# Polishing BBS RS....HELP



## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

okay, heres the deal,

i just acquired a set of BBS RS, all the lips have some imperfections, just dirt from what i see, i have sanded using a sanding block by hand, with about 200 grit or so, then i did 400,600,800, 1000, and finally 1500. 

after all that there is still some grit or something, but its just not coming out, i thought about a dremel, but i cant muster up the balls to do it, and possibly screw up the grain of the metal, and end up screwing up a part.

basically im asking, 
should i use a bit on a drill? if so what?
should i try sanding with a different grit?
after sanding i polished it and they are nice, but not quite mirror, how can i get that finish.

please help opcorn:


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## forrest (Jun 25, 2001)

Keep going - use 2000 and finish with 3000. You are wet sanding, correct? 

Then you'll want to use an aluminum polish to restore the shine. But more importantly, why are you sanding to remove dirt?


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

forrest said:


> Keep going - use 2000 and finish with 3000. You are wet sanding, correct?
> 
> Then you'll want to use an aluminum polish to restore the shine. But more importantly, why are you sanding to remove dirt?


i cant find 2000, let alone 3000, and yes i am wetsanding using wd40 as the lubricant,

i tried the nevr dull but it didnt work as well as mothers polish with a power-cone adapter to drill.


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## forrest (Jun 25, 2001)

I've never used WD40 as a lubricant for wetsanding - I've always used soap water.

Any automotive paint store will have 2000 and 3000 grit. They'll save you lots of polishing time over trying to remove the sanding marks of 1500.


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

forrest said:


> I've never used WD40 as a lubricant for wetsanding - I've always used soap water.
> 
> Any automotive paint store will have 2000 and 3000 grit. They'll save you lots of polishing time over trying to remove the sanding marks of 1500.


Let's assume I find 3000 grit. And have it all sanded. 

Do I just polish. Or is there another step. Should I buff or anything?


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## 67Customs (Mar 3, 2005)

44stella said:


> Let's assume I find 3000 grit. And have it all sanded.
> 
> Do I just polish. Or is there another step. Should I buff or anything?


You should be able to find 3000, even if you have to find it on the internet. That is the key to getting the mirror finish. An auto body paint store should have it.

Buffing is polishing. Yes, after you hit it with 3000, you need to polish it out.

Use soap/water as a lube for sanding.


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

67Customs said:


> You should be able to find 3000, even if you have to find it on the internet. That is the key to getting the mirror finish. An auto body paint store should have it.
> 
> Buffing is polishing. Yes, after you hit it with 3000, you need to polish it out.
> 
> Use soap/water as a lube for sanding.



after 400-1500 twice each, i have gone from this










to this, after about 2 hours of work











what do you think? more polish? i assume i have to polish many times?


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## VertigoGTI (Apr 1, 2001)

Looks good so far, but it still some paper. Our WalMart has 2000 grit paper, so does AutoZone, PepBoys and o'Reilys. 

Also, what are you using for polish? What type of cloth? I highly recommend using a microfiber for the polishing and switch cloths when you switch polishes.

Here's an example of what I did. I started with 150 (really bad corrosion), finished with 2000, and then used 2 types of polish with MF cloths. Took about 3 days. I have a polishing bench now where I just bolt on a wheel, the bench spins the wheel and I just hold the paper or polish, knock out a set of wheels in about 4 hours.


Start










Finished 320 grit










End result


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## 67Customs (Mar 3, 2005)

44stella said:


> after 400-1500 twice each, i have gone from this
> 
> ...
> 
> ...


It obviously looks 10x better. It looks like a standard polished aluminum look. However, if you want the mirror, chrome like look, you may need some higher grit and more polishing.

BTW, what are you using to polish with?


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

67Customs said:


> It obviously looks 10x better. It looks like a standard polished aluminum look. However, if you want the mirror, chrome like look, you may need some higher grit and more polishing.
> 
> BTW, what are you using to polish with?


so basically if i sit there for a long time, with 800-200 grit papers, i can make it look sick, just gonna take some time, 

as for polish i have nevr dull, which isnt terrible, but i found that mothers metal polish with a power cone on a drill worked real nice


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

> Looks good so far, but it still some paper. Our WalMart has 2000 grit paper, so does AutoZone, PepBoys and o'Reilys.
> 
> Also, what are you using for polish? What type of cloth? I highly recommend using a microfiber for the polishing and switch cloths when you switch polishes.
> 
> Here's an example of what I did. I started with 150 (really bad corrosion), finished with 2000, and then used 2 types of polish with MF cloths. Took about 3 days. I have a polishing bench now where I just bolt on a wheel, the bench spins the wheel and I just hold the paper or polish, knock out a set of wheels in about 4 hours.


your start to finish is clearly much different, but would you be able to accomplish by hand? cuz i dont have that thing you have. i fell asleep yesterday sittin on the end of my bed, head on my dog, hand with sandpaper still in it sitting on a lip, cardboard on my lap haha


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## B3passatBMX (Feb 27, 2004)

You can get some polishing wheels for a drill that work well. Even the Mothers powerball with their alum/mag polish works very well once you have it wetsanded down to 3000.


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## VertigoGTI (Apr 1, 2001)

That was actually my first time polishing. It was done by hand before I built the bench for it. Here's the steps I did it in:

3 passes of 150 to remove corrosion
1 pass of 180
1 pass of 220
1 pass of 320
1 pass of 320 (wet)
1 pass of 400 (wet)
1 pass of 600 (wet)
2 passes of 800 (wet)
2 passes of 1000 (wet)
2 passes of 1500 (wet)
2 passes of 2000 (wet)
1 hour of polishing with Meguiars Metal Polish each wheel

I probably could've started with 220, but I had lots of 150 and 180 grit. All of it was done by hand in a matter of days. Forearms looked like Popeye's when I was done.


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## VertigoGTI (Apr 1, 2001)

Almost forgot... Resist the urge to use a dremel. Even with a flapwheel, you'll get high and low spots in the metal which are a PAIN to remove. The key to any good polish is an even surface. Using a dremel to polish something as flat as a wheel is like using a drill to plane a piece of wood.


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

VertigoGTI said:


> Almost forgot... Resist the urge to use a dremel. Even with a flapwheel, you'll get high and low spots in the metal which are a PAIN to remove. The key to any good polish is an even surface. Using a dremel to polish something as flat as a wheel is like using a drill to plane a piece of wood.


ya i used the dremel for about 1 minute, where it was real ugly lookin. but i stopped using it and did it by hand after, i dont wanna make anything worse.


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## VertigoGTI (Apr 1, 2001)

Been nearly a month, any progress?


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

thats what i ended up with


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## John A (Feb 19, 2001)

Needs more work...


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## VDubbstep (Nov 29, 2011)

Go to lowes or HFTools and buy Red, White, And Blue rubbing compound. Its like 20 bucks for all three. Get a polishing disc to hook up to your drill at home and buff with first red then whit then blue. By the time you finish blue, you WILL have a mirror finish. Be careful not to use too much compound because it will gunk up and make a mess. If you want mirror finish this step is a must. After you use compounds, wash and dry wheel then Finish off with a thorough polish like mother alum & mag polish. Good luck.


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

VDubbstep said:


> Go to lowes or HFTools and buy Red, White, And Blue rubbing compound. Its like 20 bucks for all three. Get a polishing disc to hook up to your drill at home and buff with first red then whit then blue. By the time you finish blue, you WILL have a mirror finish. Be careful not to use too much compound because it will gunk up and make a mess. If you want mirror finish this step is a must. After you use compounds, wash and dry wheel then Finish off with a thorough polish like mother alum & mag polish. Good luck.


thanks for the info man, really appreciate it. but im in canada and that HF tools does not ship to canada. I may just ship them to a friends house then. im assuming that you have done this, what sand paper grit did you finish with? im at 2000


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## VDubbstep (Nov 29, 2011)

My wheel I just did didn't need much work, i just was trying to get rid of the machine lines in the lips. So, I did 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000. Then I did the compounds. I don't know if you have Lowes or Home Depot up there but they carry the compounds as well. It should be near their polishing wheel supplies. MOST hardware stores carry it. Its not expensive or fancy, just polishing clays. Also when wet sanding be sure to polish in the opposite direction with each grit. But when doing the compounds only do horizontal around the lips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyOodLNI4BQ

Watch this video to see the benefits of using compounds after sanding. This is the video that made me realize i needed compounds to get past that hazy sanded look. All you need is the red and white bars,wheel and hook it up to your house hold drill (hope you you have plug in or you'll be changing batteries a lot lol).


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

looks like it should work beautifully.
ill be sure to post some pics when im done. thanks man


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## VDubbstep (Nov 29, 2011)

No prob. Enjoy. The second you put that polishing pad to the metal you'll see results immediately.


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

VDubbstep said:


> No prob. Enjoy. The second you put that polishing pad to the metal you'll see results immediately.












went to harbor freight in buffalo, bought a polich kit, had black,brown and white polish, used in that order and this is what i got, i am having a hard time applying the white, it seems like a harder compund. but this is one lip, about 45 mins


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## thirtysixspokes (Mar 6, 2007)

You don't need to use much of those rouges, clean the wheels often with a rake (I usually use a coarse sawzall blade) and hit the wheel really quick with the rouge. Too much cakes up and can leave too much residue on the metal or burn the metal a bit. The white compound you should also be using with a loose stitched wheel for final buffing/coloring. 

For liquid polishes I swear by Englishes polishes and maintain with Belgom alu. 

Lips are looking good otherwise man.:thumbup:


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)

so i have gotten the lips to a pretty good finish. 

however, the guy i traded with told me he would polish the bolts.
he didnt polish the bolts :banghead:
so im now stuck with 136 ugly corroded bolts. any ideas on how to get rid of that? diluted CLR?










heres the POLISHED bolts....not gonna say names of who said they would polish...but seriously... not polished


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## 44stella (Jul 19, 2009)




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## MKIVR32 (Feb 11, 2007)

That's 1000,1500,2000 then porter cable then hand and perfect mirror finish


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## Drew is werD (Aug 17, 2007)

Results look perfect. Ill be doing this myself very soon.

My bolts are sitting in cola overnight, then ill use a tumbler to finish them off


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## Shawn O (May 28, 2000)

Wow, you guys are doing way too much work. 

You only need to sand up to 800 grit, then you use a high speed buffer. A high speed buffer is the only way to get a perfectly shiny surface. 

Sanding with anything more than 800 grit is pointless as the rouge you will be using is approx 800 grit to start with. 

Start with 400 grit and go straight to 800 grit. Then you use a high speed polisher with black rouge and a tightly wound buffing wheel. Then you finish off with white rouge and a loosely wound wheel. 

Shouldn't take more than 30 minutes per wheel not including time to strip the factory clearcoat of the wheels with a stripper such as Aircraft Stripper. 

I've done several sets of RSs and this is the way to do it. 

The buffer I have is actually a very nice unit from Harbor Freight with its own stand. It has extended arbors so you have plenty of clearance to work with the lip. 

One set....


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## kt883 (Nov 23, 2007)

Erik, 3000 grit can be found on ebay. Nvr dull/mothers doesnt work for what you want. U need a polishing kit. Go to princess auto and they have a couple kits. Learn how to use the different felt bob's and sprial sewn wheels etc. Use tripoli and other polishing compounds which come in those kits (red white green and black compounds) and you will achieve mirror finish. I always start with one of those hocky puck/rough mesh like wheels that you get at cdn tire in the autobody section. They are 10$. Just go crazy on the lip with it and focus it on rough areas. then proceed through the grits with wet sandpaper 

Thats whati did on my bbs rxii's and it looked great after. Nvrdull/mothers is only meant to restore that shine after a month or two of oxidation 

 

 

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## Jedidub (Oct 6, 2010)

The end result looks good but I would've used wenol as a final polish it's got a water resistant coating that won't allow spots to form.


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## 02 indigo (Aug 18, 2009)

DSC04079-1 by rhecht90, on Flickr 

Please see my DIY for in depth polishing techniques. 
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?4890363-DIY-Polishing-Wheels-(Fat-Fives)


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