Polishing aluminum parts

Want all that aluminum on your ride to glisten in the sunshine?  Want to be the envy of all your ridding buddies?  Read on for a step by step process to shine up those aluminum parts to a mirror shine. 

A special thanks to the folks at Thumper Talk for this helpful information.

Here is a definitive guide on how to polish any aluminum surface to a mirror shine.

Items Needed:
- Oven Cleaner
- 200, 400, 600, 1000 and 2000 Grit Wet/Dry Sandpaper
- Polishing Cream
- Wax
- Clear Coat (Optional)

Step 1:
Clean the dirt off the part to be polished

Step 2:
Spray your part with oven cleaner to strip the corrosion off. (I use Easy Off)

Step 3:
Begin sanding with the 200 grit sandpaper across the grain. Do so until the grain is almost gone. (Make sure to keep the sandpaper wet). There will be a considerable amount of black stuff (oxidized aluminum).

Step 4:
Take the 400 grit and sand in the same direction until the grain is all gone
(still keeping it wet).

Step 5:
Take the 600 grit and sand this time in a swirling pattern until all you see is swirls (still wet).

Step 6:
Repeat step 5 but with the rest of the sand paper, using a higher grit each time.

Step 7:
By now your part will have a very shiny finish and you may be satisfied, but now take your polishing cream and buff your part until it is mirror shiny.

Step 8:
Wax your part just like you would a car.

Step 9 (Optional):
Apply a spray on clear coat to your part to help protect it.

To restore your shine:
Simply start at step 1 & 2 but then skip to step 7.

Watch as people stare at themselves in your shiny parts.

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