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Thinking of polishing up some xt cranks I have.any tips (what grade wet &dry to use etc) anything else I can use? Cheers
once you've got the old finish off and the bulk of the work done use Autosol to properly polish.
my only tips would be
1> use a powered polishing wheel/tool if you can
2> get someone else to do it if you can't
Start with 240, then work your way up 400, 600, 800, 1200, 1500 - 3000 if you want a mirror finish. It you jump up the grits too quickly it will just take longer and use more wet and dry paper. Then Autosol or similar as suggested above. A dremel with a polishing wheel would speed things up. Ebay is good for cheap wet and dry.
Someone did a really good job on a set of LX cranks a while back. Cannot find the link though.
Someone did a really good job on a set of LX cranks a while back. Cannot find the link though.
[url= http://www.velosolo.co.uk/jjcrank.html ]Poor man's Jones cranks?[/url]
Cheers guys time to roll up the sleeves!
I did a set of Saint, removed the anodising with caustic soda then polished similar to the suggestions above.
Came out like mirrors in the end.
Cheers guys time to roll up the sleeves!
My old M730s - original finish was somewhat like the outer ring pictured. Used a couple of increasingly fine wet and dry to flatten the original finish then got started with fine rags and Autosol.
Hours uncounted!
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Brasso
Some early Shimano Deore DX cranks I did:
[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1992%20GT%20Tequesta/737435af.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Retrobikes/1992%20GT%20Tequesta/737435af.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
Just using Autosol or brasso on its own won't work. You need to strip the remaining anodising and/or paint off to get to bare metal. Then as said, use all the grades of wet and dry up to 2000 then Autosol or Peek (my favourite). Waxing afterwards helps keep the shine.
It's a lot of work but very rewarding and a mirror finish looks awesome.
They'll need a quick going over with the Peek every so often but it only takes a couple of minutes.
I modd'ed a pair of M960 XTR cracks ala Jones style.
Decided that polishing was so YETERDAY so had them powercoated gloss black.
A bit more unusual and covered up some average grinding :O)
Only pic I've got to hand so to speak.
[URL= http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/timbur1/Jones%20Diamond/IMG_6825_zps3a442b24.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i1211.photobucket.com/albums/cc435/timbur1/Jones%20Diamond/IMG_6825_zps3a442b24.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
If you lend them to me I'll polish the drive side up in no time, well some of it at least.
Check these bad boys out Saint M800 cranks:
http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/11321170/
Stripped them using caustic soda (nasty stuff) about £4 from wilkinsons then used wet and dry 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1600 followed by autosol to get the polished look, took a little while but look really nice and like a new set!
Ps can anyone post the photo on here?
^
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Send 'em down to Prestwick, pay the return postage, and I'll grit blast and glass peen them, no probs.
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Like those too nobeer.
Gives an almost 'glittery' finish, and takes, oooh about 2 minutes a crank!.
Mine after 8 years on the singlespeed. Has a bit of frame saver on them, but polish them once every 6 months and all good.
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You guys need to get out more!
APF
Says a Palace fan....
Nobeer i like the finish on those cranks. you reckon you could do a pair of old square taper deores for me?
No worries, email in profile, as long as you pay postage both ways, I'll get em done.
more than happy to pay for the postage. i'll drop you an e-mail soon
srsly?Send 'em down to Prestwick, pay the return postage, and I'll grit blast and glass peen them, no probs.
How does the finish cope with muddy heel/crank interfaces?
Thrustyjust whats that sticking out (from the BBshell?) that you can see directly below the bb axle behind the chainring?
Thrusty's look good. Too much effort for my liking, but good effort to those who've done it.
Out of interest I've got Dura Ace polished cranks on my road bike, but I scuff them, obviously it's only the surface, there's no anodising to speak of - how much effort are we talking to get them back to 'new'?
Imagine like this, more like the scuffing on the RH crank, but worse:
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Did my Deore crank a few years ago,started with 600 grit wet n dry, then 800/1200/2000, andfinished with Meguiars metal polish.
Didn't get a perfect mirror finish, but it wouldn't take a huge amount of effort to get there.
[URL= http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/nellyeff/Giantfinished7.jp g" target="_blank">
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/nellyeff/Giantfinished7.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
These were the Saints (and frame!) after a years abuse… polished back up no probs. Frame took a bit longer but easier than a respray.
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A pair of mine, all done with polishing mops and compounds, finished off with Meguairs NXT polish.
A pair of Kooka's also
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And a pair of Cooks Bros
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Thrustyjust whats that sticking out (from the BBshell?) that you can see directly below the bb axle behind the chainring?
Looks like bolt housings for EBB to me...
how much effort are we talking to get them back to 'new'?
30 seconds polishing with brasso/autosol will have them mirror like again.