OEM stainless exhaust?

[candieandy]

Thank Leon,

[candieandy]

Let me try that again.

First i started my wire wheeling all the powdercoat off my 1990 pipes. then i went to sanding with emery cloth med. and then i wet-sanded with 800 grit, and then with 1500 grit. then i polished with the 3 different colors clay bars and the wolven wheel on a drill. mine aren't that nice at all and they are starting to get some corrosion.


http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=3551
here is the link to the picture i just added. you can  zoom in if needed too.

let me know what you think

thanks
andrew

[1tinindian]

Andrew, I think you are on the right track.
I would be careful with the wire wheel as that may cause more damage than good, but it sounds like you are beyond that point with all your sanding.
My guess is that the drill you are using just isn't spinning fast enough to get the deep, luster shine you are looking for.
I use air tools and the die grinder I use spins so fast against the metal I'm polishing that it get so hot it becomes difficult to hang on to.

Speed of the tool is the key to polishing metal.
If you don't have access to air tools, I know that electric die grinders are available that have the needed speed to get what you're looking for.


By the way, I love the black and red on your FJ, she's a beauty!

Leon

[candieandy]

Thanks Leon,

I did the paint job all by myself. its hard to see, but i put 6 grams of  pearl silver flake into the paint too.

As for the exhaust, it has lost some of its luster, so i will try again. i have access to air tools so that should be easier. any suggestions on what kind of polishing pads to buy or polishing compunds? What did you use on your die grinder?

[Dads_FJ]

From Pat:  "...Due to internal cracks, I had to replace 2 of my EM double wall header tubes,"... a likely story, me thinks you saw a hair, and looking for an excuse to add more shine said it was a crack and replaced them.  What's next Pat, replacing those 'worn' grips?

[1tinindian]

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-7-pc-buffing-pad-and-compound-kit/p-00929807000P?prdNo=3&blockNo=3&blockType=G3

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-buffing-compound-set/p-00902896000P?prdNo=12&blockNo=12&blockType=G12

http://www.sears.com/formax-5oz-red-rouge-buffing-wheel-compound/p-SPM6562039501P?prdNo=7&blockNo=207&blockType=G207

These are some items I have used.
The red rouge is my favorite. Seems to work very nicely on aluminum as well as the S/S pipes.
I then go back over the pipes with a clean wheel and Simichrome, and then go back over it again by hand with Simichrome.

Hope this helps.

Leon

[Pat Conlon]

From Pat:  "...Due to internal cracks, I had to replace 2 of my EM double wall header tubes,"... a likely story, me thinks you saw a hair, and looking for an excuse to add more shine said it was a crack and replaced them.  

John, honest, they really really had cracks. Even the guys at the WCR and Gunnison Rallies heard them rattle. It sounded like hell.
Here's a couple of posts I made after I came home: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=6927.msg61269#msg61269

I don't think I ever want to polish stainless steel again, very hard stuff. However, polishing aluminum is like butter....

[ribbert]

A few days ago someone mentioned a die grinder for polishing engine pipes.  That's making hard work of it, the size wheels you'd be using are not big enough for a job like that. Too small a contact area and not enough heat. Someone else I think also mentioned wire brushing, sanding and multiple grades of wet rub as prep. That's also making hard work of it.  I did this pipe yesterday just as an exercise ( I decided not to fit polished pipes because they're too hard to clean with a belly pan and look bad if they're not clean)  In the absence of something that would dissolve the paint, I wet rubbed it bare, I forget what grit, but it wasn't that fine, and went straight to the rag wheel.  The pipes are pretty smooth under the paint.  I only used 2 grades of polish and took 10 -15 mins max.  If I was going to fit it I would use, as Pat and or Leon suggested, the "rouge" and then a quick hand polish to protect it. Hanging behind the pipe is my 80,000k muffler that gets the rag wheel polish a couple of times a year.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8015/7549173838_62f48c5292.jpg[/img]

[ribbert]

error

[ribbert]

These should have accompanied the previous post.

I notice I've just outed myself with the pink stripe fairing in the photo, a closet pinky.

[fj11.5]

looks way nicer than chrome,i hate chrome   ,, no worries being a pinko, have one of the fancy pink striped tanks hanging in my shed, , mind you its just waiting to be painted to match my black     ,, nice work on the pipe

[Pat Conlon]

Right on Noel.
What Leon said is very true about avoiding wire brushing or course sanding for paint removal. It causes scratches which involves more work.
Here's some good tips I've bookmarked: https://www.swmetal.com/page/faq
For example: Different cloth wheels have different stitching for different applications (cutting vs. polishing)

Cheers and happy polishing!

[candieandy]

so i learned that my wire wheel technic and sanding made my next job even harder.. funny how i always seem to do things the hard way. haha.

thanks for the link to the polishing company. looks like i may get these pipes to shine up afterall. i will post pictures after i get it finished.