Old GGTS hitting the buffer wheel today, and advice?

[EGO-maniac]

Well, I picked up a 6xx serial ggts yesterday and it is pretty scuffed up! Taking it to my father-in-law's house later today to put it on the buffer wheel with some rouge. The ggts has light engraving, do you think I will lose it? Any advice? I plan on ordering the new brass tubes but want to shine it up in the meantime.

 

[Bishopheals]

Might want to ask EZKILL he and I were just talking about that the other day but it was to do with Odysseus and UFS. Im sure he may know a way to help you out.

 

[kickitback]

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/gg/282324-polishing-ggs.html

Pretty good info .

 

[EGO-maniac]

Are they all nickel plated? Or is it just stainless?

 

[Ezkill]

Buffing wheel + compound(depending on compound) is going to be really aggressive and might even damage the shallow engravings if you do it wrong.

What kind of damage are you trying to remove exactly? Like shallow scratches that you can't even catch a fingernail in?

 

[EGO-maniac]

Yes, shallow scratches. My father-in-law has is use to polishing stainless and knows the proper methods. He has 3 different levels of rouge and the proper buffing wheels for it. I plan on perordering the brass tubes, so not too concerned about the engravings. I will post a pic below of some of the scratches...
pic with flash to see scuff marks..

pic without flash...

Buffing wheel + compound(depending on compound) is going to be really aggressive and might even damage the shallow engravings if you do it wrong.

What kind of damage are you trying to remove exactly? Like shallow scratches that you can't even catch a fingernail in?

 

[Ezkill]

Yea those engravings are not very deep at all.

Just remember when you are buffing you are removing material. How many microns you remove depends on how aggressive your compound is.

It will be no problem to shine that up but with a buffing wheel it's going to be hard to preserve the engravings.

 

[EGO-maniac]

Whats your recommendation Ez?

 

[EGO-maniac]

I plan on just trying the least abrasive rouge first, that might be good enough. Not looking for perfection, just a better finish.

 

[Ezkill]

Well just like with car paint least aggressive first because again you are removing material, there are no two ways about it.

For those kind of scratches I would tape off the engravings and start with a dremel and 520 polishing bit. It has silica carbide and a lubricant already built in so it's pretty hassle free to use. Go slowly and it should take them right out. Then finish the whole thing off with flitz or cape cod cloths.

A buffing wheel and compound will certainly get the job done very well and quickly but there isn't enough precision to avoid the engravings. If your father in law has a lot of experience with it he will be able to tell you about the engravings. It's hard to make a 100% recommendation without actually feeling the scratches and checking the depth of the engravings.

Ill write this because nothing is easy: If you have a dremel and pick up a 4.00 520 bit for it do yourself a favor and practice on the back of a scratched up SS spoon from your cutlery drawer. Being that the tube is contoured you run the risk of letting the dremel get away from you and you REALLY don't want the fast spinning metal collar contacting your device. The bit itself can't damage your item but the metal collar of the dremel can really mess it up. If you aren't comfortable with it don't do it. The back of the spoon will at least give you an idea how it can pull when going down a rounded surface.

 

[EGO-maniac]

i havent had much luck polishing things with my dremel, what if i tape off engravings and try buffer wheel?