Polishing knackered slot alloys. HOW?

[Lankytim]

Hi gang,

 

I've just picked up a set of tatty Cobra drag slot wheels for my Minor. They're pretty corroded though, nothing too bad but they Deffo need a refurb.

 

What's the easiest way of doing this? A flap wheel in an angle grinder? Just get someone else to do it?

 

Pics to follow.

[colnerov]

 Hi, Use Polystrip wheels instead of flap wheels, they're less aggressive and so more controllable

 

 Colin.

[Jim Bell]

Autosol and a t shirt.

[Jim Bell]

And elbow grease.

[billyboy406v6]

Pay some one else its torture.

[fordperv]

It all depends how bad they are, if not too bad I'd start by wet and drying them working up the grades, and when youve 1500 - 2000 gritted them use one of those ebay metal polishing kits that mount in a drill, i used the grinder kit but felt it to be cumbersome and couldn't get into tighter spaces

 

Failing that pay someone to do it, i know a guy in leek who does metal polishing and is reasonable

[steveo3002]

redneck wheel lathe

 

car on stands ..run the engine and sand/buff away

 

just be carefull to not rip any fingers off

[dave21478]

Life is too short and shit enough already to be spending a week of evenings polishing 4 wheels.

 

IMO anything beyond a couple of coats of Hammerite on some steels should be farmed out to someone else.

[junkyarddog]

These woolfies on my Corolla were heavily corroded from sitting about outside,started off with wire wool,then wet n' dry paper of various grades and finished off with autosol.

Give them a quick polish with it a couple of times a year.

 

Make yourself as comfy as possible,put the radio on and get stuck in

[Tamworthbay]

I made up a mandrel and fitted in an old cordless drill in a vice. I used a 12v power supply so I could vary the speed then used a range of grades of paper and finally a shit load of autosol. It took about 6-8 hrs per wheel but they were well grotty with some despise curb marks. They were mirror finish when done. I still have the mandrel and you are welcome to it if the bore size matches wolfies.

[Faker]

Nitro the old lacquer off (if any) and brillo pads are your friend. Finish off with metal polish.