Hello from Cumbria/alloy polishing!

Try Solvol Autosol+elbow grease, it is available from Halfords and on line. For severe corrosion, invest in a polishing mop for your electric drill and soaps/ polishes. Again there are a range of suppliers.

Previously kevin_wood wrote:

I have just joined NOC and thought I should introduce myself!

So, hello, I am Kevin from North Cumbria. I have a 1962, 88 Dommie and have owned her since April.

She wasn't bought as a project, but she's fast turning into one! The bike had been dry stored since 2004 previously being restored.

Have any of you had anything to do with shining up dull alloy?

A friend of mine is into polishing his lorry fuel tank and says you only need peek and diamond white. Another friend with a Harley says you should wire wool/wet and dry to get the base right and then shine up?

Any thoughts welcomed.

P.s I have attached a picture of my son, I wouldn't normally, but he is called Stanley Wood!

Kind Regards

Kevin Wood

You can buy Peek in tins, it seems to give a better mo lasting finish than Autosole but is less abrasive. It depends how much corrosion there is. My commando was in a bad way when I got it. It must have had a lot of salt corroision. When I polished the gearbox cover it looked like it had black heads. I tried filing and sanding back only to expose more pits. In the end I changed the gearbox cover. The chaincase and timing cover cleaned up resonable well on a pollishing mop. The wheel hubs were bad so I had the vapour blasted and left them with that finish, you can see the pitting in them.

I would start with the soft approch using Peek and see how you go.

Nice bike, great name for your son! It doesn't look too bad, elbow grease and polish should do the trick. I have started using Peek (pause for laughter from those that know my bikes) as the local hardware store stocks it. It's good. Your cylinder head is pre 1960. Your engine number will tell you if the rest of the engine is too.

Previously kevin_wood wrote:

I have just joined NOC and thought I should introduce myself!

Hi Kevin,

First, welcome to the NOC.

I had an electra with a very poor finish on the casings and started with wet / dry to get the really rough bits level and also to get rid of some of the deep gouges from brake levers etc.

Then it was the polishing mop and finally solvol.

It is not recomended to use wire wool as it is possible to get very small bits of steel embedded in the aly which then rusts.

Tony

There are different grades of wire wool. I have used wire wool, with metal polish, since the 50's, Once a reasonable finish is obtained, just use a decent metal polish, and lots of elbow grease!

similar to John ive used fine scotch bright and alloy polish.use the scotch bright as your rag to apply polish.and then buff up with a rag after on my first attempt at polishing i run out of polish and i used some t-cut it came up like a mirror finish but it soon reverted back . i suppose alloy is porous so try leaving the polish on to soak over night a couple of times before finally shining up