little round scrolls on aluminium sheet

[dnej]

Anyone know how to do those fancy circles you see on aluminium tankers?
David

[NormC]

Re: little round scrolls on aluminium sheet

The DIY method is to put some fine steel wool into the chuck of a power drill and hold it gently against the alloy. Just a second or two for each spot. Try it on some scrap aluminium first - the result should impress you.

Norm C

[tunaticer]

Re: little round scrolls on aluminium sheet

Jewelling as it is called is done similar to what Norm suggested.
You use a sanding pad with a flexidrive shaft with a leather pad and some heavy cutting compound or fine grinding paste. Suggested to have a board with notches at the correct spacings for the shaft of the sanding disc to sit in to stop wandering with.

Practice makes perfect as in everything else. It takes a bit of fiddling around to get spacings good and amount of polishing right.

I have also seen it done with a scotchbright pad on a velcro sanding pad with ok effects, it polishes more than jewells the surface.

[finga]

Re: little round scrolls on aluminium sheet

These little suckers do a great job.

http://www.australianabrasives.com/3mroloc.htm

Look for the surface conditioning discs

I'd be cautious about the steel wool.
Steel wool+aluminium boat+salt= mess

[dnej]

Re: little round scrolls on aluminium sheet

Roloc system
Sanding discs
Surface cond. discs
Bristle discs
Unitized wheels
Backing pads
Inquiry

Scott, any of those in particular?
David

[finga]

Re: little round scrolls on aluminium sheet

Surface conditioning discs