Polish - which is the best for gleaming the downpipes???

oyster · Post by **oyster** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 5:17 pm

I have used solvol autosol on a buffing wheel in my portable drill in the past, but the arrangement of these pipes on the S dont allow much room for getting around them. So, without having to take the pipes off regularly to bench polish them, what is the best stuff others have used? I want a glass chrome finish. Eventually.
Thanks all.

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 7:55 pm

Garrison Garryflex block and your right index finger with Autosol

You will note however that the pipes shine but the rest of the bike has not been cleaned yet

adamski49 · Post by **adamski49** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 8:44 pm

If you've let your pipes go like I have a good starting point is 'shiny sinks'. It's one of those super cleaning products used for stainless sinks, alkaline and slightly abrasive it lifts the surface brown staining really quickly if used with a piece of wet sponge or, in extremes, a scouring pad.

Then comes the slog with Autosol

Adam

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 11:03 pm

Thats where a garyflex block comes into its own its a bit like very fine wet and dry but in a rubberised form and really cuts back to the basic metal without leaving heavy surface scratching comes in several grades start with fine then go to extra fine followed by solvol.

Start to finish one hour per pipe

Archie · Post by **Archie** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 8:55 am

Young Robert

I'm very disapointed that you've not polished inside the socket heads of your caliper bolts.

Please remedy this for next time you bring your bike to school, and also write 500 times "I'm a bloody slacker when it comes to polishing time".

6/10 Could do better.

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 4:48 pm

Its an old photograph

adamski49 · Post by **adamski49** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 7:15 pm

I found a quick and fairly painless way pf polishing the headers today.

Take a strip of cloth liberally coated in autosol, wrap it cloth around the header and cross it over then just pull the cloth backwards and fowards over the pipe moving along as you go. This is much easier than polishing directly by hand as you can get more speed up and cover more metal in a short space of time.

After I'd finished with the autosol I went over them again with some polish called 'peek'. Not sure if this helped but it's a stainless polish and any further polishing can only be a good thing... smelt nice when I fired the bike up as well.

Not bad considering just yesterday they were a nasty flat brown tarnished finish although you can still see the corrosion marks slightly.

Adam

Boxadog 2000 · Post by **Boxadog 2000** » Sun Jan 23, 2005 9:56 pm

bigbeemer2004 · Post by **bigbeemer2004** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 2:19 pm

I use a Scotch-brite metal finishing pad (B&Q, I think) which takes away the tarnish and the stains but leaves a dullish silver finish. A fairly quick polish with autosol brings up the shine. Note, however, that it will all have gone brown again within about 10 minutes!

crucial · Post by **crucial** » Mon Jan 24, 2005 5:58 pm

I use the road salt and crap method. Don't touch the pipes for about 3 years...................then replace with new ones in the spring

oyster · Post by **oyster** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 6:31 pm

On Saturday, I had a chat with the guy that runs the metal polishing stand at the bike show. Side hall in the entrance way, behind the police stand. He agreed serious work with solvol would get the stainless clean & shiny, but would scratch. The only way to get my desired glass chrome finish was with the buffing mop and the blue compound. Which is what I used to do, but I was hoping for an easier way. So still no magic sprays.