The DIY of Bling - as promised in the for sale section

[Adam_NAclubman]

Won't it just look crappy again after a few months anyway? Or does underbonnet crud take a looong time to build up?

[Ajay]

oh dear im tired lol..

so Uncle Arthur.. how do i go about sanding in the small hard to get places?.. eg.. around lead holes and bolt holes,

and how GOOD to i need to sand it.. will the polishing part do most of the work.. i have got the whole thing SHINY.. however there are some small black dots that dont seem to come off..

and im so sorry for all the stupid questions.. but should i just go to a hardware store and ask for a metal polishing power drill attachment?...


Cheers..
Ajay

[Uncle Arthur]

oh dear im tired lol..

but should i just go to a hardware store and ask for a metal polishing power drill attachment?...

There are no stupid questions Grasshopper.....

Get into the fiddly bits however you can,

and yes - go buy the polishing kit. I paid about $15

[Nycho]

Damn imma gonna give this a go! Love a good cheap bling project, im pretty sure i got the 400 sand paper ready to go

[Ajay]

how many sheets have you got.. ive already went through like 5 lol but its good fun...

[Fuzzlet]

Hmm this looks like a good bit of fun to try one day.....I'm just not sure what to polish ....The parts most people polish I've painted.....I'd polish the turbo but its kinda attached lol

and im so sorry for all the stupid questions

The only stupid questions are ones that are not asked

[Nycho]

i got 3 sheets, sound like a bunnings mission is in order

[bruce]

Be very careful when polishing as the item may launch itself if you're buffing at high speed. Big gloves, eye protection and don't stand in front of the item.

Also items get hot from friction, so I wouldn't go grabbing them straight away.

[Ajay]

hey guys, just an update..

ive sanded the whole thing.. just moving onto the polishing stage.. might have to go and get a bigger sanding wheel to get down into those tight to reach places..

UA.. what do you use to polish RIGHT in the corners???..

[Ajay]

WOAH!!.. wait.. so i dont actually polish the inner part of the cover???

i just looked at the mania one and they didnt polish the centre
http://www.mx5mania.com.au/product1163.htm

did you do this UA??.. i suppose you dont really need to do you?.. the leads cover the majority of it

Cheers
Ajay

[Uncle Arthur]

The one on my car is polished - the one in the pics I sent I have painted red to match the car it will go on,

and www.mx5parts.co.uk have a polished cover that bolts over the leads and you'd never know.

[ben wilson]

Won't it just look crappy again after a few months anyway? Or does underbonnet crud take a looong time to build up?

Just like paint, if you wax it and put in a effort to keep it clean, it should look good for a long time..

[Bevan]

WOAH!!.. wait.. so i dont actually polish the inner part of the cover???

It's your car. Polish what you want to polish, leave what you don't want to polish. No right or wrong about it. Simple.

[lowmiata]

Be very careful when polishing as the item may launch itself if you're buffing at high speed. Big gloves, eye protection and don't stand in front of the item.

Also items get hot from friction, so I wouldn't go grabbing them straight away.

Polish at your own peril here but its actually safer not to wear gloves!

Gloves are the number one cause of hand injuries as they get caught in machinery to easily!

As for polishing the hard bits there are easy and hard ways to do everything

easiest way would be to buy a dremel with a few polishing attachments

the inside of the cam cover where the plugs are is quite easy to polish you just need a pedastal grinder with a deep enough throat that you wont hit the side of the cover

Couple of little tips
There is a casting line all the way around the cover near where the seal is
grind this off completely as it will give it a much better look!

finish polishing cover before applying paint into the lettering

to get into the 90 deg corners @ the sanding stage use a scotch bright pad (not as harsh in the corner as sand paper)

after sanding and before polishing rub well with a scotch bright pad to get any sanding grain out of the piece

start of with a sisal mop 1/2 inch ones are good to cut down and get it started

load it up with polish (burn polish into mop just till it starts flicking everywhere!)

dont sink the pice into the mop as you will get a low spot and will be chasing it for ever!

alternate directions ie go 45deg one way for 5 minutes then flip the piece 90 deg and go again
This is to stop any groves forming int the piece

after the 1/2 inch mop you can do the same with a 1 inch mop with white polish
(this will bring up the lustre in the piece but wont bring it all the way! is will smooth the whole piece over and prepare it for the next stage

Which is

The bling wheel!
with green polish and a 2 inch mirror finish mop you spend the same time as first sisal mop changing direction and all that till you get the bling finish

to clean it dont use anything but whiting on a very soft(clean cloth)
(the whiting clumps the polishe which is what is left)

once cleaned with whiting use a clean cloth (very soft and wipe it all over so you have got rid of the polish and whiting)

So now you have something very very shinny you will spend the next ten year trying to keep it clean!
(or give up like i did!)

might have to get serious and clean up my engine bay!

[Nycho]

Well i started this little blinga, i got some more 400 sand paper and a josco metal polish kit, for a drill, from the tool section of bunnings. only done the front part as a test, on the car itself, and wow what a difference!

Heres A Pic!