[tikka308]

I just purchased some of the 3M scotchbrite pads from Enco (Link: http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=RU505-6132). Upon receiving them, I realized that these are going to be tough to use to finish/polish aluminum! Am I missing something?

I thought maybe these would be better as belts (for a belt sander) but can't seem to find any retailer that sells them. Does anyone know if they exist? I've seen these - http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...Sanding-Belts/ but am not certain if that's the same product...

[nathanclymer]

Try looking for "surface condioning belts". I didn't check enco, but wholesale tool www.wttool.com has them. I personally like the wheels that fit a bench grinder, but that depends on your application.

Nate

[northstarr]

I have not seen any belts with scotchbrite, however there are 'wheels' available with the same material for a bench grinder applications.

[tikka308]

Hmm - so what's the best way to polish a piece of 10" x 10" x 1/4" flat piece of aluminum? i thought about rigging the scotch-brite pads to an orbitor sander... not sure how well that would work though.

a bench grinder doesn't seem efficient for sheet/flat stock

[High Seas]

Got an angle grinder? Perfect for flat stock.

Check out Caswell Plating's site - they have pads for angle grinders - have been polishing up many pounds of stainless steel to very high gloss! The Aluminium will most likely loose it anodized surface if there however.

On the stainless I find that scotchbrite (type) pads tend to dull the surface finish with many scratches - I have been using the green and white bars of "rouge" and white high density pads. There is also a course sand-grit like pad that cuts through a lot of corrosion etc.

Hope that helps!
(BTW there are probably cheaper outlets for the materials - I got mine locally here in Malaysia - but wanted to get you to a site that is very helpful WRT polishing/buffing/plating)
:cheers: Jim

[nathanclymer]

kind of a length URL, but try

http://tool.wttool.com/search?p=Q&ts...itioning+belts


this is the search result for surface conditioning belts. Also run a search for surface conditioning discs. Enco and many other places probably have them as well, but wholesale tool is the catalog I have handy on my desk.

Good luck!
Nate

[Alan Wright]

Nylon mesh belts are an awesome way to finish aluminum. I use them all the time now. The ones I have are from McMaster-Carr, part # 47505A152.

Alan