Are there any good links of how to polish up aluminum components?
As for the magnesium intake, any options to painting/powder coating it?
Mark
DFWX

 

Sand till smooth, clean throroughly, rub till shiney.

LOL, it's really that simple...but takes hours and hours.

Mothers aluminum polish works great for step 2.

 

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/buffman.htm
http://www.caswellplating.com/pickabuff/aluminum.htm
http://forum.caswellplating.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/index.html

 

I've had good luck with using a muslin wheel on a variable speed drill. Keep the wheel damp, start with polishing compound and then a few rounds with Mothers polish. Doing it all by hand is too much work!

 

Jewlers rouge works well with an electric buffing wheel. Its basicly the same as all these other specialty compounds but no fancy name brands and much cheaper. I will be starting a polishing project soon as I have just ordered another intake plennum and all the runners so I can do it without much downtime.

 

Anodizing is an option. If you polish and buff, remember it will require regular work to maintain the bare metal to a gloss. Aluminum oxidizes too. I've tried various clear coats over bare metal, and none of them seal perfectly. The smallest pinhole will allow in moisture, and cause rot eventually.

Power coating appears to offer the best sealing, and visually appealing surface finish.

Doc

 

I got my professional buffer from caswell and use a 3M wheel called SS primarily for stainless but it works great on aluminum or whatever the spider is made of. Tremendous machine polish that looks even better in person. The buffing compounds are sloppy, inefficient and tedious.