Polished Lower Unit

[hotdaddy27]

I have seen some lower units on this site and others that appear to have one sweet polish job.

Can I do this to my speedmaster lower unit (see link to picture)?

If so, what is the process?

My brother polished his motorcycle frame a few years back, and I remember he started off with a course sand paper and continued to get finer until he was into a compound like polish and eventually chrome cleaner/mothers metal polish. I aslo remember his fingers hurting like hell and it being quite time consuming!

Same process here?

Some of you guys that have done this, post some pics and let me know what worked for you!

Thank you in advance.

HD

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1224&d=1200364829

 

[claupie]

I have seen some lower units on this site and others that appear to have one sweet polish job.

Can I do this to my speedmaster lower unit (see link to picture)?

If so, what is the process?

My brother polished his motorcycle frame a few years back, and I remember he started off with a course sand paper and continued to get finer until he was into a compound like polish and eventually chrome cleaner/mothers metal polish. I aslo remember his fingers hurting like hell and it being quite time consuming!

Same process here?

Some of you guys that have done this, post some pics and let me know what worked for you!

Thank you in advance.

HD

http://checkmate-boats.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=1224&d=1200364829

Check w/ Merc 245..he has done it ,and came out real nice...

 

[hotdaddy27]

Check w/ Merc 245..he has done it ,and came out real nice...

I remembered a pic that he posted several months ago, did a search for it, but could not find it...From what I remember it came out great, shinny like a baby's a$$, just like the rest of his boat for that matter.

So lets hear it Merc245!!!

And post some more pics!!!! I can't see enough of that black pearl!

Thanks Claupie.

HD

 

[Big Red]

 

[hotdaddy27]

Thats the one!

Thanks Big Red!

Guess you looked harder then I did.

 

[Big Red]

I know Candelwood lake and have ate alot of subs from Toms cove

 

[Rob B]

HD here's a link from S&F forum for polishing LU's.

http://forums.screamandfly.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128045

 

[illMATTic]

polishing aluminum is lengthy process. it is messy. once you get it fully polished you just have to keep on it with some mothers mag polish to keep it up.

one thing you have to think of when polishing a lower unit....... how picky do you want to get? to have it shiny is easy. having a mirror finish is a whole nother story.

good luck

 

[hotdaddy27]

...... how picky do you want to get?

Me Picky???? Just ask poor Kip.

Claupie thanks for the link...very helpful!

Big Red, SMALL WORLD, I've put a few back at "down the snatch" oops I mean "down the hatch" that is for sure. I really enjoy Candlewood. If you ever come back up to CT with the boat, let me know. Our two Checkmates running side by side would be quite the headturner!

As always guys, Thanks!

Gotta add this one to the list of mods.

 

[hotdaddy27]

While I'm thinking of it...

How much speed do you really think I will loose by doing this???

 

[merc245]

Thats just a quickie Job,If you don't get professionaly done at quite a nice tidy little sum it will turn dull gray in a week as mine surely did.I think WILDMAN can help out here. I remember once him saying long ago. "I've have been busy polishing lowers all day or something to that fact.

Thanks for the kind words HotDaddy, I just wish this site was around 14 yrs ago when she was truely NICE & NEW!


Heres about the only one left not published

 

[Blizz]

If you use Flitz you would be surprised how little time it actually takes. If you sand it with something like 800-1000grit it shouldn't take an hour to polish it.

 

[hotdaddy27]

Not much worried about the time or the effort. Half the fun of a truly bad a$$ toy is the time and effor IMO.

Just wanted to know how it was done and as always you guys answered the call.

My Pop's says that it's not worth loosing speed......So I hope I don't loose 1mph.

Old school, gotta respect it (plus he gave me my first boat!)

 

[Dave Dendekker]

If you can achieve a full mirror polish it will not eliminate corrosion but it will make it take a long time. It will also make it easier to maintain. The higher polish provides less tooth for the water to stick. Flitz is a great idea.
When you have gone as far as you can with conventional methods you need a cotton wheel on a hand grinder and a variety of compounds. It's messy but works pretty quickly. watch out for the dark colour compounds - they cut fast but it's easy to leave depressions in the metal

 

[claupie]

How about sanding and then spray a clear coat(laquer)..Would that work,and less maintenance after,??

 

[illMATTic]

clear will peel. the aluminum will oxidize under it.

there is a product called zoopseal. it is used to seal raw polished aluminum. i have never used it since it is kinda pricey.

 

[jallen355]

I used Metal Gloss on the polished aluminum on my show bike. It's a two part system. A polish and a sealer. This might be good in this application for regular "maintainance", anyway. The polish does a great job and is non dusting, and wipes off easily. The sealer realy works well, too. The aluminum on the bike would begin to oxidize just sitting in the garage. Using the sealer definately slowed this process and made it less work before the next show polish.

http://www.metalgloss.com/

 

[Blizz]

Ant sealers will wear or peel off very quickly at running 70+ mph through the water.

 

[jallen355]

This is a glaze. It won't "peel" off. Wearing off in the water at high speeds...."plausable" as Myth Busters would put it...lol.

 

[hotdaddy27]

I wish I would have known about all these products when I had a set of polished aluminum rims that were impossible to maintain!!

Thanks Again.