polish (or repolish) your lip (DIY) - video included
12-24-2005, 05:05 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
polish (or repolish) your lip (DIY) - video included
Well, I'm sure that if you guys and gals are reading this, then you probably have some interest in regaining that lost gloss that you're shiny lip once had. Well, after coming to the realization that my lepper car was slowly suffering an aesthetic death (paint fading, wheels losing their gloss, etc), I decided that 2006 would be the year to change all of that. That is where this project came in. To start off the year, I'd restore my wheels to their original shape, and better.
What you'll need to repolish:
320,400,600,800,1000,1500,2000 grit sandpaper
a can of mothers aluminum and mag polish
concrete blocks or other very sturdy jackstands
soapwater (i used sun sations apple scented dish washing liquid)
a spare shirt that you wont mind ruining
a buddy
gloves (optional)
It may sound crazy, but in order to make sure that all the stains came out and there would be a nice result, I did a preliminary sanding of the outer edge of the lip. This is where the buddy and sturdy jack stands come in.
-Jack the car up and set it on the stands to where the front wheels are safely off the ground.
-Have your buddy start up the car and put it in 5th, taking the car up to about 35mph
-Douse the wheel in water
-Since you've prepared all of your sandpaper and have soaked the 320 grit in the soapwater, gentle press the 320 grit to the outer edge of the wheel. When black starts to seep through, get some more, and wet it.
-Continue this until you feel that the abnormalities in the wheel finish are sanded down.
Sanding with the 320 grit will take the longest since in this step you are removing the imperfections that have irritated you so. After sanding with the 320, precede with the rest of the sanding using the order mentioned in the "what you'll need" list. As you get closer and closer to using the 2000grit, it'll require less time on each sanding. Once your done sanding with the 2000 grit, you're done with the preliminary sanding. You may also want to vary the speed if you feel safe doing so, just dont press too hard.
.................................................. ......
Now heres the fun...
To resand it all, you'll only need 400,600,1000,1500,2000 grit sandpaper. The idea is to make sure that every thing stays wet and for good measure, you should try to make sure that the sanding strokes are nice and radial, following the curvature of the wheel. Jagged sanding will produce a duller looking polish at the end, and is likely due to lack of attention. Since the inside is likely the worst looking part of the wheel due to grime just eating away at the finish and the likes (i guess...), you should be very careful to be sure to spend a lot of time with the 400 grit, and chances are, you'll need a lot of 400 grit sand paper (I used 2 5x7 sheets on each wheel). Make sure that every part of the lip has been touched good be the 400 grit and it all should look relatively the same, with no oddities when you look at the wheel (just a dull looking but consistent looking lip). Once this is done, continue sanding with the less harsh grits, spending less time with each (naturally you wont need as much of each). Remove the valve stem if possible if its getting in the way while sanding. Once you've finished with the 2000 grit, you're ready to polish it. Make sure to dry the lip completely, and the follow the directions on the mother's polish can. Now watch in amazement. Click the link below for a (hopefully) helpful video on how to do all of this. If your fingers aren't bleeding once you're done, you have worked hard enough (or you were smart and wore gloves).
http://www.wku.edu/~ja...b.wmv
__________________________________________________
Modified by EH3Civic at 9:43 AM 4/8/2006
What you'll need to repolish:
320,400,600,800,1000,1500,2000 grit sandpaper
a can of mothers aluminum and mag polish
concrete blocks or other very sturdy jackstands
soapwater (i used sun sations apple scented dish washing liquid)
a spare shirt that you wont mind ruining
a buddy
gloves (optional)
It may sound crazy, but in order to make sure that all the stains came out and there would be a nice result, I did a preliminary sanding of the outer edge of the lip. This is where the buddy and sturdy jack stands come in.
-Jack the car up and set it on the stands to where the front wheels are safely off the ground.
-Have your buddy start up the car and put it in 5th, taking the car up to about 35mph
-Douse the wheel in water
-Since you've prepared all of your sandpaper and have soaked the 320 grit in the soapwater, gentle press the 320 grit to the outer edge of the wheel. When black starts to seep through, get some more, and wet it.
-Continue this until you feel that the abnormalities in the wheel finish are sanded down.
Sanding with the 320 grit will take the longest since in this step you are removing the imperfections that have irritated you so. After sanding with the 320, precede with the rest of the sanding using the order mentioned in the "what you'll need" list. As you get closer and closer to using the 2000grit, it'll require less time on each sanding. Once your done sanding with the 2000 grit, you're done with the preliminary sanding. You may also want to vary the speed if you feel safe doing so, just dont press too hard.
.................................................. ......
Now heres the fun...
To resand it all, you'll only need 400,600,1000,1500,2000 grit sandpaper. The idea is to make sure that every thing stays wet and for good measure, you should try to make sure that the sanding strokes are nice and radial, following the curvature of the wheel. Jagged sanding will produce a duller looking polish at the end, and is likely due to lack of attention. Since the inside is likely the worst looking part of the wheel due to grime just eating away at the finish and the likes (i guess...), you should be very careful to be sure to spend a lot of time with the 400 grit, and chances are, you'll need a lot of 400 grit sand paper (I used 2 5x7 sheets on each wheel). Make sure that every part of the lip has been touched good be the 400 grit and it all should look relatively the same, with no oddities when you look at the wheel (just a dull looking but consistent looking lip). Once this is done, continue sanding with the less harsh grits, spending less time with each (naturally you wont need as much of each). Remove the valve stem if possible if its getting in the way while sanding. Once you've finished with the 2000 grit, you're ready to polish it. Make sure to dry the lip completely, and the follow the directions on the mother's polish can. Now watch in amazement. Click the link below for a (hopefully) helpful video on how to do all of this. If your fingers aren't bleeding once you're done, you have worked hard enough (or you were smart and wore gloves).
http://www.wku.edu/~ja...b.wmv
__________________________________________________
Modified by EH3Civic at 9:43 AM 4/8/2006
12-24-2005, 05:45 PM
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Re: polish (or repolish) your lip (DIY) - video included (EH3Civic)
good stuff jason, I might use that someday, when I have a set of wheels with a polished lip. For real though, they look better than when you got them. Sorry about the fingers......
12-24-2005, 09:17 PM
#5
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Re: (ekcivic9)
yeah, i'm trying to make my mom a Christmas CD. Its hard to finger pick on the guitar when each time i pick a string with those fingers, its just like putting wire into the wounds lol...maybe next time i'll use those thin latex gloves. 
Oh and Merry Christmas to those that celebrate it.
Oh and Merry Christmas to those that celebrate it.
02-24-2006, 05:18 PM
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Re: (NeWnMpR0VeD)
ridiculous
good info for alotta folks out there... btw, use real jackstands next time as cinderblocks are pretty easy to crack, especially with a 2500lb civic on top of it
good info for alotta folks out there... btw, use real jackstands next time as cinderblocks are pretty easy to crack, especially with a 2500lb civic on top of it
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02-24-2006, 08:50 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
Re: (jdmsiR20)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdmsiR20 »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">ridiculous
good info for alotta folks out there... btw, use real jackstands next time as cinderblocks are pretty easy to crack, especially with a 2500lb civic on top of it</TD></TR></TABLE>
Eh, whats the worst thing that could happen? Cinderblocks crack, car falls, runs me over, runs through the garage door and flies off into the holler destroying both my car and my friend inside - Me, my friend, my civic, and my wheels i was polishing, all dead.
Yeah, I WOULD have used jackstands, but I have more trust for these cinderblocks than my stands because the stands arent really sturdy enough for me to feel safe anywhere near the car when its jacked up and actually operating (shaking with acceleration and deceleration and the likes.) These particular cinderblocks are tried and true, and i havent died because of them once.
BTW: I'd recommend doing ALL of the polishing by hand without using my "jacked up" method (no pun intended), because its much more fulfilling once your done.
good info for alotta folks out there... btw, use real jackstands next time as cinderblocks are pretty easy to crack, especially with a 2500lb civic on top of it</TD></TR></TABLE>
Eh, whats the worst thing that could happen? Cinderblocks crack, car falls, runs me over, runs through the garage door and flies off into the holler destroying both my car and my friend inside - Me, my friend, my civic, and my wheels i was polishing, all dead.
Yeah, I WOULD have used jackstands, but I have more trust for these cinderblocks than my stands because the stands arent really sturdy enough for me to feel safe anywhere near the car when its jacked up and actually operating (shaking with acceleration and deceleration and the likes.) These particular cinderblocks are tried and true, and i havent died because of them once.
BTW: I'd recommend doing ALL of the polishing by hand without using my "jacked up" method (no pun intended), because its much more fulfilling once your done.
04-22-2006, 04:51 AM
#14
Honda-Tech Member
Re: (STREETWERKZ)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by STREETWERKZ »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">how long do i have to watch the video until the good ol' boy from kentucky loses a hand? </TD></TR></TABLE>
oh damn........ what do i win!?
oh damn........ what do i win!?
04-22-2006, 10:03 AM
#16
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
Re: (ECAhatch)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by STREETWERKZ »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
oh damn........ what do i win!? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Lol, yeah, i lost it over time when redoing the things by hand...it just wore the skin off after a while. I ALMOST lost a finger or two with that valve stem...twice. But, its all good, i love the result.
oh damn........ what do i win!? </TD></TR></TABLE>
Lol, yeah, i lost it over time when redoing the things by hand...it just wore the skin off after a while. I ALMOST lost a finger or two with that valve stem...twice. But, its all good, i love the result.
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