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Q&As since 1989


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Polishing machine question!

HOWDY,I HAVE A PROBLEM, I HAVE A WHOLE FLEET OF TRUCKS TO POLISH (WHEELS ONLY 24.5) THEY ARE REAL BAD! I MEAN A COUPLE OF HUNDRED WHEELS,half are off the tires,i have a polish shop in Montgomery NY. I don't like to but I do sand on occasions, I start with 240 than 320, then a yellow 8" airway pad with brown tripoli rouge (polishing/buffing compound) [affil links], then a white airway with green to take the swirl marks out, than finish up with my liquid polish, using flour to take the residue off, in the winter some of the guys spray the aluminum with a tire spray which puts a barrier between the liquid salt and calcium chloride) and the metal, but considering I have a few wheels to do I heard there is a machine I could put them in that would sand them smooth, they are really pitted! could you point me in the right direction?
Thanks

Richard Masculine
polish Shop - Montgomery, New York
2005

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There's robots that will do anything, If you want to pay.
Robots for polishing truck wheels are normally around $10,000
My experience of robotics on resurfacing semi wheels however, is that they are bad news.
Unless an operator disengages it around the holes in the main rim body, they become oval, fast.
I have seen several wheels ruined by these machines, and if they are used on the inner section of the hub the results are dangerous, as they can oval the hole for the lug nuts pretty badly too.
I believe that these, like aluminum brightener should be outlawed.

Steve Clark
custom polishing - Belfast, Maine
2005