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Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request I am about to start on my 31 shell as good cold weather project. I have a Baldor buffer and done some polishing of headlamp shells and the the cowl band.
I am about to tackle a pretty nice 31 shell I have and looking for peoples experiences. By pretty nice I mean just a tiny crack at the bottoms that I think are from manufacturing as I have always seen them. The spot welds for the lower panel are indented some, but I believe that is factory too. There are several minor dents and one slight push in at the top with about a 2 diameter and a light line at the base. I am planning on making a hard plastic hammer and try to work the dents out as best I can before moving onto picking with steel. My wondering is how much of a back structure is needed to support the shell, if any, during the buffing process? Should I make a plywood cut out to support the back side, just run some cross bars at the screw points, or just not bother and keep my buffing so I do not get into the edges. I am planning on using a small wheel on a hand tool to get the edges I dare not go near with my big wheel. So please let me know how you sucessfully buffed out your shells. As an aside, what brand and grit sandpaper and how much did you go through to pull out all the scratches? What worked well and what did not? What type of lighting did you use to best see the scratch to figure out when to stop and go onto the next higher grit? Thanks!! |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Watch out for the wheel grabbing the part.
Don't push too hard or use wheel with too much speed or you will heat the shell locally and cause it to warp. Once it is warped it is impossible to fix. It will be shiny but full of ripples. Draw a grid pattern with a Sharpie on the shell. Buff out each square and then go to the next. Use compounds and wheels designed for stainless from a company that sells stainless buffing supplies, not the "one size fits none" type from the local hardware store. Go from one compound to the next finer one and change wheels each time. Plan on it taking longer than you expect. Don't rush. Do the headlights completely for practice. You will probably spend a full day on them. Charlie Stephens |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Start with 1200 by hand to get rid of the scratches, or maybe even larger, say a 800 or even 400. It depends on the size of the scratches. Don't try and use a too small grit early, you'll take to long. After 1200, then use a sisal wheel with carbrax compound, usually dark grey in colour. Change wheels for the final polish is with a stitch wheel, and use the chrome compound, which is green in colour. This is how we polished stainless in plating shop when I was an electroplater. There are other compounds and wheel, but we found this combination gave the best results. As others have said, don't push to hard, you'll create heat and warp what you're polishing. Let the compound do the work for you. When machine polishing, work from the centre down to an edge, and not from the edge in towards the centre. This way you'll never catch the edge and have it snatched from your hands.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request The originals were electropolished. Not buffed.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request If you have dents, look up metal bumping.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request I made a 1x1 rectangular frame from pine and screwed it to the inside of the shell using the shell mounting holes.This supported the shell and provided a good way to hold on to and control the shell on the wheel.Things went well until I got to comfortable with what I was doing and caught the edge in the opening at the upper left middle area.The shell was ripped out of my hands and dented on the top left middle edge.After thanking God that I still had my arm I went to work on the dent and several hours later had it worked out to the point it was not noticeable,(I got lucky).With a very healthy repect for that buffer I did achieve good results after many hours of work.Do not use a buffer while tired or if you can not focus your attention 100% on the job at hand.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Wear good leather gloves and keep the part low on the buffing wheel. That wheel can destroy a part in a second.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Mine had some dents, hammered out and polished out using a five inch buffing wheel and Jewlers rouge you can't find where the dent was!
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Take safety precautions. Wear leather gloves and eye protection. Be extremely careful when buffing near edges. Don't be in a rush!
On the buffing wheel, use White Cake first, then go to a Red Rouge Cake to finish. Charge the buffing wheel often and let the cake do the work. Avoid getting the stainless hot enough to turn blue. |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Polishing the cowl band is a real challenge. I took a piece of 1/2" ply wood,1/2 a 4'X8' sheet, traced the inside of the band and cut to fit. Then tapered the edges to fit inside the band and,screwed angle brackets on the bottom corners to run the long bolts through.
Then I cut the center of the plywood out leaving a 5" wide strip with the band mounted on the outside, like a giant horseshoe. This gives you a stable jig to hold while buffing so the tendency of the buffer to grab and throw is greatly reduced. Good luck. |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Kevin
Here's a couple if things I've done If I have a dent I take a piece of sandpaper on the back side and scuff to highlight the dent area . Anything to help you show the high / low just for reference Sharpie markers are good for working on shells to mark/ show what areas need attention A rubber sanding block with I believe 800 is so does a nice job of showing what needs attention on the front facing side as well A formed bucking contoured piece of hardwood does help as a bucking bar/ backup piece I use a combination of a very small hard plastive faced hammer and a small body / ball poem hammer . You don't want to use too large of one as the radius of the shell can take damage from the size of the hammer if you are understanding what saying Sometimes for small dings a small ballpien with the beveled radiused edge does best for me I remember back many years ago when Walt Brattons started doing stainless work before selling parts I bought some compounds from him and asked for some advice and he said font be afraid to take a small very fine file to it if you have a spot or two that needs some attention It takes quite a long time to get sand scratches out through progressive grits 400,800,1000 and then buff with course compound an area like Charlie and Dave indicated in a grid manor Once you have that down and buffed through in the course phase you can progress to your next of using fine with the fluffier wheel Wear leather gloves as the guys have said !! You are a good detail thorough restorer You will do fine . Watch the edges and do them lightly Common sense and very careful attention and patience is key Larry |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request 1 Attachment(s)
heres how ford buffed them
tom |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Like Charlie said in post #2. Don't push too hard . Buddy of mine got his caught in the wheel and turned his into shapes Henry could never have dreamed of.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request FWIW, I am paranoid of getting it caught. I did that with a head light trim rig. Thought I broke my wrist, turned out it just ripped the metal band watch off my wrist.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request I have a question about the buffing process;...
What speed(RPM) motor do you use? |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Quote:
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Tom, I thought of that same picture when I read Chris' comment. Maybe both was used?? Quote:
Actually I debated buying a Baldor and instead I made a mandrel for my vari-speed Bridgeport. I just use a bedsheet to protect from all the lint and compound, and I lower the knee where I have plenty of room. I sure ain't stalled the motor yet! ;) |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request What is meant by the term electropolished?. What is that process?
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Boy . i am reading all these post with WARNINGS , with chances of catching the parts in the buffer and twisting the piss out of the now ,,not be able to use part anymore ? A lot of SLOW WORKING TIME [DON'T RUSH] , KNOWLEDGE [picking , filing ,heating, welding sanding , a CHANCE OF SOME OF YOUR OWN BODY DAMAGE [WRIST , EYES ,FINGERS] ... I would like to do everything on the restoration of my "A"s but when it comes to having the correct TOOLS, TIME , 40 YEARS OF KNOWLEDGE OF STAINLESS STEEL restoration work i leave it to the PRO'S. [NOT MANY] . I just receive my Headlights , cowl lights , cowl band and a radiator shell on the way [on exchange or bought outright] .Are you ready for it...here it comes,,, Doug Bruce. might not make everybody happy but for the MOST part MOST Very happy... At this point of time i can't afford to lose the loss of a eye or a finger or what ever....time lost on my JOB. [ Doug has 4 shells done 2-1930- and 2 ,1931..] at a normal shell restoration takes 30 to 40 hours to do... 1930 shell $675.00 that's $17.00 per hour.... at 40 hours... Please find me anyone at that price or cheaper for the risk.. 1931's $750.00 a shell harder to find.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request well since it was brought up, i am in business to make everybody happy and if someone is not i will make it right one way or the other. i might also add that i didnt want to be injured either so decided to buy a SHOW QUALITY shell from DOUG BRUCE for $700. what i received was a dented piece with a buff job that looks like he used steel wool. be forewarned
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request hi Pete
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request I tried to post something and it would not post so I will try again. Just want to say Hi to Pete Mendola. I hate to see Doug get out of the Model A hobby but it is time. He can now finish his cabriolet and he is having fun working on his Chevy. There have been times when some ppl, not many mind you, were not happy with his stainless. His policy was always ..if you are not happy, return and I will make good....he was always good on his word...enough said...He has met a lot of people in the hobby and has made a lot of friends. Pete Mendola and Ross Milne are now family members. Now if I can just get him to sell all this Model A stuff he has...barns full...and he complains about the space my hobbies take up..lol...life is good..so to all of you that are getting into the stainless restorations, good luck and have fun...We will talk to you later Pete....take care and God bless
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request A couple of weeks ago I just received all of my stainless steel from Doug Bruce and it was beautiful!! I spoke with him before Thanksgiving and he agreed to do my job for me. He did my 31 shell, headlights, cowl band, tail light, restored all 4 bumper clamps. I did not send him crap but the job he did on everything made me smile ever time I opened one of the items, meticulously packed for shipment. He still "has it", because as I mentioned I could have not been more pleased with everything. I am so pleased that I was able to have done business with him, and he agreed to do my stainless for me, even though he is winding down on his restoration work. Thanks Doug!! Paul
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Busch Enterprises has all kinds of equipment, compounds and videos on how to buff almost anything, especially stainless. I have purchased their equipment and compounds, attended their seminars, and they really have it figured out.
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Mitch// p.a. Don't want to get in a pissing match but As i had a word with you [ private message / Fordbarn / and we discussed your Radiator shell that you were not happy with. Doug sold it outright to you [right] one that you did not send him [right] OK. Did Doug say to you he would not REFUND your money??? That you were stuck with the shell he sold you??? I would love to see the dents that was there ... People knowing how to work with stainless steel can go so far before you go thru the piece and then it garbage. Doug knows when to stop before the metal gets to thin. And sometimes it gets to thin you see those small cracks creeping up the sides or below the crank hole. I believe it was the Best one he had at the time ,AND i was going to make good myself$$$$ at what it cost you before you said you sent it out and someone fixed it for you. Find a super shell unrestored and see what you will pay for it... $200.00+ .so what i was told it was a small wave and if one studies the FORD SHELLS MOST have the waves in them [for JUDGING they should be there ].. As for the 1931 shells you will find dents made by the "spot" welding done on the bottom on both sides.... Doug leaves them in if to deep [not to weaken the spot welds] . well the hobby lost one hell of a restorer of stainless steel parts... NOT to many left to take apart door handles , hub caps and gas/radiator caps... glad i put away 3 cars worth ...just in case i live that long...l.o.l. 1 or 2 COMPLAINTS are not that bad after 40 years of work and countless parts SAVED. I would love to know how many HENRY FORD AWARD WINNERS have Doug's work on them..I can go back to 1988 with my Standard Roadster .
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Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Quote:
he offered me a refund LESS shipping both ways which i would have taken my loss on if it were not for marty at precisionchrome.com who owed me some favors for work i did for him. feel free to call him and he can explain in detail about the butcher job part i received i would have liked you to see the dings and steel wool buffing job also. you would have cried like i did, i couldnt believe what i was seeing. i am sure most henry cars out there have his stainless on them as i was told he was the man to go to before his skills and probably eyesight declined. he is doing the right thing to wind down before to many dissapointments occur and is probably part of the reasoning for doing so. your only as good as the products you put out now... my address is on my website so he can feel free to send me some compensation for what marty had to repair. i will then let everyone know that he stood by his defective product 100%. |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Pete, the only reason why I am even getting involved in this is because I am the one that recommended Doug's craftsmanship to Mitch. Yes, it was a deal that went badly, ...and I question how much info you were truly privy to between Mitch and Doug at that time. I know I was involved somewhat because Mitch was asking me my opinion on what was happening.
At this moment, it really does no good for anyone to argue about past experiences of what Doug is, --or isn't capable of doing, ...or has accomplished. Even speaking for myself, while I have had a disappointment or two from Doug's work, the good he has done for me far outweighs the bad. Therefore lets just drop this and not let this discussion sidetrack or deteriorate the content of what Kevin is seeking. Please?? |
Re: Stainless Radiator Shell Polishing Hints and Experiences Request Same names.
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