might try a stainless wire wheel in the early sanding/rough stages.

mech1nxh
03-16-2006, 09:01 AM
[QUOTE=turbovanman]Whats a DA? what grit of sandpaper?

a body work air driven "random orbital sander"...face of the unit , usually
a 6" disc moves around an eccentric drive...."random orbit" paper discs
with grit of choice are placed on the disc after an application of spray
adhesive, disc wears out, tear off and toss, apply new disc, good to go
as far as grit I have used 400-600, but I am sure there are many opinions
on this

Whorse
03-16-2006, 09:13 AM
It's a bit of money, but what about sandblasting? Not the polished look, but pretty good under the hood look.

johnl
03-16-2006, 12:55 PM
It's a bit of money, but what about sandblasting? Not the polished look, but pretty good under the hood look.

Another way to go is glass bead to really clean it, followed immediately by shot peen to burnish the surface. The glass beading sort of "opens the pores" and reveals virgin metal, then the shot peening pounds it back down and seals the surface against oil and dirt. Works great on aluminum too.

Clay
03-16-2006, 03:05 PM
DA = dual action.

spins about 2 axis, or orbits.

8valves
03-16-2006, 03:49 PM
I personally like SS to be left bare after it ha sbeen welded on with a tig :eyebrows:

Get 'em all seam welded and then clear over it to leave the color marks for a "raw fabrication" look. Haha!

Everyone elses ideas seem pretty good, espescially Terry's about the DA first to get it close then finish it with the bench grinder w/ a buffing pad.

Aaron Miller

darkredturbo
03-18-2006, 11:03 PM
If you have access to a lathe with a nova chuck, clamp the chuck around the piping, turn it at the lowest possible rpm and run a buffing pad the length of the tube. Perfect every time.

Ian