Got up to 1500 grit this evening, the end is in sight!
Yikes, I usually don't go much past 400, lol. Then it's on to buffing with the coarse black emery compound. I find that will remove the scratches left by 400 paper.
Well yes, but you usually can't eliminate all the sanding. I sand much less than I used to but it's still needed in some spots. I use mostly power stuff now, the grit impregnated nylon bristle wheels, Nylox I think they're called, and Roloc discs in a die grinder. The sanding in spots is usually to remove some scratching left by those tools, but I still don't get much below 400. Usually 320 to remove the scratches, then 400 to smooth it out more, then on to the buffing wheel.
Yes, a fork rebuild or overhaul is a lot like the same on carbs - it's like 99% about the cleaning. In particular on forks, I like to get the lowers thoroughly cleaned out inside. There's usually a lot of sludge built up in the bottoms and it doesn't come out when they're simply drained. You have to get in there and swab it out. Engines can do the same, build up sludge inside, but getting the oil really hot before draining washes a lot of that out. Forks aren't like that, they don't get hot, so the sludge remains.
To facilitate cleaning the insides, I made up a "special tool". This is nothing more than a length of 1/4" rod with a little eye bent in one end to thread a rag through .....
Wrap the rest of the rag around the rod, dip it in solvent, and swab away to your heart's content .....
You can get the insides clean as a whistle.
You're achieving brilliant results!
It would probably help starting with some coarser buffing compound as well (brown or black). That will more readily remove any sanding scratches. I use the very coarse black emery most, and always start with it. Then it's on to the 2nd coarsest, the brown Tripoli. Then I will sometimes finish with the white high polish compound, but usually not. After the brown, I'm usually pretty happy.
I've constructed myself a little portable rolling "buffing station". I have 6" and 8" buffers mounted on it. The two 8" wheels get used for the heavy buffing with the black compound. The stitched 6" wheel is for the brown compound and the "loose" 6" wheel is for the white .....
The buffers aren't really good ones, just the ones from HF. The 6" one is a bit weak and can be slowed down if you push the piece into it too hard. The 8" one works much better and seems more than powerful enough. Unfortunately, they discontinued it, lol.
You're achieving brilliant results!
Yes... very shiny.
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I used an old pull along tool box. All supplies go in the box and I wheel it out to the driveway to make my mess.
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It's about a gazillion yrs old, so the data plate's missing. I think it's a 1/3hp? The wheels (both now) are 8" X 5/8" arbor. It's plenty strong enough for the 8" wheels.How powerful is your machine Jim? What size is the larger of the two wheels you have on it?