[IBIKEAZ]

A little elbow grease and about 1.5 hrs and I'm about 1/2 done. I used 150 grit sand paper followed by some fine grit steel wool and Mothers polish. It's going to look killer on my most;y silver/polished new 29er fs.

 

[Go Kart Motzart]

Almost half-way done! I suspect that drive side will take a bit longer.

Looks great though.

You had better call up Mothers and order a drum of polish if you want to maintain a mostly polished mountainbike.

 

[IBIKEAZ]

Yeah I know it's hard to maintain, but the XTR finish sucks anyway. This way I can just put a little polish on there.

 

[el-cid]

Have you considered a clear powder coat over the polish? I think it could be done...

 

[velomental]

This may help save you some time.
Whenever I want to polish something that is anodized, I remove the anodizing with Easy Off oven cleaner first. I don't have to sand before polishing.
Don't leave the Easy Off on to long or the aluminum will oxidise ( no harm done , it will just take a little longer to polish out).
Spray it with Easy Off and then wait for it to start tuning black, 10-20 min. and then rinse it with water.

 

[IBIKEAZ]

That does sound easier. I can't believe it would take off the coating on the cranks though. Thanks for the tip

 

[Quasi]

Bead blasting.

 

[velomental]

If its anodized it will take it right off, I have stripped cranks, rims, pedals, seatposts, hubs, all kinds of parts. Well, not always right off, sometimes it takes a couple of applications of the oven cleaner.
I always wash the part and dry it between applications.
You will know pretty quick if its working because the anodizing will sort of bleed off. If its painted it won't do anything.
Bead blasting works great at removing the finish, but it's very time consuming to polish out the bead blasted finish.

 

[Hexonxonx]

A little elbow grease and about 1.5 hrs and I'm about 1/2 done. I used 150 grit sand paper followed by some fine grit steel wool and Mothers polish. It's going to look killer on my most;y silver/polished new 29er fs.

Get a bench grinder and some of these 3M flap brushes. I had an old Campy C-Record crank arm and it took the finish off in no time.

http://products3.3m.com/catalog/us/en001/manufacturing_industry/abrasives/node_R993JLRZG1be/root_GST1T4S9TCgv/vroot_GS28JPJ1WVge/gvel_8B4ZHMW2KMgl/command_AbcPageHandler/theme_us_abrasives_3_0

 

[Surlydave]

I'd be careful with EasyOFF on aluminum parts. Spray it on aluminum foil and it will smoke and smolder.

 

[funboarder1971]

Nice job Scott! I'll drop off my cranks with you later this week

A little elbow grease and about 1.5 hrs and I'm about 1/2 done. I used 150 grit sand paper followed by some fine grit steel wool and Mothers polish. It's going to look killer on my most;y silver/polished new 29er fs.

 

[Polk]

I polished up a set of old Sugino road cranks with some Turtle Wax cleaner wax and a cotton buffing wheel in my Dremel. It was very quick and easy, but the finish did not last long before it was dull again. But it looked pretty sweet until then!

 

[logbiter]

I'd be careful with EasyOFF on aluminum parts. Spray it on aluminum foil and it will smoke and smolder.

yeah, leave the off/lye on too long, it'll pit the alu... just until the anodizing starts to come off is long enough..

that polish jobs looks great though!