ConcoursMustang Forums
Restoring - General discussions that span across many different groups of years and models => Misc Items => Topic started by: CharlesTurner on April 15, 2010, 08:46:23 PM
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Anyone have a source to do stainless steel buffing that can put the machine lines back in the parts instead of making them look like chrome?
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Charles-
Sorry I can't help you, but can you school me as to what you mean by "machine lines". I've actually got my stainless at a polishing shop as we speak,
http://www.dellmetalpolishing.com/index2.html
Greg
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If you look closely at any original piece of stainless that has not been professionally buffed, you will see symmetrical cut lines throughout the piece. Buffing stainless to a mirror finish is over-restoration in my opinion (or incorrectly restored, however you like to say it!)
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I think you can get the finish you are after with 6" scotch brite unitized wheels on a bench grinder or buffer. Something like an EXL 4s fine should get close to the finish you are looking for. This leaves a fine machine finish that can be buffed out (or over restored) with cotton buffing wheels to a mirror finish. You might have to try a couple different grades of wheel to get to the finish that meets your requirements. If you have perfect ding free moldings and you want to just take off the "haze" and put the machine lines on, then you can get away with just one unitized wheel in the refinishing process. If your moldings are dinged and in need of metal finishing, you will probably need 2-4 different coarser wheels to take out any surface imperfections created in the metal finishing step before you get to the last step to put on the final finish you want.
The bad news is that the wheels are expensive ($50 to $100 at tourist prices), but when shops get $25-$50 per piece and you have a whole cars worth of stainless to do, buying the wheels and doing it yourself may become more cost effective.
Maybe just tell any shop you might choose to stop prior to their final "mirror finish" polishing step and leave in the fine machine lines that normally get buffed out? Just make sure you tell them the expectation that the entire piece gets finished uniformly with the machine lines...
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Thanks for the feedback. I just wasted 6 months and $1300+ with an individual who said they could do what I asked. Halfway through they realized they couldn't, but still buffed the pieces and charged me for it. What I have now are over-buffed parts with DA swirls, inconsistent finishes, sanding marks and still many imperfections in the surfaces. I was hoping that someone might know of a place with experience taking the pieces to the desired finish. I don't have the time nor skill to do this myself.
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Charles, have you talked to Qual Krom about this? They polished all my stainless for me, they might be able to do what you want.
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Charles, have you talked to Qual Krom about this? They polished all my stainless for me, they might be able to do what you want.
Yes, was planning to send everything to them, but wanted to check if there were any other alternatives. They are very expensive.
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They are pretty high, I didn't know anybody else and the parts turned out real nice.
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They are pretty high, I didn't know anybody else and the parts turned out real nice.
I should have gone with them to start with, but they charged me $200 to do the stainless boot strip. Based on that, I figured all the pieces I had would run like $3k.
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This is what they charged me to polish:
Vent Window Division Rails $65 each
Lower Windshield trim: $210
2 Upper Windshield Trim pieces: $200
2 Vertical Windshield Trim pieces $100
Lower rear glass trim: $110
Upper rear glass trim: $170
2 Vertical rear glass trim pieces $220
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Charles,
Your original post in this thread implied that you have a source for "like chrome" polishing of SS. If so, who are they, and how do their prices compare with Sunlit's above?
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Charles,
Your original post in this thread implied that you have a source for "like chrome" polishing of SS. If so, who are they, and how do their prices compare with Sunlit's above?
I am not willing to give that business name out.
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How 'bout this then... could I send mine to you and have you get them polsihed for me? For a nominal fee of course!
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Bryan, are you trying to get your pieces to shine like chrome? I haven't looked too closely at mine but they are pretty shiny, had a dent that is gone now too..... the place I used was about as good as you'll find anywhere.
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How 'bout this then... could I send mine to you and have you get them polsihed for me? For a nominal fee of course!
Sorry, I don't do stainless polishing.
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Thanks Sunlit,
What sort of instructions did you give Mr. Ore?
Did you just say "Make 'em look good?"
Did you send your parts for him to quote first, or did you just tell him to do it, with no regard to $ ?
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No, they gave me a ballpark figure of $850.... then they mail you a quote after they get the parts, I just told them to polish the pieces. I didn't know there were different degrees of polishing, mine are probably "over restored" but they look nice.
For further reference, I also sent them my grill pieces for a quote, $400 to rechrome the large corral, $150 for small corral and $75 for the horse... I had them send those pieces back to me, thought that was too high.
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Thanks guys,
I can make a decision now from a more informed perspective.
BC
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Hi Greg,
A picture won't be neccessary but just let me know how pleased you are when you get your stuff back.
Thanks
BC