Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

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Vitamin K
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Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by Vitamin K »

So...trying to get the batch of cars ready for the Mid-Americas. Had trued a bunch of wheels on the DW Shaver, and last night sat down to do some bore polishing with some Walgreens Q-Tip stems and some Novus 2.

Thought I would simplify the process by using my drill press on its slowest setting to chuck the q-tip and then I'd only have to hold the wheel while I polished.

Well, as it turns out, even 800 RPM is too fast for bore polishing this way. It stripped off a nice strip of inner bore as I polished, which hardened to a hard mass around the q-tip. The wheel was, of course, ruined.

I ended up having to use my variable-speed hand drill, and even then I had to just /barely/ apply pressure to the trigger, so that it spun at a crawl. It worked, but it also meant my hand started cramping after a while, from holding pressure on the drill trigger.

Anybody got suggestions for making the process more idiot-proof and less hand-crampy?
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by gpraceman »

Use a zip tie to hold the trigger? Then use the plug to power on/off.
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Vitamin K
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by Vitamin K »

gpraceman wrote:Use a zip tie to hold the trigger? Then use the plug to power on/off.
Ooh, that just might work! I'll have to give that a shot when I sit down to do the next batch of polishing. (Hand could only take so much last night).
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by ngyoung »

LOL. pretty sure with how much you have read through multiple forums you should have know better :)

Yes barely squeeze the trigger on a hand drill. It should be going slow enough that you can count the revolutions if you wanted. I like the zip tie idea, i was thinking of trying a ratchet clamp but I don't have too much problems polishing with one hand holding the wheel and one on the trigger.
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Vitamin K
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by Vitamin K »

ngyoung wrote:Yes barely squeeze the trigger on a hand drill. It should be going slow enough that you can count the revolutions if you wanted. I like the zip tie idea, i was thinking of trying a ratchet clamp but I don't have too much problems polishing with one hand holding the wheel and one on the trigger.
Would have been fine for 3 wheels. But 15 wheels was gonna be a stretch.

Also, since the kids have even less restraint than I do with going lightly, some kind of clamping system for the drill would be ideal, to take that bit of error out of the equation should they do the work (part of my original intention to try the drill press.)

I do like the idea of a ratchet clamp, since that's easily adjustable. Zip tie should work too, though, and I actually have some of those on hand.
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by birddog »

My hand drill has 2 speeds, fast and slow. When I put it on slow, I don't seem to have a problem. Normally the fit is tight enough that I couldn't spin it fast and still be able to hold onto the wheel, so I usually just do it as fast as the tightness of the bore allows.

I know of no way to make this process any faster.

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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by Vitamin K »

birddog wrote:My hand drill has 2 speeds, fast and slow. When I put it on slow, I don't seem to have a problem. Normally the fit is tight enough that I couldn't spin it fast and still be able to hold onto the wheel, so I usually just do it as fast as the tightness of the bore allows.

I know of no way to make this process any faster.
That's cool. Not trying to make it faster...just less error prone, and less requiring of maintaining hand tension for long periods of time.
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by whodathunkit »

Vitamin K wrote:
birddog wrote:My hand drill has 2 speeds, fast and slow. When I put it on slow, I don't seem to have a problem. Normally the fit is tight enough that I couldn't spin it fast and still be able to hold onto the wheel, so I usually just do it as fast as the tightness of the bore allows.

I know of no way to make this process any faster.
That's cool. Not trying to make it faster...just less error prone, and less requiring of maintaining hand tension for long periods of time.

VK,
The cordless drills are nice..
I know what you are saying about holding down the triger for a long time.
Have you tryed useing a (cordless screw driver) like a Black & Decker with a no load rpm of 130.
Here lately I've been useing one with a neiko 20753A 1/4 inch shank keyless chuck conversion tool.
Might give something like this a try.
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Last edited by whodathunkit on Wed Apr 15, 2015 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Vitamin K
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by Vitamin K »

whodathunkit wrote: VK,
The cordless drills are nice..
I know what you are saying about holding down the triger for a long time.
Have you tryed useing a (cordless screw driver) like a Black & Decker with a no load rmp of 130.
Here lately I've been useing one with a neiko 20753A 1/4 inch shank keyless chuck conversion tool.
Might give something like this a try.
Looks promising! Unfortunately, I haven't got one of those onhand, so I'll try the zip-tie tonight when I can steal some time at the workbench. Definitely a good idea for a tool to add to my box o' tricks, though.
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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

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Re: Bore Polishing, Trials and Errors

Post by davet »

One other thing about the bores. After you've hit the bores with the Q-tip shaft, use the same polish on a soft cotton pipe cleaner with a touch of water. Twist the pipe cleaner by about 10 times quickly. Then clean it out with the alcohol and do your final polish. The Novus (or whatever you use for initial smoothing) and a damp pipe cleaner spun by hand will really make that bore smooth and it will look wet before you even do your final polish.

Sorry, I just added another step. Not what you were looking for.
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