Bringing back a polished lip (On a rim, painted over)

[I heart the SSS]

Sup,

I picked up some Watanabe's, and hiding under the paint is a polished lip..

I used paint stripper to strip most of the paint off, and then used a metal edge to scrub the paint off..

It got to a point where bits of primer where not budging etc..

So i hit it with some 150 grit sandpaper..

The lips now obviously lost its shine and scratched..

Is it possible to bring it back to it's mirror finish..?

I thought maybe using 150, then 300, and working my way to 1500 grit, then using brasso...

Anyone got any ideas.. im scared they are ruined lol!

:thumbsup:

[lil_foy]

Cant you get them sandblasted?

Oh wait you sanded them, hmm.... not sure.

Where they chrome plated?

[phantom_civic]

take it to an aluminium welding place..
theres one in chipping norton.

Thats what i did with my Centra dish rims.

[RtN]

Well yeh uhh you yeh work your way up like 150 300 500 800 1200 1500 2000 grit paper then use some polish such as Mothers to bring it back to shine. After the polish you could either I believe clear it or wax it.

[I heart the SSS]

^ think that's the best bet

i'll start tomorrow, and see how i go with one rim

[g_kn]

Chrome paint ? lol
i dunno.. just a suggestion

[RtN]

hmm chrome paint could peel i guess and I dunno chrome is just kinda too fakey shiney. Polished will last forever just gonna have to keep polishing it every month or so.. it aint so bad.

[Ek-4 Chick]

Well yeh uhh you yeh work your way up like 150 300 500 800 1200 1500 2000 grit paper then use some polish such as Mothers to bring it back to shine. After the polish you could either I believe clear it or wax it.

X2 :thumbsup: You can also buy 3M sanding sponges that come in different grit's all the way upto 2000 for hard to reach spots.

Also when you get down to the fine grit you can use a liquid style polish like "Bowdens Own" with the sandpaper.

[RtN]

LOL, hmm wonder how much those sanding sponges would cost for so many.. or dont they run out as fast as sandpaper?

[d0p3y]

Yep keep refining the sanding, try an 800 and then 1200, then 1500 and then 2000, when you get to the very fine stuff it might be an idea to wet sand prior to attacking it with metal polish. There's a good metal polish I've used for a similar task, I bought it from Autobarn - can't remember the brand but it comes in a gold box/tube.

[RtN]

yeh wetsand those grits.. hmm gold box metal polish tells me Autosol lol.

[Cartoon]

yeh wetsand those grits.. hmm gold box metal polish tells me Autosol lol.

yeah autosol works like a dream. :thumbsup:

[d0p3y]

yeh wetsand those grits.. hmm gold box metal polish tells me Autosol lol.


That's the one. Jogged my memory

[I heart the SSS]

Cheers guys

i just finished running 350 grit over one.. ima move onto 800....

Should I wetsand 800 and 1500?

[RtN]

Cheers guys

i just finished running 350 grit over one.. ima move onto 800....

Should I wetsand 800 and 1500?

Yes it is highly recommended for these grits as they are FINE and the water would help wash away the particles lodged between the paper and sanding surface so that you would have to do less work :thumbsup:. Make sure you continually clean it like say after 15 seconds of sanding, I personally used a spray bottle to wash away the particles left behind (soak the sand paper in water for like 1-2 minutes first, duno y just did what I was told lol)... and mate IMO you should get 2000... see my avatar that's after 2000 + metal polish...

[I heart the SSS]

Ahhhh fair..

Could not find at 2000 at supercheap..

i'll see how 1500 looks, and then take it from there i guess!

Props

[RtN]

Ahhhh fair..

Could not find at 2000 at supercheap..

i'll see how 1500 looks, and then take it from there i guess!

Props

Alright try different branch.. cause in Sydney I could not find it either at one place... but at the other place there was. Like I can't really remmeber but Wetherill had 1500 Grit and Liverpool had 2000 Grit and they didnt have each other's grits LOL if u knwo what i mean.

[I heart the SSS]

Yeah I get ya...

I'll hit supercheap tomorrow, but i'll take some pics after dinner when I hit it up the sanding again :)

[I heart the SSS]

http://img182.imageshack.us/img182/3808/cimg0068ob3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Well, two hours later, and a sore hand, i got what I wanted.

you can see your face in it when you look over.. On the right hand side, thats a reflection of the red car :D

Another 3 to go -_-

[RtN]

yeh my hand were bleeding and shiz like 6 spots from wet sanding morning to night day to day and yeh dw mate when you metal polish way different again.

[I heart the SSS]

:)

Cheers for the info dude, worked well!

[RtN]

No Problem mate.