KOZ could you post some step by step instructions for mixing and useingf this on a part?
I know a lot of folks who ask about this, (myself included) . and a full method to follow is a great thing to know.
Also as for sanding alluminum...burbs is correct, acctualy what he said goes for any, what is commonly refered to as a.. "class A surface"
It may seem to take a lot more time, but when working any part to a smooth finnish, wearhter it be for poliish or paint.
allways sand in one direction only...your efforts will be rewarded in the end.
Regardless of the type of sandpaper or polish you are useing it has grit,the grit may be very tiny, but it is there.
You are useing that grit to turn the surface, which under heavy magnifacation, has the appearence of a moon scape, to that of a window pane.
The smoother it gets the shinnier it will become.
The abrasive material you use weather it is 100 grit sandpaper, or mothers polish, leaves varrious size scratches in the surface of the material...obviously with a polish like mothers paste, those scratches are microscopic, but they are indeed there.
by maintaining one direction of appliy the friction/abrasive material. all those scratche become oriented in the same direction, and the material, developes an uniform pattern.
this is way when you see a custom bike or car with polished alluminum. one part may look shinny regardless of the angle you look upon it from....the part that has an odd sort of haze to it from certain angles has been sanded and polished from any anngle or worse had someone use a rotary type tool WAY to early on it the process..rotary tools should be used at either the very start to remove heavey scale and finishhes, then followed by uni-directional sanding , stepping down in grade to the finest posible grit, or as a final step, buy put a light ammoutn of finnish polish and only letting the tool glide over the surface, noty even holding all it's own weight at low speeds.
You can remove anodizing by hand, but it takes MAJOR time, and paitence.
I used to spend my evenings during the winter, in my walk out basement polishing parts for both myself, and my friends drag bikes. I did this, because I was the guy who hated to work with the bottom end of the motor, and thus the tranny, so I got to be covered in grey slime all winter while the others wallowed in grease.
HINT even if using palin old sandpaper, and no chemicals....use some kind of gloves and a simple dust mask, and eye protection nothing specal, the cheep stuff is fine.
I almost put myself into the hospital, doing this stuff while laid off, I was polishing about 18 hrs a day in a t shirt and gym shorts, with a drink buy my side....looked like some early botched attempt at kiss makeup, all covered in a silver hue, drink included....Yes kiddies, for the purposes of THIS story, it was.uh .pepsi..yes! pepsi...LOL!
Doc said I probably ingested about 3 pounds of alluminum dust, plus a lot of the aluminum m dust paricles had been absorbed into my bloodstream through the skin, mostly, through my fingers.
My hands worked and appeared to be, like the old arthritus foundation comercials, sore, couldnt close or full open them at all for a couple weeks...felt like someone had smashed them with a hammer while I sleept.
Not trying to scare anyone, I was doing the equivelent of about 3 motorcyles worth of parts, were are talking little parts that might equal a points cover or two...but use some protection and avoid a bad situation..little bit goes a long way..and if nothing else DONT follow my example...LOL!