How to polish to a shine. How can you polish metal at home? Metal grinding and polishing. Disadvantages of traditional types of metal polishing

Stainless steel items have firmly entered our lives. These are elements of the interior on the street and at home, various dishes at home and much more. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron and carbon mixed with special elements. High resistance to negative factors external environment steel acquires thanks to these elements. But under the influence of various factors, even such a strong metal can lose its original appearance. How to polish before mirror shine? If the need arose, then you have two options:

Contact a specialized company that provides this type of service.
Do it yourself at home.

Let's take a look at how metal is polished to a mirror finish with your own hands in different ways at home.

Home polishing

At home, you can also get a shiny and smooth stainless steel surface. There are several ways that can help us with this.

Preparing for polishing

First, you need to clean the product properly. You can use dishwashing detergent for this:

Dilute the detergent with water.
Clean the stainless steel surface with soapy water.
Rinse and dry thoroughly.

Polishing with olive oil

This method is suitable for polishing tarnished items. All you need is some olive oil and a soft rag or napkin:

Apply a little oil to the cloth and spread so that the entire surface is covered with an oil film.
Press the fabric firmly to the surface and smoothly polish the stainless steel product.

Important! Continue until you see a noticeable change in structure.

Now you need to remove the remaining oil. To do this, use napkins or a dry towel. Wipe the surface until completely dry.

Flour polishing

What else can you polish your metal at home? For these purposes, you can use flour, however, this method is more suitable for flat surfaces, for example, for pots, knives or sinks:

Dust the entire surface with flour and spread it evenly over the metal.
Buff with a soft cloth in a circular motion.

Important! You can use an old toothbrush for more effect.

Shake off any remaining flour.

Chemical method

You can polish metal at home using a chemical method. To do this, you need to prepare a special liquid. There are several ways to do this:

For such a solution, you will need 230 ml of sulfuric acid, 70 ml of hydrochloric acid, 40 ml of nitric acid. In 1 liter of solution you need to add 6 g of acid black dye, 10 g of wood glue and 6 g of sodium chloride. Bring this mixture to a temperature of 65-70 degrees and place your stainless steel items there for 5 to 30 minutes.
The solution is prepared in the following ratios: phosphoric acid 20-30%, hydrochloric acid 3-4%, nitric acid 4-5%, methyl orange 1-1.5%. Put the product on for 5-10 minutes at a temperature of 18-25 degrees.
660 g of hydrochloric acid, 230 g of sulfuric acid and 25 g of orange acid dye are consumed per liter of the composition. Heat the solution to a temperature of 70-75 degrees and put a stainless steel object there for 2-3 minutes.

Important! All of these components are highly corrosive, therefore complete eye protection must be provided. hands, face and respiratory organs.

The stages of polishing with chemical solutions are as follows:

Immerse a pre-cleaned stainless steel item in a container with a chemical solution.

Important! Adhere to a strict dosage of the substances included in the solution to obtain the desired concentration.

The liquid must be constantly stirred.
After the expiration of the term, the product must be taken out and the remnants of the reagents washed off with clean water.
Wipe the part with a polish cloth.

Under the influence of chemicals, all roughness will be removed and the product will acquire its original shine and radiant appearance.

Mechanical polishing methods

These polishing methods involve the use of tools and devices such as:

polishing machine;
Sander;
electric grinder;
drill with a lock.

Important! The method has several advantages. It is fast, efficient, you can change the speed of circles and belts, use additional attachments made of leather, fabric, wool and other materials.

A tool for polishing metal to a mirror shine with your own hands depends on the brand of stainless steel:

Diamond paste has shown itself best of all, but it has one significant drawback - a rather high price.
If you do not have one, then you can use GOI paste. It comes in four types, depending on the grain size.

Important! For manual grinding, you can use the same diamond paste or GOI paste. Its effectiveness depends on the quality Supplies.

This is done as follows:

Apply a small amount of product to the felt disc and drip in a few drops machine oil to dilute the paste.

Important! For metal, it is best to use a coarse grit paste.

Polish the surface in a circular motion, being careful not to rub too hard.
Do this until you are satisfied with the result.

Important! How can you polish a knife to a mirror shine at home? Such flat metal surfaces are sanded with an ordinary file - wooden beams covered with a cloth to which the polishing paste is applied.

Stainless steel care

Polished stainless steel looks very beautiful. To maintain it in this state, special polishes are used. They are available as concentrates and liquid emulsions. The polish is applied immediately after the completion of the polishing process. Then periodically you need to apply polish to provide your stainless steel product with a pleasant look for a long time.

The rolled bundle retains its shape with force. Prepared 5 nozzles marked P400, P500, P800, P1000, P1200. Large transverse scratches are present. Shaft torque is highly dependent on speed.

Up to 12,000 rpm, the speed drops when pressed, and above 20,000 rpm, the skin quickly wears out. Grind perpendicular to the scratches until they disappear. This nozzle is quickly renewed and provides the required surface pressure.

Lots of DIY stuff in this Chinese store.

The worn and greasy part is cut off. The direction of grinding is periodically changed to perpendicular. This way the material is removed more efficiently and chaotic scratches are better removed. We increase the number of the paper. In the process of grinding, the paper wears out, its aggressiveness decreases, and the coarse abrasive crumbles. Therefore, less pressure should be applied to the new paper so as not to get deep scratches. Coarse paste for fine sanding. 320 is all that was indicated on the package.

Before switching to a thinner paste, the polishing site should be cleaned of its residues. Another no name paste. The dye is indicated in the composition. The type of abrasive is anyone's guess. This is not necessary, the paste is applied only to the nozzle. Haste grinding is noticeable. Better grinding.

Metal polishing is more than fine sanding. There are also chemical processes (dissolution of oxide films by substances that make up pastes) and thermal (thermal softening of the material and smearing it over the metal). Before polishing, the surface must be cleaned from scratches, gradually reducing the size of the abrasive. Before moving on to finer sandpaper, make sure that all scratches are removed. Depending on the depth of the scratches, the number of sanding paper is selected, from which sanding will begin. In the presence of medium paste GOI No. 3, sandpaper with a number greater than P1200 can not be used because their grain size is comparable, and the sandpaper itself with a small grain size quickly becomes greasy.

For steel polishing, the optimal nozzle pressure is 1–2 kg / cm ^ 2 and the peripheral speed is 30–35 m / s. Peripheral speed formula. V = (3.14 * D * n) / 60 (m / s); D-nozzle diameter (m); n-speed (rpm). In the case shown, V = (3.14 * 0.01 * 15000) / 60 = 7.8 m / s. This is 4 times less than the recommended one. Those. you can increase the diameter to 4 cm without loss of quality. At the same time, it will quickly crumble from cotton wool, but leather or cotton threads will withstand.

Polishing at a higher speed and pressure than recommended reduces the surface quality but increases the amount of metal removed, so this can be used in the initial polishing phase. To obtain a better polish, the speed and pressure are reduced to values lower than the recommended ones.

In the process of polishing, the binders included in the paste melt and act as a lubricant in the process of cutting the material with an abrasive, and also remove heat from the surface. At the same time, the polishing head itself heats up and the binder begins to penetrate deep into it, leaving the abrasive grains without lubrication and heat dissipation. After that, the grains, having lost their binder, fall off and leave scratches on the metal being processed. For the same reason, the paste should not be applied to metal. The nozzle passing through the metal cannot capture all the material, and the captured abrasive grains are not held well enough, moreover, the grains themselves are not evenly distributed over it. An excess of pasta also does nothing good. It simply slides over the bonding layer between the metal and the nozzle, and the abrasive grains float in the layer without coming into close contact with the surfaces.

Since the binder must melt for the normal operation of the paste, then such pastes will work only in a certain temperature range, when the binder has already melted, but is still thick enough to hold the abrasive grains on the nozzle. For most pastes, the range starts at 70 degrees Celsius. And it is for this reason that hand polishing is extremely ineffective. For normal operation, you need to melt this, add any liquid oil and mix. Conventional softeners are not suitable for softening. evaporate quickly and the product thickens.

Source: youtu.be/lMjLMd1dY8Q

Matting and polishing aluminum

We have been working with manufacturers of metal products for a long time, and we know that the appearance of the product is very important. If it comes about technical products, here everyone is already accustomed to polishing, satin-finishing or matting of the surface.
But sometimes our partners have to work with decorative items. And sometimes the customer wants the surface to look unusual.
We offer you one of the options for such an unusual solution below.
The so-called “cloudy polish”.
This time we were machining flat aluminum parts.
For aluminum, one of the most convenient processing methods is an orbital sander. It allows you to get the most flat and monotonous surface on such a soft and capricious metal.

For preliminary grinding of aluminum, we used our matting technology, only changed the number and grain of the used circles:
Sanding discs Velcro AO (aluminum oxide) d125, grain P180- the first step by which we remove all defects and level the surface.
Sanding discs Velcro AO (aluminum oxide) d125, grit P220- a decrease in roughness.
Sanding discs Velcro AO (aluminum oxide) d125, grit P400- a decrease in roughness.
Sanding discs Velcro AO (aluminum oxide) d125, grit P600- finishing grinding.

After the treatment with OSHM, the surface already becomes uniform and beautiful. But this time the challenge was to get something new.
It was decided to polish our workpiece from above using the same eccentric machine.
If you polish the surface with a regular polishing angle grinder, it will be very difficult to achieve the perfect result. This process will take much more time.

Surface after P600.
For polishing with OSHM, it is better to use liquid polishing pastes, as the hard polishing paste is difficult to apply to the polishing wheel during orbital motion.
The polishing pad itself should also be used with a softer one.
We recommend:
Polishing disc Finesse-it d125 soft felt
Liquid Polishing Pastes G-Polish Pink
Apply the paste to the circle and start polishing.

After polishing, the surface looks dirty and shine is almost invisible. This is because there is a lot of paste left on its surface.

To remove the remaining pasta, we use Viennese lime with a microfiber cloth:
Vienna lime
Cleaning cloth

The surface now looks great.

Aluminum is a fairly soft metal. Therefore, to prevent the aluminum from oxidizing and tarnishing, we varnished the product.
There are various options for completing such a surface - you can bring the grinding to a finer grain or polish in two steps to get more gloss.
But that's a completely different story.

Almost every home contains stainless steel items that lose their attractiveness over the years and tarnish under the influence of sunlight, dirt and other factors. This material is actively used for both exterior and interior decoration. In this article we will try to tell you in detail how to polish a stainless steel.

2 How to polish a stainless steel?

There are two options for polishing stainless steel products.

2.1 Option number 1. Specialized assistance

Now there are a lot of companies that provide assistance in case of problems with corrosion of stainless steel. If you do not have enough time to get rid of stains on the product yourself, you can contact a specialist.

2.2 Option number 2. Home polishing

At home, you can also carry out all the necessary manipulations for a positive effect and recovery. appearance products. There are also several ways to do this. Next, we'll look at how you can polish your stainless steel at home.

3 Polishing process

To polish stainless steel at home, you will have to spend a fairly large amount of time and effort. If successful, they will be fully justified, and you will be able to restore the former shine to the products.

3.1 Initial processing

Before starting work, it is imperative to thoroughly clean the product, as it may contain grease and other substances that clog the cracks in the metal. To do this, you can use a simple dishwashing gel:

The detergent must first be diluted with water to obtain a soapy solution.
Wipe the surface of the metal product without leaving it to dry completely.
Apply solution to continue wiping.
Wash off the soapy area with running water.
The product must be dried naturally to prevent streaks from appearing on it.

Some food products, liquids with chemicals, and even household tools will help you to polish your products at home. With their help, you can polish the stainless steel to the mirror.

3.2 Olive oil

This method is suitable for use on products that have lost their brightness. You will need olive oil and a soft cloth.

Apply the oil to a clean cloth.
Then spread the oil over the surface in a circular motion, spreading it evenly.
Press the oiled cloth tightly and repeat the previous procedure several times.

You need to polish this method until you feel changes in the structure of the product.

Be careful as oil may tarnish the surface. Its surplus must be removed immediately upon completion of the above operation. With a circular motion using a dry cloth, you can easily wash off the remaining oil.

3.3 Flour

It is possible to polish the stainless steel with flour only on the condition that the work will be carried out on flat surfaces. In particular, it can be tasted on pots and sinks.

Mode of application:

The product must be sprinkled with flour, covering the entire surface.
Spread the flour evenly over the metal.
Polish the stainless steel in a circular motion using a dry cloth.
At the end of the process, you need to remove all flour from the surface using a toothbrush.

4 Small mechanization

You can polish a stainless steel to a mirror not only in special companies or at a factory, but also at home. Small mechanization will be enough for this.

This method is suitable in order to give the products an attractive and presentable appearance after removing the flaws.

To polish the stainless steel, you will have to use the following:

"Grinder", or angle grinder;
felt or felt circles;
stone or sandpaper;
polishing agent;
grinding wheels with different grain sizes.

4.1 Polishing steps

Products are polished in several stages. First, you need to remove all excess metal at the seams. An angle grinder is perfect for this. For her, you will have to purchase a fiber-based circle. Its grit should not exceed P60.

If the surface of the desired product is smooth, this intermediate step can be ignored.
Next, you need to grind the metal with another circle, the grain size of which is P120. This will get rid of the streaks that appeared after working with other grain.

The size of the abrasive must be reduced each time, which will make it possible to make the surface smoother.

If you don't have the circle you want, you can easily make it yourself. To do this, you will need a felt or felt circle to which you need to apply wood glue. You can also simply rub sandpaper and stone together.

After carrying out work, you need to remove all traces of grinding.

Take a polish and apply it to the surface.

Next, you need to sand the material or product using the paste. You need to remove risks consistently. If over time the surface does not become smoother, the speed of the "grinder" can be gradually increased. Do not overuse speed, as this can lead to overheating of the metal and the appearance of stains on it.

4.2 Mechanical hand polishing

Due to the presence of various irregularities on most of the products, it is often necessary to polish them by hand. You will have to be patient, as polishing the stainless steel to the mirror using the method described below can take a long time. In the process of work you will need:

abrasive paste;
soft felt.

Polishing stages

You need to apply paste to the felt.
Polish the product to a shine, carefully treating the most problematic areas.

In order to protect yourself from the negative effects of the substances that make up the paste, use a face mask and gloves.

5 Chemical method of polishing stainless steel

This method is perfect for working with small parts that are difficult to polish by hand. The method does not require effort and physical labor. There are several methods for preparing a chemical liquid for polishing products at home.

5.1 Option number 1

The solution must be prepared with the most accurate dosage:

Sulfuric acid - 230 milliliters.
Hydrochloric acid - 70 milliliters.
Nitric acid - 40 milliliters.

In 1 liter of solution, you need to add 6 grams of black acid-based dye, 6 grams of sodium chloride, 10 grams of wood glue.

It is important to adhere to a liquid temperature of 65 to 70 degrees.

The stainless steel should lie in the composition for up to 30 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination.

5.2 Option # 2

This solution must also be prepared in compliance with the proportions in the total volume:

Methyl orange - 1.5 percent.
Nitric acid - 4-5 percent.
Hydrochloric acid - 3-4 percent.
Phosphoric acid - 20-30 percent.

The part must be kept in the solution for up to 10 minutes, depending on the degree of contamination, at a temperature of 18 to 25 degrees.

5.3 Option # 3

The solution is made according to the recipe for one liter of the volume of the finished liquid:

Hydrochloric acid - 660 grams.
Sulfuric acid - 230 grams.
Acid orange dye - 25 grams.

The solution should be brought to a temperature of 70-75 degrees and stainless steel products should be kept in it for about 3 minutes.

All of the above components enter into an aggressive reaction when they come into contact with the human body. Provide complete protection for the respiratory system, face, hands and eyes.

Polishing stages

A part that has been previously cleaned of contamination must be immersed in a solution consisting of reagents and pure distilled water.
The solution must be constantly stirred to ensure a complete chemical reaction.
After the expiration of the time specified in each option, the product must be removed and all reagent washed off from it. After that, it is recommended to wipe the item with a polish applied to a napkin.
Under the influence of reagents that remain in the pores on the surface, the roughness on the stainless steel will completely disappear.

Before starting work, you need to find out the brand of metal, since its composition may depend on it. According to it, it is worth choosing reagents and determining their concentration in the solution.

6 Care of stainless steel

Steel after polishing looks beautiful and impressive. In order for it to retain its visual qualities, it must be constantly monitored, since scuffs and stains may appear on it in the future.

To prevent the appearance of flaws on products, polishes are most often used. This type of material is best used immediately after polishing the stainless steel. In addition, it is recommended to apply them at regular intervals. This will make it possible to maintain a glossy surface for a long time.

The product must be applied to a napkin and spread over the surface. It is important to do all movements in a circle to avoid streaks.

It is imperative to remove excess funds, as they may stain.

If you decide to use a special tool, do not set the speed above 1500 rpm on it, as this can damage the product.

6.1 Frequency of maintenance of stainless steel products

If you are going to purchase chrome parts for your car, they should be polished no more than 2 times a year. If you do this constantly, the coating will simply wear out, and traces of corrosion will begin to appear on objects faster.
It is often not recommended to use devices for mechanical action on stainless steel, as microcracks may appear on the parts. It is in them that liquid most often gets.
It is recommended to use chemicals for cleaning and polishing stainless steel at home no more than once a year. Vapors from reagents negatively affect human health, even if they adhere to safety standards.
GOI paste ("Parisian Green") has a relatively low efficiency, which is why it is recommended to use it only in the absence of other substances or solutions. It has a negative effect on the body, which is why it is important to use a protective face mask and gloves.

7 Expert opinion

“It's best to take a smaller skin right away and work with it for a long time. This will eliminate the appearance of large scratches on the surface and preserve the structure of the metal. You can wind a woolen thread on the drill, which will become an analogue of the "grinder". You can also spread it with a paste, which will enhance the effect and speed up the process. ", - writes Internet user Vladimir.

Metal polishing is necessary to improve the appearance of metal products and give them higher consumer qualities. Polishing gives a decorative shine to metal products, it is also used in surface preparation for electroplating. The following methods of polishing metal surfaces are widely used in industry:

Disadvantages of traditional types of metal polishing

The first three of the listed methods of metal surface treatment have a number of application limitations. The main constraint for the series industrial enterprises is the impossibility of automation when using mechanical, chemical or electrochemical methods of surface treatment of products in large batches of mass production.

Difficulties in using traditional types of metal polishing have both economic and technological reasons. The economic hardship is associated with the high cost of manufacturing robots and CNC machines. The technological reasons for the difficulties in using traditional types of finishing metals are associated with the difficulties in building a fully automated production process. The forced use of manual labor at the stage of polishing products, activating the surface or cleaning it does not allow for the smooth operation of industrial automated lines. Often due to the use of outdated metal processing methods Production Line takes the form of a conveyor belt, which significantly increases the cost of production and, as a result, adversely affects the competitiveness of the products.

Comparison of types of metal polishing

	Mechanical polishing	Chemical polishing	Electro-chemical polishing	Electrolytic plasma polishing
Performance	Average	Low	Average	High
Geometry constraint	Simple profile	Complex profile	Complex profile	Complex profile
Material change	Susceptibility to the introduction of foreign particles	Uneven processing, etching	Poor flat surface finish	Material hardening possible
Complexity of processing	Average	Average	High	Average
Automation capability	No	No	There is	There is
Material costs	High	High	High	Low
Installation amortization period	25 years	5 years	20 years	25 years
Occupied manuf. pl.	Small	Average	Average	Average
Environmental friendliness	Low	Low	Low	High
Fire hazard	Low	High	Average	Low
power usage	Average	Low	High	High
Qualification of workers	High	Average	Average	Average

The widespread introduction into industry of a more efficient electrolytic-plasma polishing of metal will eventually make it possible to replace the toxic electrochemical processing method almost everywhere. Its advantages, in comparison with other methods of surface polishing, are high productivity and efficiency, environmental friendliness, high quality and speed of operations, low cost.

The electrolytic-plasma method of surface polishing is environmentally friendly and meets sanitary standards; special treatment facilities are not required to clean the spent electrolyte.

Methods for polishing a metal surface by combining various methods and types of surface treatment

Often, products are subjected to polishing without preliminary surface treatment with an unprepared, sufficiently rough surface that has a rough relief, which entails the need for prolonged electrolytic-plasma treatment, which is accompanied by the removal of a significant layer of metal, and leads to excessive consumption of electricity.

In addition, during the processing of a coarse branched surface, a phenomenon is observed where the current density in the first processing stage is sometimes twice as high as in the final stage. This is due to the fact that the initial rough surface area in contact with the electrolyte is apparently twice as large as that obtained as a result of processing.

In practice, it is better to polish products in two stages, at the first to clean and degrease the surface, and at the second stage - to polish itself. Cleaning of parts before polishing is necessary because in the manufacture of metal products by casting, or during their heat treatment, even in neutral media, it is not possible to completely avoid contact of the surface with an oxidizing medium (for example, air) in the high temperature range, when surface oxidation of the metal occurs. For the purpose of cleaning before polishing, such types of surface treatments are used as:

tumbling
underwater grinding
waterjet treatment
cast iron sanding
processing with corundum chips
sonication
chemical and electric etching

Types of metal surface treatment after gas-plasma cutting

Smoothing the surface roughness obtained after such a popular type of metal plasma processing as gas plasma cutting does not have to be done by cutting off the protrusions. Pre-treatment can be carried out by surface plastic deformation. In some cases, mechanical methods of surface treatment with pastes do not consist in cutting off the protrusions, but in kneading them, for which the paste contains special lubricating, chemically active, surfactants that soften the surface and fine oxide particles, for example, inert chromium oxide.

Polishing of metal products by electro-voltage-plasma method with preliminary preparation

To save energy, it is advisable to use the technology of electrolytic-plasma polishing in two stages, when at the first stage the rough surface relief is smoothed using various energy-saving surface treatment methods, and then at the second stage, a finishing short-term electrolytic-plasma polishing is applied.

For example, when polishing stainless steel parts, which are ductile and sufficiently soft, the following surface treatment methods can be used in the first stage:

sanding under a layer of water with waterproof sandpaper with a grain size of 50-80 microns
hard metal brushing
electric etching in a 10% solution of oxalic acid at a voltage of 12 V for 5-10 minutes with a current density of up to 2 A / cm 2
sandblasting with fine cast iron crumbs
bleaching etching in a solution of 25% sulfuric and 20% hydrochloric acid in a volume ratio of 3/1 at a temperature of 30-40 ° C for 3-5-10 minutes.

Subsequent electrolytic-plasma polishing of products can be carried out in a 5% aqueous solution of ammonium sulfate at a temperature of 80 ° C.

Methods of metal processing before electrolytic-plasma polishing

Methods of metal processing using stripping

If the original sample, the surface of which has been pretreated with a coarse sandpaper with a grain size of 500 microns, is polished to a mirror shine within 5-6 minutes with the removal of a metal layer of 0.05 mm, then the samples processed to a matt state with a sandpaper with a grain size of 50-80 microns are polished in two times faster in less than 3 minutes, and at the same time a layer of metal with a thickness of only 0.02–0.03 mm is removed. Energy savings when using surface pretreatment with sandpaper is about 40%.

Types of metal processing using brushing

Pretreatment of roughly ground or chiselled surfaces with metal brushes is also very effective. Apparently, the surface relief during such processing is leveled due to plastic deformation of the metal, and partly due to brushing, i.e. erasing, scratching metal. An oxide film is also removed, which prevents uniform polishing of the product in cases where it is welded or subjected to high-temperature heat treatment.

Methods of metal processing using etching

Quite good results were obtained with chemical etching, especially of samples that were subjected to heat treatment, since in this case, scale forms on the steel, which is difficult to remove by electrolytic-plasma treatment for 15 minutes or more. Etching of such samples in solutions of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids creates a rough, scale-free surface without defects. Subsequent processing of the samples in ammonium sulfate at 260 V for 4 minutes results in a shiny surface.

The surfaces of metal products are finished not only to give them a beautiful appearance, but also to protect them from rusting, corrosion by acids, alkalis, etc. , in the third - to cover with paints and varnishes, all this can be done by yourself at home.

Here we leave another video tutorial with a different type of aluminum polishing technique, it's great if you have necessary equipment as the result is similar to chrome. If you are looking for a more professional way to get maximum brightness to polish aluminum car wheels, we advise you to have an aluminum polishing kit, which you can find in specialized stores or. Includes a disc for polishing aluminum and polishing cream or polishing wax. These discs can be connected to an electric drill, which will make it less time consuming to polish.

Rice, 1. Finishing of metal surfaces: A - sanding with sandpaper; B - grinding with a file; B - grinding round products; D - polishing with paste.

After processing metals with a file, more or less deep marks from the notch teeth always remain on them. To make the surface cleaner, smoother and even shiny, it is sanded and polished.

As you saw in the aluminum polishing tutorial, you don't have to do a lot of things right. As you can see, it is quite easy to polish aluminum to make it look like new, just do it a few times until you get the hang of this technique and leave everything new as you need it. There are special aluminum polishes that are more recommended for this type of work, but you can use other more general ones without any problem.

Aluminum polishing in a simple and professional way. Keeping metal looking new and pristine requires regular cleaning and polishing as soon as it fogs up or starts to rust. Commercial metallic varnish can be costly. This is especially true because you may have to buy a different type of metal lacquer for every type of metal in your home, be it silver, brass, or stainless steel. Homemade metal polishing solutions help you save money and use the items you already have in your home.

METAL GRINDING

At home, metals are polished with emery cloths after thorough surface treatment with a personal file. To make the skin comfortable to hold, it is wrapped around a wooden block (Fig. 1, A) or a wide file; the ends of the skin are held with the thumb and forefinger of both hands. Convex cylindrical surfaces can be sanded by wrapping the sandpaper around them.

It will also help you avoid using products that may contain harsh chemicals. Ketchup is a common substitute for commercial metallic varnishes. It is specially used for cleaning and grinding solid brass. To use it, place some tomato sauce on the surface and break the brass object with a damp cloth. Work until the metal looks shiny and polished. Remove the tomato sauce from the item with a damp cloth and wipe thoroughly with another clean cloth.

White vinegar is a common ingredient in many household cleaning products. It is used to remove alkaline oxidation from solid brass objects. Do not use this process to clean the silver that will wear the metal plate. Add enough flour to form a thick paste. Rub the polishing paste into the metal until it is covered. Allow to dry for 10 minutes before rinsing with clean water and wiping with a dry clean cloth.

First, the surface is treated in different directions, coarser coarse-grained skins, then finer. The final grinding is carried out in one - longitudinal - direction with a sandpaper with the finest grain. When grinding, the product must be fixed immovably.

METAL POLISHING

Mirror shine is given to metal products by polishing. Only surfaces that have been carefully processed with personal and velvet files can be polished without preliminary sanding. The file must be chalked. The surface is first processed across the strokes present on it. When the strokes along and across are the same, the direction is changed by 90 ° and so repeated several times. The surface treated in this way, as well as the grinding one, is polished with special polishing pastes.

Ammonia is a powerful chemical that can be toxic if ingested. It also has a strong odor that can irritate the nose and lungs. Work in a well-ventilated area when sanding stainless steel items. To use, mix a teaspoon with 1 gallon of warm water. Flush stainless steel with ammonia solution. Wipe the stainless steel surface until polished and shiny. Rinse with clean water and polish dry.

Silver polishing can be costly and this and other metals can be time consuming to polish. Instead, line up the tin foil pot and place the silver in it. Add 1 gallon of boiling water and let the pot sit for 15 minutes, until the water turns cloudy and black and the silver is clear. Remove silver and dry thoroughly.

The industry produces polishing pastes under the GOI brand. They consist of fine abrasive powders (chromium oxide, iron oxide, etc.), soft plastic substances composed of wax, stearin, kerosene and other materials. GOI pastes are coarse (dark, almost black), medium (dark green) and thin (light green). First, it is polished with a coarse paste, which makes the surface matte, then medium, and finally, a fine paste is brought to a mirror shine. The paste is applied to a felt swab, woolen or linen cloth and rubbed onto the polished surface.

Silver, copper, gold, how to purify these metals? Harsh cleaners like alcohol and ammonia are not the best products for cleaning metals. Also in the case of metals, several natural and economical alternatives can be used that provide simple and effective cleaning. Let's take a look at some homemade tips for cleaning objects in silver, copper, gold, and other metallic materials.

Silver is a particularly popular material for its shine, but stains, scratches, and rust can ruin its beauty. To remove oxidation stains, you can use a homemade cleansing cream made from baking soda with a little water and rub it gently over problem stains with a soft sponge. Silver jewelry can be briefly soaked in warm water with a few drops of liquid soap and a pinch of salt. Then wipe gently.

You can make polishing pastes yourself. For polishing steel products, the following composition is recommended (in parts by weight):

Stearin - 32

Beeswax - 6

Technical fat - 5

Lead oxide - 3

Chromium oxide - 80

For polishing and glossing on brass and nickel-plated surfaces, pastes of the following composition (in parts by weight) are used:

Cleaning copper mixes can be done using white wine vinegar sprayed directly onto the stained surface with a spray bottle before gently wiping. Rinse with warm water and dry with a soft dry cloth. Another miraculous copper cleaning product is made with lemon juice, which can be applied with a sponge over polishing items or with the lemon itself cut in half.

Lemon juice is also a great solution for cleaning brass items. In this case, it is necessary to mix lemon juice with sodium bicarbonate to obtain a paste with a consistency similar to toothpaste. The mixture should be wiped on the surface with a cloth or sponge, left for five minutes, and then washed. Also, salt and flour can be mixed in equal parts, with a little vinegar added, and used to grind the brass.

Stearin - 5

Technical fat - 1

Chromium oxide - 14

The polished surface is wiped with a cloth soaked in kerosene, and then dry with a clean cloth.

Definition of the concept of "polishing" and its types

Metal polishing with angle grinder

Polishing is a type of metal processing during which shine returns to the metal surface. On the the present stage there are such grinding methods:

It is easier for stainless steel to remove stains after being treated with olive oil. The oil is ideal for fading halos. For polishing stainless steel and chrome, and for removing limestone marks, the best way is to use pure white wine vinegar.

Another tip is to mix half a glass of baking soda with two tablespoons of boiling water and use the mixture to wash out the steel with a sponge. Aluminum objects can be washed with water and environmentally friendly liquid detergent, rinsed well and dried immediately to avoid ghosting. The bottom of aluminum pans with dirt attached can be soaked in warm water for easy cleaning.

What tools and machines are used? Mechanical methods involve the use of the following tools and devices:

polishing machine;
Grinder;
electric grinder;
drills with clamps.

This finishing method has several advantages. Firstly, it allows you to change the frequency of rotation of circles and belts, which has a positive effect on the quality of processing of the metal plane; secondly, additional attachments made of fabric, leather, wool, etc. can be installed on the polishing machine.

Brass, copper alloy and tin, can be cleaned with water and natural soap, rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth. For carved bronze, a soft brush can be used to clean with water and lemon juice. To clean your gold, you can simply resort to natural liquid soap and baking soda. Make a cream with a mixture of a teaspoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of liquid soap and use the compound obtained to clean gold objects, rinse thoroughly and dry thoroughly.

Gold jewelry can be easily cleaned after being immersed in water with a little lemon juice for an hour. You can use water and natural soap to clean cast iron. Rinse with warm water and dry immediately. To remove stubborn traces of dirt, you can scrub the cast iron with a pumice stone.

Special grinder - angle grinder

Manual grinding differs from automated grinding in that its effectiveness depends on the quality of consumable polishing materials. In hand finishing, diamond paste and additives based on chromium or iron oxide are used. Smooth metal surfaces are sanded with an ordinary file - a wooden block covered with a cloth, on which a polishing paste is applied.

If the iron items are enamelled, they can be washed with soap and water. In case of rust, it can be removed by rubbing the rusted part with steel wool. If there are rust spots, use lemon juice or vinegar mixed with salt or baking soda. It is an alloy made primarily of tin, which may contain copper and other metals. Lead was banned in its composition due to its toxicity. Tin can be cleaned with water and natural soap or a creamy mixture made with sodium bicarbonate and salt, to which lemon juice is added until the desired consistency is obtained.

Metal polishing with a special device

Combined processing methods

Metal polishing can be carried out by combined methods, in the case of an unprepared and rough surface with a rough relief. In this case, a long-term electrolyte-plasma finishing is prescribed, which consists of removing a significant layer of metal.

Some bronze items may require deeper cleaning to remove stains or patina. The following procedures must be performed with caution to repair severely damaged parts. Excessive cleaning can damage some surfaces or parts of parts.

Before performing any type of cleaning, always check the small surface of the part to make sure it will withstand the process. To clean and polish the parts that wear the most over time, proceed as follows. Remove brass powder with a soft cloth. If necessary, use a brush to remove dirt from the toughest areas. This is the key to avoid possible scratches. Mix 2 tablespoons of baking soda and lemon juice. Add lemon gradually until you get the consistency of a paste.

This processing method is used in extreme cases when a quick restoration of the gloss of a metal product is required. Among the disadvantages of the technology should be highlighted the high energy intensity, especially at the initial stage of processing, when 100% more energy is used than usual.

The electrolytic-plasma polishing machine processes the part in two stages. At the first, the surface is degreased, and at the second, the grinding itself, which, in turn, also consists of two cycles: a cut of the rough layer and grinding of the metal. Fat removal is carried out in mandatory, since a viscous surface leads to oxidation of the metal and a deterioration in the quality of its finish.

Wipe the folder in circles over the object, covering it completely. Let the paste work for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the paste carefully with a cloth dampened in warm water. It is important to remove all waste as it contains substances that can accelerate the new oxidation process. Dry the part completely and with a soft cloth, usually polish.

Homemade deep cleaning brass recipe

To clean highly oxidized brass parts, instead of doing the basic cleaning above, you can use a solution with half or one liter of warm water, one tablespoon of salt, and two tablespoons of vinegar. After applying the solution, be sure to wipe the part with a soft cloth to remove any residue from the mixture. To finish, lay the piece down with a dry cloth or using a specific brass piece.

Classification of pastes for metal polishing

You can bring a metal surface to a mirror-like state with your own hands without using machines, just pay attention to special tools that are divided into the following groups:

Aquatic. The substance does not contain fats and does an excellent job with its duties;
Organic - contains paraffin and a variety of oils. They are diluted with various oils and fatty acids;
Diamond paste is a revolutionary solution that allows you to instantly achieve the brilliance of any metal surface.

Let's dwell in more detail on the last version of grinding. The diamond paste is so effective that it completely replaces the polishing machine. Diamond Substance is produced in two types: ASN and ASM brands (expensive).

Another possibility is to use a mixture of flour, salt and vinegar for cleaning. This recipe can also be applied to heavily damaged bronze pieces. Three equal parts of salt and the same amount of wheat flour are mixed into a container. Add white vinegar gradually until it forms a paste. After thoroughly removing the powder from the workpiece using a cloth or soft brush, apply the paste. Make circular motions. Use a damp cloth in warm water to remove the mixture. Try not to leave marks on brass or brass.

Diamond paste has the following advantages:

Accuracy. Synthetic diamonds allow you to polish any metal product with maximum precision to a shine;
Wide range of grit sizes. On the modern market More than 12 types of grit can be found;
Simple operation allows you to carry out cleaning procedures with your own hands without the use of a special tool;
Diamond paste requires minimal tools: a rag, water, and rubber gloves.

The main disadvantage of this cleaning agent is its high price. On average, diamond paste on the market for consumables costs more than 500 rubles per 35 grams of substance.

How to maintain brass and brass polish

With a dry cloth, polish the part to shine again. But if you like your polished and shiny pieces, special care is required to maintain the original appearance of brass and brass. Some people choose to use their varnish to protect their object. This has the advantage that no additional maintenance is required. Simply remove dust or wipe with a clean, slightly dampened cloth and then dry.

Experts and collectors do not recommend using lacquer on brass items. While cleaning is straightforward, it can keep your part cost down. Do you know this metal object that is ugly and lifeless in your home? So today's advice is to help you figure it out. Over time, decorative items, such as those made in bronze, for example, lose their natural shine. If metal objects are not properly cared for, they can damage and even lose their properties.

Working principle of diamond paste

Diamond paste acts on a metal product mechanically and chemically, forming dispersed films. The composition of the cleaning agent contains active substances that promote the flow of adsorbent processes, which makes it easier to sand the material.

Diamond paste is applied to different types fabrics (felt, microfiber or jeans), paper, rubber, plastic and other types of non-metallic materials. It should be noted that diamond paste can also be applied to polishing wheels to improve the efficiency of metal surface treatment. In this way, you can achieve a mirror effect. Wheels made of felt, felt or leather are installed on the polishing machine.

Description of the polishing process

To grind a metal surface, you will need: laps and several tubes of diamond mixture with different grain sizes. The diamond paste is evenly spread over the working surface of a rag or other material. Experts have noticed an interesting pattern that improves the quality of metal processing.

It turns out that castor oil or olive oil must be added to the polishing agent. The ideal ratio is a mixture of 40% diamond dust and 60% oil. After dilution, the mixture is immediately applied to the metal surface.

Experts recommend starting work only with coarse grains, gradually switching to abrasive products. During processing, make sure that unnecessary elements do not get into the mixture - dust, sawdust, hair or pieces of rags. The presence of foreign objects greatly impairs the polish to a high shine. It is also recommended to wash your hands after changing from one grain to another.

Types of diamond dust

On the modern market, you can find tools not only for polishing metal, but also other materials, for example, wood, glass, stone, etc. They can be classified by color, for example:

Huge assortment of diamond paste

The yellow packaging indicates that the substance is intended for grinding ceramic materials and glass products. It should be noted that this dust can also be used for finishing metal;
Blue packaging. This type of product is used for finishing glass. The grinding agent has a fairly wide selection of abrasive elements - from 60 to 10 levels;
The red packaging is only suitable for metal surfaces.

As for the packages themselves, the diamond paste is sold in compact plastic jars with a volume of 35–45 grams. The average cost of a jar depends on the size and quality of the abrasive materials. The finer and better the polishing material, the cheaper the paste costs. The average price is 450-600 rubles.

Paste GOI

GOI chrome paste is a versatile tool for polishing metal and non-metallic surfaces. Despite the fact that the tool was invented in the early 1930s, it is used to polish metals even today.

GOI polishing paste

The GOI tool can be of different grain sizes (classified by the size of the abrasive materials). There are such types of granularity: small, medium, and large. Fine dust is used for polishing soft and non-ferrous metals, coarse grains - for rough finishing of ferrous metals and steel.

Features of use. Initially, the polish has a hard structure, which can be diluted with a few drops of machine oil. If you need to polish an uneven metal surface with curls, it is recommended to apply diluted paste to a rag.

The second polishing method is for smooth metal surfaces. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that a small amount of abrasive material is applied to the wooden block. Then it is recommended to make methodical movements back and forth on the treated surface.