Polishing cranks and other bike parts

[Too Tall]

Gleam team, I need you. My DaVinci cranks had a very nice bright luster only two yrs. ago. and I want to make them look like new. What's the drill? If I can find it I'll score a serious buffing wheel from the hardware store...but am eager to hear about doing this right.

[H1449-6]

*resists obvious joke*

[catulle]

Gleam team, I need you. My DaVinci cranks had a very nice bright luster only two yrs. ago. and I want to make them look like new. What's the drill? If I can find it I'll score a serious buffing wheel from the harware store...but am eager to hear about doing this right.

Da Vinci cranks? As per Colnago Leonardo, maybe?

Like you know, I know nothing, but I know that the Record alloy cranks are coated with a clear -coat which can make life miserable for Vanity Fair types. I once sprayed some degreaser on a Record crank and let it stay for too long, and the result was a leprosy like stain which could only disappear if I removed all the clear-coat.

However, for some of the more superficial stains I have found Flitz and Simichrome to work well because they are not too abrasive. Hope this helps.

[L84dinr]

Mr. T2,

Go to a local hardware store or your local big box hardware store and go to the tool dept. You will find buffing wheels and a selection of compounds. Purchase the wheel and get a bolt and nut the correct diameter of the buffing wheel. Install the wheel using the nut and bolt and chuck it up in a drill. Apply the compound to the buffing wheel and have fun. It takes a while and compound will come flinging off. I have never known exactly when to reapply the compound... for me it is a guessing game, but everynow and then you need to reapply the compound to the wheel while it is turning. Hopefully you will have a vise you can use to hold the Crank arms. If you have a "bench grinder" get the correct size buffing wheel for your grinder and forgo the drill motor. Although, both ways help to get to awkward places on the piece you are working.

I have used both methods to clean up some seat posts and handlebars. Takes a while but it works. I am strictly an amatuer at this!

But, as stated earlier you need to be sure there is not a "protective covering" on the crank arms.

Hope this helps.

[PBWrench]

Zep Chrome/Stainless Steel spray polish works well for me.

[dave thompson]

Gleam team, I need you. My DaVinci cranks had a very nice bright luster only two yrs. ago. and I want to make them look like new. What's the drill? If I can find it I'll score a serious buffing wheel from the harware store...but am eager to hear about doing this right.
Once you polish the aluminum bits, they will start to show surface corrosion as there will be no protective surface. I tried for years, polishing Japanese, Italian and English motorcycle engine cases, etc., and while they looked nice for a short while, when exposed to most any kind of weather they had to be continually shined up or they would look terrible.

[Too Tall]

Tanks. These cranks are really shiny and I think they are clear coated. I'll go at it with some simichrome next.

[Dave]

Just to set the record straight, aluminum parts with a silver finish are anodized, not clear coated. If the surface is truly scratched, there is no cure, other than to remove the anodize by chemical or abrasive methods.

Those who have damaged the anodized finish with "degreasers" probably used a water soluble product that was a strong caustic. That will ruin an anodized surface. Mineral spirits is a totally safe degreaser.

If the anodize is removed, there will be no protection against corrosion, so frequent waxing and repolishing will be required in the future. A well polished aluminum part can have a lot more brilliance (chrome like) than the original anodized part.

You can learn a bit about polishing at this site. http://www.swmetal.com/

[Spinner]

It will bring up a long lasting shine.

[nicrump]

It will bring up a long lasting shine.

i second mothers!

[theprep]

Too Tall

Are you talking about BigMac's recipe for polishing anodised alloys that uses the EASY OFF Oven Cleaner?

If you are, I could dig up the details.

Cheers,
Joe

[zap]

They might be clear annodized. In that case, Oven Off does a great job removing aluminum. Trick is to keep it on for only so long. After OF has done it's job, rinse with water and start polishing.

I have a can you can use. Left over from an earlier ano removal job.

Zip's Grafton cranks are not annodized and I just use metal polish once a year. But I suspect your perspiration is a bit stronger and, well, ate some al. :D

[Too Tall]

Zap my perspiration is gathered and sold as a skin rejuvenation fluid at stores all across the Catskills ;)

Wellll, I got some compound and a few buffing wheels...looks nice! Good suggestions and DAVE thanks for setting the record straight. That helped me get my mind around the task.

[OldDog]

Anodic coatings, clear, satin or colored, penetrate the aluminum surface .001 - .002". Careful using caustic cleaners as they may do more damage to the surface than needed, causing much more buffing work. Get a wheel, I mount mine in a drill press for bike parts, and some Dupont polishing compound, a medium grit and go to town. Finish off with fine polishing compound, using a different wheel. If the finish is not as bright/smooth as you want drop me a pm. Back in the 80's I used to do mould making work here in my shop. I used a diamond dust polishing compound to finish to a 60 finish. I'll see if I can dig some up, if it is still good. 200 grit aluminum oxide cloth does a nice job of sanding out fine scratches prior to buffing.

Once buffed the alumiunum will oxidize shortly, you will need to stay on top of it with cleaner and polish. A fun labor of love.

[Fixed]

Just to set the record straight, aluminum parts with a silver finish are anodized, not clear coated. If the surface is truly scratched, there is no cure, other than to remove the anodize by chemical or abrasive methods.

Those who have damaged the anodized finish with "degreasers" probably used a water soluble product that was a strong caustic. That will ruin an anodized surface. Mineral spirits is a totally safe degreaser.

If the anodize is removed, there will be no protection against corrosion, so frequent waxing and repolishing will be required in the future. A well polished aluminum part can have a lot more brilliance (chrome like) than the original anodized part.

You can learn a bit about polishing at this site. http://www.swmetal.com/
bro man you are smart cat
cheers

[musgravecycles]

Here is an informative link I thought I'd post so it can be associated with polishing the next time around when someone wants to know more about polishing and does a search.

http://fixedgeargallery.com/articles/polishing/