Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between rubbing with Mothers, and buffing by machine?
Mothers, and other brands of polish simply smooth the high points and remove oxidation, leaving a shiny appearance, only to quickly re-oxidize due to the open grain finish. Mechanical finishing, buffing by machine, literally levels all the microscopic imperfections on the surface, leaving a tight grain structure at the surface, resulting in more clarity and a much longer lasting, nicer finish.
A polished surface is really a surface so that is so smooth, it is shiny. Naturally, the surface is a microscopic mountain range, with the light reflecting into itself. Buffing smoothes that surface to the point the light reflects back, the ‘glow’ is derived from thousands of fine directional buff lines reflecting light back that is just slightly scattered, this gives fine polished metals that ‘illumination’.
Is there a lot of maintenance with a polished finish?
Some metals require more attention than others, however, a properly polished piece of metal will have very little maintenance required. The nicer the finish off the buff, the easier it is to maintain, and the better the results when doing so.
Is it expensive?
Cost is usually relative to the quality of the finished product. All polishing is labor intensive, however, taking the time to do the job properly can take considerable more time than a sloppy job. Keep in mind, the nicer the finish, the more imperfections can appear, a fine sanding scratch, or exceptional buffing lines may not show in a dull finish, yet can be dramatic in a finish with lots of clarity. Extra time is involved in ‘perfecting’ the finish.
Can we chrome plate aluminum wheels?
No, in fact, we would recommend against plating aluminum wheels. At any time, a rock pit, scrape or deicing/harsh chemicals can break the seal between the plating and the alloy, allowing corrosion to start, resulting In bubbling under the chrome surface, then ultimately peeling.
Solution, those wheels can be polished to as good or better of a finish than chrome, and with a little bit of maintenance, they can be kept that way. Also, a touch up rebuff can be occasionally done, and blemishes, curb rash, and careless tire jockey damage can be cleaned up.
Can we salvage that badly damaged piece of stainless trim?
Damaged stainless trim can usually be ‘picked & filed’ back to original condition, of coarse, if possible, we would recommend locating a better core before spending all your money in an attempt to save the part. Also, we can even weld two good ends together to make one good piece if necessary, screw holes and other damage can be welded also.
Can we salvage that badly corroded item?
Usually, for corrosion, we would glass bead and/or acid dip to remove corrosion, then grind and sand the surface to make smooth, then continue with the normal polishing operations.
Can we buff chrome?
Usually not, chrome plating is just that, plated on the surface, very quickly, the chrome would be buffed through and the underlying nickel and copper would be exposed.
Do we chrome plate?
Not in house, however, if you have polishing and plating, we would be more than happy to send the plating out for you. We can also prep for plating, usually by special request. If your part needs more attention to detail (nooks and crannies prepped perfect, or ‘especially’ flat surfaces) than the guys at the plating shop can give it, we would then do the pre-polish. This can be a little bit more cost on average, but it will be ‘super’ show quality.
-2002-- All Rights Reserved