Polishing chrome iron heads and paintfill

[ScooterMcTavish]

Hey guys,

 

I've used the polish/drill-mounted tool for polishing chrome car wheels on clubs, and although it works good in taking off oxidation, I can't say that it makes clubs look as shiny-polishy as some have them advertised on eBay.

 

Anyone have some tips to make them look extra sparkly?

 

Also, anyone strip out old paintfill before adding new? If so, what works best (i.e. least amount of work)?

[tlhorsh]

removing paint fill a cheap bottle of acetone fingernail polish remover, time, toothpicks and qtips

[Maxwell]

[quote name='tlhorsh' timestamp='1433337072' post='11680846']
removing paint fill a cheap bottle of acetone fingernail polish remover, time, toothpicks and qtips
[/quote]

You could use acetone as TLhorsh suggests. I'm sure it would work very well. I travel,"across the river" to Niagara Falls N.Y. and pick up a can of,[url="http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1276736"]"Zip-Strip"[/url]. It is paint and finish remover. It is non-flammable but [url="http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/workshops/DWAppendix/ZipstripMSDS720.pdf"]toxic and poisonous[/url] like you would not believe. Canada won't allow it in the country to be sold.
Read the ingredients to find out why. I use a respirator when using the stuff BUT it does work well. Put a drop on a stamping and spread it around. Wait about 10 minutes and wipe the remainder off and then use a brass brush and brush out the paint fill "gently" and then what little is left, pick out with a tooth pick. Great stuff but dangerous for sure.
[color=#008000]As far as the buffing chrome goes[/color], I do have 2 cotton wheel set-ups and 1 Sisel wheel set-up with buffing bar compounds for stainless steel. For chrome it's two loose leaf cotton wheels together and green buffing bar compound. I use the loose leaf cotton wheel(2) set-up and green buffing bar compound for chrome because chrome peels and I don't want that. I want to buff the remaining chrome and not remove any chrome. Stainless steel irons really do come out nice. I have done about 6 complete sets of stainless steel irons.

Five HB's from the 50's(one set for our daughter Katie) and I think a set of Spalding Top-Flight Synchro-Dyned irons from 1953. Tape around the club head faces and sand blast the iron blade faces with glass beads. Wash and dry the club heads. Paint fill the stamping's and paint fill the bottom 2 lines of the face white. Clean the remaining white paint off the face and take a good look at your work. Not bad at all.
If you would like to see some pictures of my set-up let me know. I'll put it together for you and show you what I have.
Max
Canada
[email protected]

[Wriggles]

[quote name='Maxwell' timestamp='1435691825' post='11863932']
[quote name='tlhorsh' timestamp='1433337072' post='11680846']
removing paint fill a cheap bottle of acetone fingernail polish remover, time, toothpicks and qtips
[/quote]

You could use acetone as TLhorsh suggests. I'm sure it would work very well. I travel,"across the river" to Niagara Falls N.Y. and pick up a can of,[url="http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1276736"]"Zip-Strip"[/url]. It is paint and finish remover. It is non-flammable but [url="http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/hwtr/workshops/DWAppendix/ZipstripMSDS720.pdf"]toxic and poisonous[/url] like you would not believe. Canada won't allow it in the country to be sold.
Read the ingredients to find out why. I use a respirator when using the stuff BUT it does work well. Put a drop on a stamping and spread it around. Wait about 10 minutes and wipe the remainder off and then use a brass brush and brush out the paint fill "gently" and then what little is left, pick out with a tooth pick. Great stuff but dangerous for sure.
[color=#008000]As far as the buffing chrome goes[/color], I do have 2 cotton wheel set-ups and 1 Sisel wheel set-up with buffing bar compounds for stainless steel. For chrome it's two loose leaf cotton wheels together and green buffing bar compound. I use the loose leaf cotton wheel(2) set-up and green buffing bar compound for chrome because chrome peels and I don't want that. I want to buff the remaining chrome and not remove any chrome. Stainless steel irons really do come out nice. I have done about 6 complete sets of stainless steel irons.

Five HB's from the 50's(one set for our daughter Katie) and I think a set of Spalding Top-Flight Synchro-Dyned irons from 1953. Tape around the club head faces and sand blast the iron blade faces with glass beads. Wash and dry the club heads. Paint fill the stamping's and paint fill the bottom 2 lines of the face white. Clean the remaining white paint off the face and take a good look at your work. Not bad at all.
If you would like to see some pictures of my set-up let me know. I'll put it together for you and show you what I have.
Max
Canada
[email protected]
[/quote]

Ah. Zip Strip, I knew it well. Back around 45 years ago, my family moved into my grandfather's house when he passed. All the furniture (no high end) was from the late nineteenth century. I, a young pup of 18, got interested in antiques. I used Zip Strip, (a quart cost $ 1.98 back then. I stripped a bunch of my grandparents old furniture. I refinished an oak ice box, several tables, a china cupboard, and other stuff. Zip Strip worked well, but back in the day, I never used gloves, or protective eyewear. Fortunately, I never injured myself with the stuff. I recall it stung like a bee when you got it on your skin.

I haven't refinished anything lately, just a couple of golf woods. A few years ago, I inherited an Ansonia mantle clock from my maternal aunt. I used some type of citrus stripper. She had painted it brown. (Why do people paint wood?) The citrus stuff worked OK, but not like Zip Strip. I did use gloves and goggles this time.

Anyhow, the oak ice box was refinished right before I was drafted. I recall my aunt remarking to her husband about what a great job I did. My uncle didn't miss a beat. He replied, "Better than going into the jungle." (Meaning Vietnam.) Well, I was fortunate, never going overseas into the jungle.

I still have most of the furniture I refinished back then. It's cluttering up my house. Really don't want to part with the stuff, though. If I could sell some of the stuff for what those guys on Antiques Roadshow appraise items for, I'd be rich.

Cheers!

[Fellaheen51]

Wish I had a buffing wheel that Maxwell speaks of. Alas, I do not. Use a dremel buffing wheel on heavily oxidized heads. Good results using Simichrome polish, an old cotton tee shirt and elbow grease on shafts and heads that are in a little better shape.

+1 to what tlhorsh says about acetone. Only stuff I've ever used, seems to get the job done. Not to say something else may be better.

[Haig79]

+1 on Simichrome. Use it with a cotton buffing wheel attached to drill motor.

[bullrambler]

Can yuo guys kindly show a few pics of your set-up. I've been doing my buffing by hand and it is a long job that requires a lot of patience. I've not wanted to use a hand drill or dremel due to speed.

[Maxwell]

[size=5]Jack Baird from JB's Golf Service's in Welland,Ontario was taught by Dynacraft. Jack taught me how to refurbish stainless steel irons and "buff" chromed irons. Below are some pictures of,"my set-up" including Baldor electric motor, Sisel wheels and two cotton wheels. One cotton wheel is stitched and one cotton wheel loose leaf. The green buffing compound is good for both stainless steel and chrome [u]but[/u] the lose leaf cotton wheel is only used on the chromed irons. I configured my buffing area to give the greatest amount of space because my basement is small. [/size]
[size=5]The wooden buffing leaf "swings out" to allow for maximum working area and is pinned in place to the work bench with large 1/2" x 4" bolts with washer and nut. For the work I do this is a little bit of "over kill" but I don't want any movement of the electric motor or buffing/sisel wheel while pinned in place. There are two pictures(last two) that show in some detail how I attach the Sisel wheel to the arbour safely. You don't want any wheels flying off during operation of the electric motor while in operation. Read the instructions on the package when putting it(Sisel wheels) together. Sounds stupid but I had to ask Jack this," you do apply the buffing compound to the assigned wheel WHILE the electric motor is switched on and the appropriate wheel is turning - don't you?". No kidding...I wasn't sure. Write for further info you need any more or ask some of the guys at GolfWRX how they do it. In the[url="http://www.ebay.com/itm/1995-GOLF-CLUB-DESIGN-FITTING-ALTERATION-REPAIR-Ralph-D-Maltby-Hardcover-VGC-/361305478731?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541f7c164b"] Red Book[/url] there is a good section entitled," Refinishing and Rescoring irons". It can be found on page 200. A good resource as well. [/size]
[size=5]Max[/size]
[size=5]Canada[/size]
[size=5][email protected][/size]

[Strata3232]

To get paint fill off, I use a orange can of paint stripper, smells citrus. Shake can well, spray on. The next morning your paint fill will wipe right off. I use a grey bar of wax and a bench grinder. Comes out super shiney!!

[dcopp7]

You'd be shocked how well Bar Keepers Friend and a stiff brush with warm water does for some old chrome.