how to sand/polish

[disruptfam]

Hey fellaz,

I have a lian li v2000 and i wanted to sand/polish my middle divider section to mirror finish.Such as dark prodigy's rig and lowfat's rig.

How to and advice is greatly appreciated...

Does it have to hand done? or is there a tool that can do it? (sand/polish)

cheers

[Faktor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuPTMLdEcVk

Found this for you.

Enjoy! :)

[Jedda]

Mother's al polish. Supercheap have it. Lots of wet n dry sanding is the way to get it like Dark Prodigy did.
But there is a cheat. Magic Mix is an acid strip that removes the oxide layer in 30 secs, then one pass of polish and its done.That's how you get a mirror polish on a semi's bull bar etc. $40 for a semi sized kit on aussie ebay.

[nibble]

Some wetsanding to about 1000 grit with a sanding block and polishing with a good quality polish and microfiber cloth. If you want to spend the dough english custom polishing polishes are supposed to be very good.

[disruptfam]

cheer fellaz

i think i'm goign to use your way jedda lol

[Dark Prodigy]

Here you go...

I started a thread on this very same subject months ago when I was beginning to mod my current case. I suggest you read through the entire thread to get some good ideas and opinions. Seems as though this mod becoming very popular. =)

My best advice to you is: DO NOT HALF-ASS IT. Don't go the easy route, nothing wrong with a little bit of elbow grease, and take your time. Also, this mod is alot easier to accomplish in an empty case - I see your system is already built.

My Case Polishing Thread (http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=144819&highlight=case+polishing)

[disruptfam]

Here you go...

I started a thread on this very same subject months ago when I was beginning to mod my current case. I suggest you read through the entire thread to get some good ideas and opinions. Seems as though this mod becoming very popular. =)

My best advice to you is: DO NOT HALF-ASS IT. Don't go the easy route, nothing wrong with a little bit of elbow grease, and take your time. Also, this mod is alot easier to accomplish in an empty case - I see your system is already built.



Yes it is built but i will be taking it apart soon.

cheers dark prodigy greatly appreciated.

[disruptfam]

ok i've taking my build apart....

I will start the sanding process soon...

Would i be able to use a mouse sander?? rather than do all manually by hand??

cheers

[lowfat]

Do it by hand, using a mouse/hand sander isn't going to be even.

Start with 800, then to 1000, 1500, and 2000. Always make sure you have nice, clean, warm water to wash the sandpaper with contantly. Also had 2-3 drops of dish soap in the water for lubrication, which also cleans the sand paper easier.

Then once you have a nice near-mirror finish. Then move to a rubbing/polishing compound. My choice is 3M rubbing compound. If is definitely the best I've used, and I've done my share of polishing.

[disruptfam]

ok then cheers lowfat

how long to i stay on each grit? when do i know to swap to the next one.do i dip the sandpaper in warm water everynow and then?And add dish soap to the sandpaper?

Also how many sheets of each grit sandpaper will i need?

cheers lowfat

[lowfat]

if you are using the sheets the same size as most hand sanders, 2 or 3 for each grit should be good. Don't rush things, take a good 10-15 minutes per grit. Add the soap to the water not the sand paper directly. Make sure you clean the case nice and good with water between swapping paper too.

[disruptfam]

if you are using the sheets the same size as most hand sanders, 2 or 3 for each grit should be good. Don't rush things, take a good 10-15 minutes per grit. Add the soap to the water not the sand paper directly. Make sure you clean the case nice and good with water between swapping paper too.
__________________

cheers lowfat i'll go out and buy the sandpaper 2day...

Last time i looked for sandpaper i could'nt find any over 1200grit..

Know anywhere i can get higher grits?

cheers

[lowfat]

Well in Canada, Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart stock up to 2000 grit. Try an automotive store, they generally have an even higher selection, but are a bit more expensive.

[Shadowtester]

Pretty much any Automotive Paint Jobber should be able to get you wet/dry paper up to 2500 grit pretty easy. My preference for wet/dry paper would be Eagle brand papers for anything 800 grit or higher I like them much better than pretty much anything else I have found but most likely you would need to find them at a Automotive Paint Jobber most of those Jobbers will sell paper by the sheet as well for the back yard painters. Another very good wet/dry paper is Sunmight they are relatively new to the Automotive sand paper market here in the USA but I would say their wet/dry papers are the next best ones I have used next to Eagle. I am not a big fan on the 3M or Meguiars sand papers. If you can fine the Eagle or Sunmight papers you will not be unhappy they both out perform 3M and Meguires in my opinion. Also when you change grits try changing your sanding direction 90 deg from the previous grit that will help make the scratches finer and easier to polish out later and as other have said use plenty of clean water with a little dish soap mixed into the water to help keep the paper clean and lubricated it will cut better and last longer.

[disruptfam]

ok i got the sandpaper...

I did exactly as everyone advice me...

Sanded all the way up 2 2000grit took 2 hour's Ended up witha light mirror..

Been polishing for 2 hours and it's not getting any better??

Did i not sand it enough???

Or does it take more than 2 hours to see better results with the polish...

I'm using mothers alu polish by the way..

I'm a bit disappointed as mine doesn't even look half as good as lowfat's and dark prodigy's efforts :(

[disruptfam]

i re sanded.... Look's a bit better....Polished for a bit then it seems to be still cloudy.... maybe try another polish??

I'm using mother's alu polish by the way...

[Dark Prodigy]

If its any indication, I sanded and resanded with 800/1000/1500/2000 grit in that exact same rotation 3 separate times over the coarse of 3 days. Then about 3-4 hours polishing and repolishing.

[Mmmm~]

lol i was about to look for these links. im about to do the same thing except im fabricating the panel like the voodoo omen's and in a pc101-b. Im at the process of measuring stuff atm.. Thanks you guys, you made my life easier :). And goodluck to us disruptfam with our polishing :D!

[Ramaistro]

If it is still cloudy after polishing it sound like you didn't remove all the polish. Try to use a new/clean rag and keep polishing. What might help is a rotation disc for on your drill(machine thingy :p: ). The higher speed will give a nicer finish to what I noticed.

[disruptfam]

If it is still cloudy after polishing it sound like you didn't remove all the polish. Try to use a new/clean rag and keep polishing. What might help is a rotation disc for on your drill(machine thingy ). The higher speed will give a nicer finish to what I noticed.

thanks mate that must be it!!! because the rag i'm using is dirty(used before) i will buy a new one cheers mate!!!!

i'm hand polishing by the way


If its any indication, I sanded and resanded with 800/1000/1500/2000 grit in that exact same rotation 3 separate times over the coarse of 3 days. Then about 3-4 hours polishing and repolishing.

Yeah it's a major pita!!!

I sanded twice already and will have to sand again...I can see scratches in the metal..... must not of used enough water.... gonna start back @ 800 and work my back up to 2000 then re-polish make sure using a clean microfiber rag this time... 1 thing dark how long did you stay on each grit???

cheers everyone!!!

[Shadowtester]

disruptfam

Put some dish soap in your sanding water it will help keep the paper clean and also act as a lubricant to make the sanding easier. Also do not put much pressure on your paper when sanding the more pressure you use the deeper the scratch will be. Also if you sand with one grit in only 1 direction say east to west then on the next grit rotate your sanding north to south cutting across the previous scratches it will also help keep the scratches from being too deep.

[phelan1777]

My .02 based on experience..........patience, and persistance and you learn a little more with each piece.

I have worked on the aluminum pieces for my Stacker, and it took a while, using 400 (anodizing) through 2000. Patience, patience and more persistance.

When all is said and done, you will be proud of your work and others will drool.

Its not an over night event, takes time.

[disruptfam]

yeah....

thanks for the help everyone