Polishing suggestions

[jbusa80]

I have a polished swingarm I acquired and will be putting on my 06 Busa. But I think it will look silly if I just put the unpolished brake bar on there from the factory swingarm. I've spent enough money so I don't want to just buy a chrome bar. I've looked at different posts on polishing swingarms and have seen different methods. What would be the easiest way to polish a small piece like the brake bar? I figure it shouldn't be overly time consuming but I want to make it look good and do it myself.

[sixpack577]

Wet sand with several different grits, 2 or 3 steps down, finish off with 2000 grit. Hand polish with one of several brands, Mothers, Eagle, Zoops.

[notright]

Wet sand with several different grits, 2 or 3 steps down, finish off with 2000 grit. Hand polish with one of several brands, Mothers, Eagle, Zoops.

Like he said, maybe put some jewlers rouge on a buffing wheel between the 2000 grit and mothers.

[sixpack577]

Like he said, maybe put some jewlers rouge on a buffing wheel between the 2000 grit and mothers.

+1, that bar won't be a bad job by hand, but a buffing wheel will really speed things up.

[jbusa80]

I've never polished anything to a smooth finish before and I will be doing it by hand. So what would be a good grit to start with? And is wet sanding simply keeping the paper dipped in water?

[sixpack577]

I've never polished anything to a smooth finish before and I will be doing it by hand. So what would be a good grit to start with? And is wet sanding simply keeping the paper dipped in water?

Is that bar painted and cleared? 800 or 1000 grit should be ok, and 2000 will smooth the coarse marks when you're done. Wet sanding is just keeping it wet. Just be consistant back and forth and get into the welds at each end. Try to be even all the way down the edges too. After you're happy with the sanding job start polishing. It's the kind of thing you can always go back over.
You're going to have to anyway as polishing requires lots of repolishing to keep it's shine.

[notright]

Yes , just dip it in water then go back to sanding, it clears the debris out of the grit in about 5 minutes you will be a pro. I would start with 1000 and see if that gets most of the big stuff out when it dose not get any smoother go up to 1500 or 2000. If you have some deep gouges you might want to start with 500. For small spots you can wrap some around a popsicle stick ect.

[notright]

Heah, six pack 577 has it .Im obviously a slow typer

[sixpack577]

Heah, six pack 577 has it .Im obviously a slow typer

Slower than me! That's bad man

[notright]

Btw buffing wheels are realitively inexpensive or easy to make. I have an old ac motor out of an evaprative cooler with a 7" wheel on it my dad used to make knives with. Dremmels are bad about swirling and burning.

[notright]

Slower than me! That's bad man

Im also watching tv and talking to my wife, I am easily distracted.

[Ludicrous Speed]

I have done numerous polishing jobs, and that coating will not come off with 1000 grit, unless you want to be 1000 years old by the time you are finished. I would start with some 150 dry to get the coating, and work up from there

[jbusa80]

Okay, the bar is the factory silver finish. I don't know if that has a coating or not.

[jbusa80]

I will get the materials and get her done. I won't be missing any riding time the weather hasn't broke yet here in Michigan.

[jbusa80]

Good stores for sandpaper? I was at Ace and highest they had was 1500 and the next step lower was 600 grit. Menards didn't even have anything above 500.

[sixpack577]

Good stores for sandpaper? I was at Ace and highest they had was 1500 and the next step lower was 600 grit. Menards didn't even have anything above 500.

Sears

[Ludicrous Speed]

Go to an autoparts store that sells automotive paint supplies