Buffing Aluminum Sheet

Polishing machined aluminum to a mirror finish.

Buffing aluminum sheet.

First of all i used paint. Attach a buffing pad to a hand buffing machine and turn it on. Always use cotton flannel sheets on tanks and flat surfaces any other surface plain cotton rags will work. Polish aluminum sheet metal to mirror finish.

The polished side is covered with a protective peel off film. Sand the sheet metal then apply a cutting compound and use a rotating buffing tool to polish the piece. When i turned my tardis model into an infinity box i used some pieces of polished aluminum for some of my mirrors. I polished that aluminum myself but i didn t polish the whole sheet to a mirror finish.

This is one of many strategies to get aluminum to a mirror finish. Wipe the aluminum off with a flannel or chamois cloth. In the picture you can see the other side of. To give it a glossy shine like that of chrome it needs to be polished.

One side of these sheets and bars is polished to either a brushed finish or a mirror like finish. To get clearer and clearer finishes you can chrome plate electro polish or do it th. Once the machine work is done. Slowly move the buffing pad in circular motions along the entire aluminum surface and then wipe the aluminum with a soft cloth.

It is strong and corrosion resistant plus it s easy to machine and weld. Again always work in the direction of the grain with an up and down motion. Polishing aluminum is a time consuming process but can be done with great results. Make sure you have the right tools and the patience to complete all of the steps.

For small items like pots and pans first clean the item with soap and water then apply an aluminum polish or a paste made from cream of tartar. After you buff using the brown cutting compound rebuff using a clean buffing pad and rouge cutting compound. You want to use a liquid metal polish i use pro 40 and white diamond those are the 2 that i ve found give the best finish and shine. If you have sandpaper a buffing wheel and some compounds you can get pretty close to mirror.

In this aluminum polishing video you will learn how to polish aluminum parts look like mirror finish aluminum polish is very easy. The most widely used aluminum 6061 is fabricated into everything from pipe fittings and containers to automotive and aerospace parts. For sheet metal start with a clean dry piece.