Aluminum polishing? What are your best tips?

Like this?

7 in. 10 Amp Variable Speed Polisher

 

Yeah that’s the one I bought but mine is 2 years older. That looks nicer. At harbor freight store they sell 8” pads but they are for the 7” polisher. Says it on the packaging.. just turn that thing on full bore and burn that white diamond on. You will be like omg. It really is incredible. I unscrewed handle to get in hard to reach places but be careful of kick back if you hit valve stem or step on fuel tank

 

I have something like that with an 8” cotton pad from harbor freight. I use that for weekly rim polishing and the visor and other stainless parts. For heavy cutting I have a makita one.
Zephyr pro 40 liquid or Rebel red on a cotton wheel should take you bout 7-10 min a rim if it ain’t been trashed.

 

Do not let some idiot put acid on them. That coating will start peeling and ruins them. Then you really have to work with a machine and sanding.

 

Thanks ...I'll be in prison if that happens lol.

 

Top pic...trashed DB’s that are 2.5 years old and had 255k on them. Bottom pic is after having what was left of the DB coating sanded off and polished out. DB wheels are trash, once you get any little knick in the coating it’s all over but the crying. And Alcoa’s “warranty” isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on.

 

This stuff ProNano is specifically for Durabrite rims. I can’t attest to its effectiveness.

 

Wheels are certainly in good shape, just need a little more than hand polish. Is there is difference in using a foam polishing pad vs the cotton pad, better or worse? I’m new to this deal, apologies for all the questions

 

Cotton last longer in my opinion. I use cotton wheels. I’ve only tried the mother’s buff balls on a drill and they start to shred pretty quick. I could be using em wrong.

 

Thank you !
This winter gonna be hard on anything that corrodes .