Advice Needed On Polishing Vintage Wheels Please
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 121
Bikes: Fuji Espree, Sun EZ-1 Recumbent Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Advice Needed On Polishing Vintage Wheels Please
I've aquired a 1981 Fuji Royale in very nice shape, but the wheels were really grimy and stained. I used Finish Line degreaser, this took off the grime and cleaned the wheels up. Then I used Chromax polish on the wheels...I was careful to use a light hand with this polish. This has left me with clean and bright wheels.....but the finish is kind of a satin metal now. How can I shine them up furthur so they are really shiney, glossy? Would I need to resort to some kind of tiny polishing wheel? Or is this the best I can expect? Your advice is definately appreciated!
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada - burrrrr!
Posts: 11,674
Bikes: 1958 Rabeneick 120D, 1968 Legnano Gran Premio, 196? Torpado Professional, 2000 Marinoni Piuma
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1372 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,751 Times
in
938 Posts
Try rubbing a cleaned spot with toothpaste and a soft cloth. That might help a bit but for really shiny, machine polishing or decreasing grits of wet and dry sand paper is the answer. You will also have to include a copious amount of elbow grease to get really good results.
__________________
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
"98% of the bikes I buy are projects".
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
Posts: 9,579
Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1607 Post(s)
Liked 2,216 Times
in
1,103 Posts
It is a lot easier without the spokes attached!
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
Isn't that the truth, SJX! One of the, if not THE most frustrating, tiresome and difficult tasks in cleaning up old bikes: polishing aluminum rims that are laced up to hubs. I still haven't figured out a good way to do it, and still hate doing it.
#5
Senior Member
Mothers
Lot of work with Mother's got them looking like I wanted. Tried a Dremel with soft wheel but didn't work too well for me so I did them with the cloth around the finger method.
Best to remove tires first of course. Don't know why I left them on while polishing. A Duh moment I guess.
I tried to keep the Mothers off the braking surfaces and when I was finished polishing, I lightly "sanded" the breaking surfaces with 0000 steel wool.
I was told the shine will dull quickly in regular use but I sold the bike shortly after and can't comment on this.
I subsequently did another set from a coaster brake bike and waxed the polished areas. Still looks good after 6 months but I only ride this bike occasionally in nice weather.
Last edited by okane; 08-25-14 at 07:19 AM.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
I tried my Dremel too, Okane. Using Flitz or something. Sort of worked, but flung polish all over me and everything else. Even though I tried to use a lower speed. BTW, I really like that paint stirring stick with 3/8 inch wool felt glued to it. WHO made those? Kreist but my memory sucks. Great design though. Narrow enough to get between the spoke nipples and with a nice long handle so you can maneuver the thing.
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Portland OR
Posts: 7,639
Bikes: 61 Bianchi Specialissima 71 Peugeot G50 7? P'geot PX10 74 Raleigh GranSport 75 P'geot UO8 78? Raleigh Team Pro 82 P'geot PSV 86 P'geot PX 91 Bridgestone MB0 92 B'stone XO1 97 Rans VRex 92 Cannondale R1000 94 B'stone MB5 97 Vitus 997
Mentioned: 146 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 392 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 49 Times
in
31 Posts
I think almost as bad is polishing the hub of a built wheel. I can't get my fingers in there, it seems. Who puts leather straps around their hubs to keep them polished?
#8
Senior Member
Ditto and who
Ditto: Sort of worked, but flung polish all over me and everything else. Even though I tried to use a lower speed. BTW
Who: I really like that paint stirring stick with 3/8 inch wool felt glued to it. WHO made those? I was going to make my own but I couldn't think of a glue that would hold the felt secure yet allow the felt's polishing surface to remain soft.
Who: I really like that paint stirring stick with 3/8 inch wool felt glued to it. WHO made those? I was going to make my own but I couldn't think of a glue that would hold the felt secure yet allow the felt's polishing surface to remain soft.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
Crikey, Okane. I'll have to go way back through my PM's to find out. My sincere apologies to whomever it was. *
If I was going to do it I think I'd use Weldwood contact cement. NOT thin, craft store felt, mind you, on which the glue might seep through and stiffen up the felt. Thick felt.
I now have some 1/2 inch wool sheet felt if you'd like to try a piece. A bit thicker and a bit softer than the original, but might work.
*(my sh*tty memory embarrasses me more often than I like)
If I was going to do it I think I'd use Weldwood contact cement. NOT thin, craft store felt, mind you, on which the glue might seep through and stiffen up the felt. Thick felt.
I now have some 1/2 inch wool sheet felt if you'd like to try a piece. A bit thicker and a bit softer than the original, but might work.
*(my sh*tty memory embarrasses me more often than I like)
Last edited by rootboy; 08-25-14 at 08:14 AM.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 7,238
Bikes: '72 Cilo Pacer, '72 Gitane Gran Tourisme, '72 Peugeot PX10, '73 Speedwell Ti, '74 Peugeot UE-8, '75 Peugeot PR-10L, '80 Colnago Super, '85 De Rosa Pro, '86 Look Equipe 753, '86 Look KG86, '89 Parkpre Team, '90 Parkpre Team MTB, '90 Merlin
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 830 Post(s)
Liked 2,122 Times
in
554 Posts
I agree with jyl, polishing laced hubs is just as bad. I can get a laced rim polished, it's just tedious. I take a "good enough" attitude when trying to polish laced hubs.
+1 to Mother's Polish.
#11
Senior Member
I just did some old Mavic rims and here's what I did. It wasn't completely painless but it worked as well as anything else I've tried (although I haven't done the paint stick thing - that looks good).
Put the wheel on a truing stand. Work on the bottom of the rim. This aleviates the need to hold the wheel and allows 2-handed operation. I used Mothers, applied with a gray Scotchbrite pad. I think these are about equivalent to 0000 steel wool, but I don't get the same hazing as I'd expect with the latter. I buffed that out with a soft cotton cloth (one end in each hand, shoe shine style), then finished with another round of buffing with a fresh clean cloth.
Put the wheel on a truing stand. Work on the bottom of the rim. This aleviates the need to hold the wheel and allows 2-handed operation. I used Mothers, applied with a gray Scotchbrite pad. I think these are about equivalent to 0000 steel wool, but I don't get the same hazing as I'd expect with the latter. I buffed that out with a soft cotton cloth (one end in each hand, shoe shine style), then finished with another round of buffing with a fresh clean cloth.
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
That was @16Victor: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vi...hing-tool.html
I agree with jyl, polishing laced hubs is just as bad. I can get a laced rim polished, it's just tedious. I take a "good enough" attitude when trying to polish laced hubs.
+1 to Mother's Polish.
I agree with jyl, polishing laced hubs is just as bad. I can get a laced rim polished, it's just tedious. I take a "good enough" attitude when trying to polish laced hubs.
+1 to Mother's Polish.
And ditto on doing laced hubs. I was tempted to take the last wheel I did apart first.
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
Posts: 9,579
Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1607 Post(s)
Liked 2,216 Times
in
1,103 Posts
Good enough approach is what I use too. If by shoe shine approach you mean putting the cloth between the spokes and moving it back and forth, yes! I follow that up with spinning the tire or rotating it to get the surface next to the spoke that the rag didn't get. If done well enough you dont get a sqaure around the spoke. I used this approach on my tandem that has 48 spokes per wheel! Real marathon!
Hubs are worse. I use a toothbrush to get around the spokes and flange. It may not polish all the surface but "good enough". It is getting harder the older I get. It is a real exercise for the fingers! Of course the freewheel is removed first.
Spokes are a pain too. I use 0000 steel wool doing the nipple to the first cross first then do the rest after. If you are carefull you can get overlap at the first cross. The rest are done to a "good enough" state!
For some goofy reason, it feels good to get this off my mind! I guess I needed to articulate this most vexing effort in cleaning up a bike. Is there something worse?
Hubs are worse. I use a toothbrush to get around the spokes and flange. It may not polish all the surface but "good enough". It is getting harder the older I get. It is a real exercise for the fingers! Of course the freewheel is removed first.
Spokes are a pain too. I use 0000 steel wool doing the nipple to the first cross first then do the rest after. If you are carefull you can get overlap at the first cross. The rest are done to a "good enough" state!
For some goofy reason, it feels good to get this off my mind! I guess I needed to articulate this most vexing effort in cleaning up a bike. Is there something worse?
#14
52psi
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 4,015
Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 802 Times
in
391 Posts
I just did a "good enough" job on some aluminum rims with Nevr-Dull wadding polish. The end result was pretty good, but any spots you miss when buffing off the polish will develop a white glaze. It wipes off easily enough, but it seemed every time I looked there were another couple of spots I missed. I'm conflicted about recommending it for this reason.
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 121
Bikes: Fuji Espree, Sun EZ-1 Recumbent Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks for turning me on to Mothers auto chrome polish, I hadn't thought of that. Yeah, I wasn't too happy with the wheel when I was done, clean, but dull. I'll try the mothers and use the shoe shine method and see what happens.
#16
Senior Member
I don't seem to know how to embed a video.
[edit] OK, got it.
Last edited by due ruote; 08-25-14 at 06:50 PM.
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 121
Bikes: Fuji Espree, Sun EZ-1 Recumbent Bike
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Hey, thanks everybody, went out and got the Mothers polish, after the first application I saw an improvement. I think a couple or 3 more applications might bring it close to the original shine.....so I appreciate it. Fortunately I had only done the back wheel with the chromax.....it came highly recommended to me, but it appears it is a little abrasive....must be meant for more rusted, corroded rims than mine was. I'll stick with the mothers' from now on.
#18
Shifting is fun!
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: South Holland, NL
Posts: 11,003
Bikes: Yes, please.
Mentioned: 279 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2196 Post(s)
Liked 4,595 Times
in
1,764 Posts
Precisely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=UYUDJ2Dc-Vc
I don't seem to know how to embed a video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...&v=UYUDJ2Dc-Vc
I don't seem to know how to embed a video.
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: TORONTO , ONT , CA
Posts: 813
Bikes: '86 AMBROSI / C RECORD. PINARELLO MONTELLO / FRAME, FORK.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Stainless steel, and/or aluminium don't mix with steel wool; dissimilarity of metals.
Regards,
J T
Regards,
J T
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
Posts: 9,579
Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1607 Post(s)
Liked 2,216 Times
in
1,103 Posts
@LordMarv - if you "rub" with Mothers until your rag gets black, the results will be improved with the single application. The black is the AL being removed from the surface. One of the benefits of Mothers is that it leaves a little protection on the surface. I did a Stronglight crank several years ago and it is finally ready for another cleaning.
BTW: I put vinegar and oil on my Subway tuna sandwich and it has very positive results!
BTW: I put vinegar and oil on my Subway tuna sandwich and it has very positive results!
#22
Newbie
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Atlanta, ga
Posts: 68
Bikes: Bridgestone 300 ; Bridgestone XO3; Motobecane Grand Jubilee; Surly karate monkey; Lemond ventoux "team z" colors; Diamondback Master TG pink with black splatter paint
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Well I’m in the middle of polishing 2 sets of assembled wheels for the first time. One set from a 70’s motobecane, and one set from a 80’s bridgestone (both original to the bikes). The motobecan rims have a more coplex profile which is more difficult to polish than the flatter profiled wheels off the bridgestone.
I’ve never been a clean freak about anything but most of my toys (cars, motorcycles, bicycles, RC airplanes, etc.) stay on the cosmetically challenged but functional side of things. I have to blame this forum and my riding buddy that is pretty meticulous about his bicycles and now motorcycle. I’m ashamed by my lack of cleanliness when we ride together. His stuff always looks so freakin’ clean/nice and it’s not because they never get out of the garage. He rides both often but spends time keeping them sharp as well.
My method/system I’ve been using to bring wheels back to life. I think being methodical/systematic yields pretty good results, also doing it in very small bites.
Two tubes (blue and red) of Wenol that I got at a car show probably 20 years ago but never used. Red seems to have a little more cutting power so that’s all I’m using now. Maybe I’ll use the blue to maintain in the future but my wheels are pretty oxidized to start with.
Two heavy duty blue paper towels/shop towels from home improvement store (one dirtish, one cleanish).
Put a dab of polish on 3 spaces between spokes, rub with bare finger until it turns black and then keep rubbing some more, being sure to get the area between the spoke at the brake surface.
Wipe finger off with the dirtier of two paper towels, then with the cleaner paper towel go back and polish the black off the rim, try to use a clean area of the paper towel each time.
Next rub the 3 or 4 spokes (of the area you just polished) with fingers and Wenol, polish off paper towel (good enough, applies here).
Finally go back and do the brake surface of the rim. Same method, same local area, each side.
I’ve been using the heavy duty blue paper towels as my polishing cloths so when the clean/polish one gets to be on the dirty side, I get a new polish cloth and the previous polish cloth is my new black finger wipe cloth and the dirtiest one goes in the trash. I think that is another key to good results. Work with clean cloth/paper towels otherwise you end up smearing around what you just rubbed off or just using more elbow grease to get a good shine.
I’ve been doing them in segments usually about a quarter of a wheel at a time in the evening.
I also have been using a sturdy but narrowish cardboard box open end up but flaps cut off on a desk as my stand, a bucket with some padding around its’ edge would also accomplish the same thing It’s a good standing height and I can put the wheel up right and 90 degrees from the long portion of the box which is a good position for polishing the area between the spokes, I can also lay he wheel flat on the box to get the spokes and brake surfaces of the rim. The box is compliant enough that I’m not worried about damaging anything, but sturdy enough to support while I’m polishing, and grippie enough that the rim isn’t moving all over while I’m trying to polish.
That’s my story, I’m only 1.5 wheels into my 4 wheel polish. :| First one I did with the tire on, then decided to take the tire and tube off the rest.
I’ve never been a clean freak about anything but most of my toys (cars, motorcycles, bicycles, RC airplanes, etc.) stay on the cosmetically challenged but functional side of things. I have to blame this forum and my riding buddy that is pretty meticulous about his bicycles and now motorcycle. I’m ashamed by my lack of cleanliness when we ride together. His stuff always looks so freakin’ clean/nice and it’s not because they never get out of the garage. He rides both often but spends time keeping them sharp as well.
My method/system I’ve been using to bring wheels back to life. I think being methodical/systematic yields pretty good results, also doing it in very small bites.
Two tubes (blue and red) of Wenol that I got at a car show probably 20 years ago but never used. Red seems to have a little more cutting power so that’s all I’m using now. Maybe I’ll use the blue to maintain in the future but my wheels are pretty oxidized to start with.
Two heavy duty blue paper towels/shop towels from home improvement store (one dirtish, one cleanish).
Put a dab of polish on 3 spaces between spokes, rub with bare finger until it turns black and then keep rubbing some more, being sure to get the area between the spoke at the brake surface.
Wipe finger off with the dirtier of two paper towels, then with the cleaner paper towel go back and polish the black off the rim, try to use a clean area of the paper towel each time.
Next rub the 3 or 4 spokes (of the area you just polished) with fingers and Wenol, polish off paper towel (good enough, applies here).
Finally go back and do the brake surface of the rim. Same method, same local area, each side.
I’ve been using the heavy duty blue paper towels as my polishing cloths so when the clean/polish one gets to be on the dirty side, I get a new polish cloth and the previous polish cloth is my new black finger wipe cloth and the dirtiest one goes in the trash. I think that is another key to good results. Work with clean cloth/paper towels otherwise you end up smearing around what you just rubbed off or just using more elbow grease to get a good shine.
I’ve been doing them in segments usually about a quarter of a wheel at a time in the evening.
I also have been using a sturdy but narrowish cardboard box open end up but flaps cut off on a desk as my stand, a bucket with some padding around its’ edge would also accomplish the same thing It’s a good standing height and I can put the wheel up right and 90 degrees from the long portion of the box which is a good position for polishing the area between the spokes, I can also lay he wheel flat on the box to get the spokes and brake surfaces of the rim. The box is compliant enough that I’m not worried about damaging anything, but sturdy enough to support while I’m polishing, and grippie enough that the rim isn’t moving all over while I’m trying to polish.
That’s my story, I’m only 1.5 wheels into my 4 wheel polish. :| First one I did with the tire on, then decided to take the tire and tube off the rest.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
Posts: 9,579
Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
Mentioned: 73 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1607 Post(s)
Liked 2,216 Times
in
1,103 Posts
Here's to tenacity!
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Wherever
Posts: 16,748
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 556 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 132 Times
in
78 Posts
Makes my index finger hurt reading that but, that's pretty much how I do it. But next time, I'm going to give 16Victor's stick a try.
#25
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Point Reyes Station, California
Posts: 4,526
Bikes: Indeed!
Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1506 Post(s)
Liked 3,469 Times
in
1,131 Posts