Polishing Stainless pipes

[John Roberts]

I'm polishing some stainless steel exhaust pipes that have gone dark brown in some places, I started off with emery strip as the polishing wheel wasn't making much of an impression.

Now I've never used a polishing wheel before and the owner didn't have much idea either, but the buffing compound he had was normally used for plastic, what I'd like to know is whether there's a special polish for different materials and if so whether there's much point in getting stuff specially for stainless. The stuff he had was dark chocolate brown, if it matters.

The pipes do look reasonable but when you look up close the emery scratches are visible. Of course it may be that if I spend another afternoon on his polishing wheel they may well end up perfect, but I don't want to be a nuisance, he's got a lot of other useful stuff that I might want to make use of sometime.

 

[how much]

ahhhhhh

you must work your way down through the grades of emery and wet and dry, i go down to around 400grit wet with wd40 as the lube you end up with them looking really "flat dull and scratch free" before you go to the buffing wheel.
the brown soap is perfect for final polish you will end up with a mirror finish

then you ride the bike for 100 miles and they start to go brown again


db

 

[fayeslane]

then you ride the bike for 100 miles and they start to go brown again


db

Keep your rides to 95 miles and you'll never have a problem

 

[John Armstrong]

Wonder Wheels is the stainless exhausts persons friend.

 

[Slowdown]

Wonder Wheels is the stainless exhausts persons friend.

I feel there's a line to be drawn between meticulously maintained and meticulously clean. And polishing a stainless exhaust is it, for me at least

 

[Redboots]

I feel there's a line to be drawn between meticulously maintained and meticulously clean. And polishing a stainless exhaust is it, for me at least

Ah, but you see, stainless just means rust-less. It still stains like buggery. Brown, as it happens

John

 

[John Roberts]

ahhhhhh

you must work your way down through the grades of emery and wet and dry, i go down to around 400grit wet with wd40 as the lube you end up with them looking really "flat dull and scratch free" before you go to the buffing wheel.
the brown soap is perfect for final polish you will end up with a mirror finish

then you ride the bike for 100 miles and they start to go brown again


db

I was hoping for some replies that would both help and encourage me. You call that picture encouraging?? Jeez.

 

[Rob Farmer]

FFS!! Polishing!