Well, it's my first shot ever polishing/buffing aluminum. My boys got it for me for xmas and haven't had a weekend to use it until last week. There are a few spots I need to concentrate on but I'm happy thus far. That's me taking the pic in the reflection. What was funny is the whole thing came with a DVD "The Art of Buffing". I kept telling my wife I hadn't had a chance to watch my boofing video...needless to say she didn't laugh as much as me.

 

You're off to a good start, but you've got a lot more sanding to do before you use the buffer! All of those "bumps" in the surface should be sanded completely away, and then you should progressively work your way to finer and finer paper. You should have a dull, but perfectly smooth surface before you ever use the buffer. In fact, even with just sanding, the surface should be flat enough that you'll have a reflection that's good enough to read from. That's the only way to get a real mirror finish.

 

What compounds/wheels are you buffing with? I'd do as Jim said, then use tripoli on a wheel. And finish with white rouge on a loose wheel.

 

Thanks for the critique guys. Like I said first shot at it. I thought sandpaper should've been used but thought the compounds may take the place. Right now only the top surface has been done and I still need to do the sides of the plenum so sandpaper it is, along with sanding the top again. Do you go all the way to a 1200 grit paper? What is the end of the line for paper and do you do wetsanding or dry? I would think wet.

 

when block sanding and buffing the higher the grit the better the shine
I would wet sand

 

i started with 80 dry on my mouse sander, then 120 and 220 dry on my mouse, then went to 400 dry by hand, then 400 wet, 800 wet, 1000 wet and then polished with tripoli, then rouge.

 

Monte,thanks. That's the info I wanted to know. What grit to start. I know if I started with say a 300 instead of an 80 or something it'd take longer than necessary. I didn't use any sand paper on my plenum yet. Did it with Sisal/Emery,Sisal/Tripoli,Loose/Tripoli, then Loose/White Rouge.

 

On the plenum, I believe I did, 320, 400, 600, 800 wet, 1000 wet, and 2000 wet (or something close to that). Then I buffed with tripoli and white rouge. I had a hard time getting a good shine with the rouge though. I almost wanted to end with tripoli.



For the runners, I started with 600 and ended with 2000 wet. And also finished with tripoli and rouge on a wheel.

 

IROC, holy sweet mother of mirrors! That's a nice shine on the runners. I have a set of SLP runners I want to do and my fuel rail. I figured it was best to start with a part I can replace via Ebay for 30 or so bux instead of a brand new set of siamesed runners. Sounds like hand sanding it is. I've hand sanded (3) entire camaros in the past and never thought I'd be doing engine parts. I thougt the buffing wheel is the answer, sounds like it's more of a "finishing" step. Excellent

 

what grit you start with depends on how rough the finish is. if its real bumpy start with a lower grit paper cause it will take the casting flash out faster, then just move up.