This is tedious, time consuming, precision hand work!
Ironically, these steps are generally the most overlooked and omitted in the industry as well. Most of the shops are geared for production work and approach a custom job with the same basic mindset. Most often there is no "Metal Man" accessible, so your parts get a cursory top dress and then are brightened up - scratches, dents, holes and all!
Before, during, & after, pictures & video will be posted here regularly, detailing the benefits of the following procedures on assorted applications.
Metal Mending:
TIG Welding
Aluminum Gas welding
Brazing
Silver Soldering
Die-cast potmetal repair
Metal Shaping:
Straightening
Forming
Sculpting
Profile matching
General Machining
The term “Metal Polishing” has actually become a catch-all phrase for the sum of several separate metalworking processes used in the finishing trade. Polishing is actually an intermediate series of steps used after grinding and before buffing.
In very general terms, the sequence of operations is as follows:
Grinding - use of up to 100 grit, or equivalent, hardbacked disc, belt or stone abrasive
for fast and heavy material removal, rough-in of shape
Polishing - use of 120 to 400 grit sanding disc, belt or paper, in increments
for shaping of part, preparing for paint, removal of grit lines from prior steps and creating satin finishes
Buffing - use of flexible cloth type wheels/equivalent with
for achieving bright, reflective mirror finishes on base metals or producing smooth preparatory surfaces prior to plating, anodizing or other surface treatment
Each item needs to be examined individually to determine an appropriate starting point.
“Never start with a more aggressive step than necessary “
A precision machined part can often be buffed out with little or no polishing steps, let alone 36 grit grinding.
Conversely,
reshaping and blending welds to repair a bronze casting would be
dovetailed into the beginning grinding process and not attempted after
buffing.
Metal Finishing
available
Plating Finishes:
Mil-Spec
Decorative
- Gold
- Bright 14 kt
- Matte 23kt
- Bright 23 kt
- Pure 24 kt
- Silver
- Matte
- Bright
- Light Oxided
- Dark Oxidized
- Antique
- Nickel
- Matte
- Semi-bright
- Satin
- Bright
- Antique
- Copper
- High Build
- Bright
- Antique
- Electroless Nickel
- Sulfamate
- MacDermid Teflon
- Anodize
- Clear
- Color
- Hard
- Teflon II & III
- Chrome Plate
- Copper
- Nickel
- Chrome
Powder Coating
- All Colors
- Dry Lube 6108 Teflon
Media Blasting
- Oxide
- Glass Bead
- Plastic
Sierra Foothills of Northern California, USA
925-784-1526 Phone 530-268-1357 Fax
