Polishing GG's

[CaptSteve]

Get ready for a fairly big write up (sorry).
I bought some time ago a Nickel GGTS #1098 from the classies. As always images were up on the add and everything looked good. When the GGTS arrived it wasn't really in the state that the images showed, however I did kinda expect that since I didn't buy it from dspin !! (if only everyone was like you brother)
There was a sort of haze all over the nickel when observed under strong light or sunlight. I tried everything, all sorts of polishing agents, jeweler's cloths, you name it I tried it. Nada, it just wouldn't clean the surface from the haze and scuffs. So I gave up and decided to have it re-plated and sold. I sent an email to Chopperguys to get an estimate for the work. While waiting I said to myself let me try the buffing way with a proper kit for metals and a bench grinder with buffing wheels. I mean what have I got to loose, the GGTS is crap anyway.

This is a picture before I buffed it. The haze on the plating is not very evident on this image because of the lighting, but trust me it was all over.


I used a fine buffer wheel and the thinnest buffing compound available. After doing about a week of practice on other metals, I tried on the nickel GGTS.

Here are the results




All the haze and scuff marks are totally gone and the thing absolutely shines beyond belief.



By the way still waiting to get a reply from Chopperguys.

I'm extremely happy with the results and highly recommend this to anyone with scuff marks on their GG's.
I'll take some pictures of the bench grinder and buffing wheels I used as well as the polishing compounds

Happy with my Nickel GGTS finally

 

[MrKrinkle]

Looks great... interested to see the products you used... I always liked the double knurled rings wish that never changed...

 

[CaptSteve]

It does look amazing, the pictures don't do it justice. I fully agree about the double knurled look, should be standard on all GGTS.
I'll post some pictures tomorrow here of the bench grinder, the wheels and the buffing compounds.

 

[Poppa D]

Nice work Capt.
Unfortunately nickel will tarnish. The original plating isn't very thick and it can be polished off, be careful.

 

[Huffelpuff]

That looks amazing. It's a relief that it worked out for you. Nothing worse than getting a GTS that has been abused/neglected. They are such fine mods that it's sad to see them in disrepair.

 

[CaptSteve]

Yes Poppa D, you are absolutely right. Thankfully I owe that knowledge to our friend RW who has shown in many pictures how he polished off the nickel from his GGTB. The trick with nickel plated GG's is that you use the finest compound and a finishing wheel with only light pressure. Also keep moving and don't over polish in one spot. With care results are amazing.

 

[EsxPaul]

Outstanding job there.

You can notice the uneveness on the "before" picture, reminded me of the orange peel you get on a poor vehicle paint job and that is certainly missing from the finshed GG.

 

[TheMadHatter]

Very nice work! I also would like to know what buffing wheels and compounds you used.

 

[CaptSteve]

Here is what I used

A small 5inch variable speed bench grinder
A stainless steel polishing kit
5 inch finishing wheel

The white compound which is a brick of a white kinda soap like consistency material. There are other colors of compounds but are thicker and take off more surface material for deeper buffing. The white is a finishing compound. The process can be done in stages for deep scuffs and scratched starting with thicker compounds and working your way to thinner one's. Caution though because each compound needs it's own wheel, you mustn't use two different compounds on the same wheel.
PRACTICE IS A MUST !!!
Edited
I forgot to mention you must apply the compound to the spinning wheel BEFORE you start and re-apply every now and then.








I got the Stanless steel polishing kit from ebay. Just search ebay with "Stanless steel polishing kit"

 

[Huffelpuff]

Thanks Capt!

 

[CaptSteve]

I forgot to mention you must apply the compound to the spinning wheel BEFORE you start and re-apply every now and then.

 

[Poppa D]

Anyone looking for polishing compound can also use the term jewelers rouge. Each color represents an abrasive value, white is fine, blue is finer still.

 

[EsxPaul]

Although this is vehicle trim related and not specifically GG, if you watch from around 2:45 mark it gives a general overview of the process.

 

[ecosnige]

EDITED as the experts here obviously know more LOL.

 

[CaptSteve]

Thanks, just ordered the loose mops as well from flannel. The white rouge I was told is the finest for nickel/stainless and the yellow for brass/copper. Can the yellow be used on nickel/stainless as well effectively?
Thanks so much for your input, need all the help I can get.

OMG mate plz dont use the harsh stitched mops on your plated gg you will strip it fast, You need WDR mops or loose cotton mops they are not stitched at all and are soft.They are for mirror glass finish the stitched mops you are showing are quite harsh they are not really for finishing.

If you want any advice dont hesitate to pm!

Just watched the vid above the loose mop he uses on the end is what you need to be using.

i use blue compound on a loose cotton mop then after that id move onto a wdr fine mirror glass finish with yellow the finest there is used for extreamly light final cut and a perfect flawless finish.

Also never mix compounds on dif mops they are for certain mops

 

[ecosnige]

EDITED as the experts here obviously know more LOL.

 

[ManniGfaltig]

Thanks for bringing this up - now who organizes the group buy for buffing machines?

 

[dspin]

Hey Capt. Thats a great job you did there. Thanks for posting

Thanks too to Eco for more info added. Appreciate it.

Maybe someday, and I say maybe - I just might decide to fiddle w/#20 - they dropped it at the airport and has a couple small marks on it.


Lastly - I agree on the double knurled rings - I like those best, wish Imeo had not changed that.



Edit - forget the wheels for me, just went to the sites. Too much for just one GG, I would just replace with new parts or a whole new GG. I would stress too much doing that me-thinks.

 

[ecosnige]

EDITED as the experts here obviously know more LOL.

 

[Para]

Also the softer mops are much safer to be polishing over the engravings thought id add that hehe

Never polish over the engravings; protect them and then polish. I can't say it strongly enough....learn about buffs, rouge, AND TECHNIQUES before polishing your GGTS. There are a lot of GGTS's out there that have been abused by enthusiastic owners. Please be careful.....