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Aluminum polish

To someone who can hopefully help me! I have polished many aircraft aluminum spinners, but I can't quite get a mirror result. I have used many types of abrasives such as Flitz [adv: Flitz on eBay or Amazon] on a buffer using a bonnet. Also jeweler's rouge (polishing/buffing compound) [affil links] on a buffing wheel. When I try to hard it seems as if I am melting the aluminum causing small streaks. If there is anyone who can give me some advice I would be thankful! Okay very thankful!

Andrew Newman
- Tiffin, Ohio, USA
2003

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When used on aluminum alloys, jewelers' rouge (red) will sometimes leave a haze that has to be taken out with corn starch. This all depends on many variables of the buffing dynamics. I presume you're first doing a cut/color with brown brown tripoli rouge (polishing/buffing compound) [affil links], then moving to the final coloring with red rouge.

Instead of jeweler's rouge (polishing/buffing compound) [affil links], use white rouge [affil links]. It is a preferred compound for coloring out aluminum. Like the red rouge, there is also no measurable removal of material. However, it functions through a combination of heat, along with the extremely fine and hard grit to cause microscopic surface flow for a mirror luster.

Whatever you do, do not use the same buff with different compounds or you'll have grit cross contamination similar to results you could expect by gluing a jagged rock to a piece of fine sandpaper before using it. These fine rouges can be irreversibly compromised otherwise. Wash the part with ordinary dishwater detergent before going to the next compound (say, from tripoli to white rouge [affil links]). The same applies to the hands when handling different compounds, cleaning rags, etc. Seal your part with a good sealant afterwards. Specialty sealants should be available at aircraft and marina supply retailers.

Lynn Perry, Sr.
retired - Plano, Texas
2003