Jeff -
Would you tell the group the process you go through to make the aluminum
shine so well. I'm just about to start shining the CB750 and am wondering
if you have an easier way.

I have always started with 400 grit sandpaper and wet sand one way back and
forth not in a circle. I then move to a 600 and wet sand the other way back
and forth until the scratches are out from the grit before. I then move up
again, ect to around 1000. Then I put some Mother’s on it and buff it out
with a wheel.

Can I do the whole process with a wheel and different compounds? What
compounds?

Thanks,
Silas

I'm not aware of any cheap, easy, quick or clean way to do this.

I don't claim to be an expert, but here is what I do:

1. If the part was covered with that clear coat the Japanese used on their aluminum parts to keep them from oxidizing (which eventually yellows and/or cracks/peels) the you'll need to first strip the part using Aircraft Stripper.  That clear coat is a flaming bitch to sand/buff off and this stripper will save you a TON of work and time!  I got my stripper from a body shop supply house.  It's much more powerful than what you can get at the hardware store.  Wear rubber gloves to apply/remove it.  Get it on your hands and it burns like hell!  Brush it on in ONE stroke.  It contains a wax which rises to the surface and then slightly gels to seal it and keep it from evaporating, so it keeps working.  If you apply it by brushing back and forth it prevents the wax seal from forming and it will evaporate quickly and not work well at all.  Let it sit for a while (but don't let it dry) and then wash it off with warm water and dish soap using a plastic bristled brush then rinse the brush thoroughly.  If it doesn't get all the clear coat off (especially in the nooks and crannies) then put a second coat of stripper on.  I'm not kidding, the stripper will save you a lot of time and work later!

2. Sand out any deep scratches/stains with the appropriate grade of sand paper,

using the finest grit of sand paper that will get the job done and moving to finer and finer grades as Silas described.  Depending on the condition of the part you're working on this can be very time consuming, but what you don't get now will add a LOT more time to the next step(s).

3. Using a firm buffing wheel and E5 (emery) compound (from Westlake ACE hardware) I then buff out ALL the remaining fine scratches and surface imperfections.  If you skip this step with the emery compound you'll never get a good final result, unless you started with a part that was already in very good shape with no scratches/stains or imperfections. .  Depending on the shape/contour of the part this is by far the hardest and most time consuming step of all.  Anything you don't get smooth now WILL show up later no matter how much time you spend on the following step(s).  I then wash my hands with a good citrus hand cleaner (because the buffing compound and aluminum is hard to get off your hands) and then I wash the part thoroughly with warm water and dish soap using a plastic bristle brush (which I then rinse out thoroughly).  It's also not a bad idea to wear gloves for this step, while buffing, because you typically have to use a lot of pressure and a lot of time while buffing and the part(s) can get pretty hot.  If you do use gloves for this step, don't use the same gloves for the next step(s) as you will contaminate your work with the emery compound and you're dead in the water.  You shouldn't really need gloves for any of the subsequent step(s) anyway, as you're not going to be using near as much pressure, or for near as much time, so the parts don't get near as hot.  Make VERY sure you wash ALL the emery buffing compound off the part or it WILL contaminate the next buffing wheel you use.  I then dry the part thoroughly using a soft cloth.

4. Using a different firm buffing wheel and compound TC6 (tripoli) I repeat the previous step and end off by drying the part with a yet different soft cloth.

5. Using a medium (if you can find one) or yet another different firm buffing wheel and compound WR1 (white rouge) repeat the previous step and end off by drying the part with yet another different soft cloth.

6. Finally using a soft buffing wheel and compound JR1 (jewelers' rouge) repeat the previous step and finish off by washing and drying the part as above using yet another different soft cloth.

If you do each successive step well, the following steps each take significantly less and less time and effort.

I can't stress enough that you CANNOT contaminate the next step in the process with the compound from the previous step and expect to come out with a part that shines any better than the coarsest compound last in contact with the part!

Or......maybe I'm just anal, but I think my results speak for themselves.  Just my opinion.

I've never done it, but I'm told that if you paint the finished part with clear lacquer (not enamel) it will keep it from oxidizing again, for a while.

I've never tried polishing chrome or stainless steel, so if anyone knows anything about that I'm all ears.  I do know it takes two different compounds for at least the last two steps, so you'd need at least two more buffing wheels for those compounds, to prevent cross contamination.

I will tell you that this is tedious and extremely filthy work!  Wear eye protection, a hat and clothes you don't care about.  If you do much of this, everything within five to seven feet will be covered in debris.

Hope this helps!  More than you wanted to know, right?

Jeff