Jeweling metals, need info

[Toolguy]

I have done a bit of this work in the past. The information here is good. What I didn't see yet is the original surface finish. In my experiments, the engine turning went faster and easier when the original surface is polished to a very smooth finish. This gives a shine and consistency to the swirls and takes a lot less time on each spot because you are not having to overcome a dull or otherwise imperfect finish.

[rendoman]

Thanks for the advice! I will try with polished surface
I'm undecided about which panel I should jewel, maybe the front and the tube top are good size, the big top plate is maybe too wide.

That's the amplifier for electrostatic headphone i'm trying to build, if someone was interested in seeing more pictures

https://www.facebook.com/stefano.ran...4376382&type=3

[rendoman]

Hi all!
I just finished to polish the front panel. This aluminum is very difficult to polish, it's easy to leave marks on the surface.
It should be shiny enough, I hope, for the jeweling process.
I will cut round disc of sand paper, different grit, in order to see what's the best grade. I have to prepare a test alu panel (same metal)

[rendoman]

Little update
I just tried with another test plate, same aluminum polished and sand paper disk attached to wooden rod.

Setting is :

-3000 rpm,
- 180 and 220 grit disc 5mm diameter

Not working configuration, the sand paper in really no time is full of alu dust and stops cutting. Even the control is not good compared to leather pad, the plate tried to move, making work difficult.

I'm having trouble finding coarse paste, I can find only very fine type, not enough. Currently I don't want to spend lot of money in shipping and different pastes in order to try different attempts. To be honest, I don't know if continue or not, this type of aluminum is not like ergal or stainless steel, I have sensation that a normal mirror finish could be better

[petertha]

Something you might want to try if the classic swirl is not a prerequisite. I had some dead easy results on aluminum using a random orbital sander & coarse grit sandpaper (100 grit I think). Photography of metal never seems to look like real life but to describe - its kind of a sugary looking textured pattern like coarse sand blast but not deep & not quite as matt. It easily hides scratches & blemishes. This shows before & after of off-the-mill stock & another scrap part was machined but with scratches. Harder to describe than actually do, but here are some samples.

[olderdan]

Peter that is quite an attractive decorative finish, could be useful for panels etc, I like the hint of a flower in the middle.

[Toolmaker51]

Rendoman; 3000 RPM is kind of fast for jeweling soft material. While abrasive is needed, a lot of common products can be tried. Kitchen and bath cleansers come to mind, ours are Comet, Bon Ami, Barkeepers Friend...maybe cement mix, grout, toothpaste, emery dust deserve a shot too.
Set a positive stop on the quill and count [experiment]1 2 3 for consistent timing and degree of spot desired. A spot of X diameter should overlap preceding spot about 1/3 proportionally. The next row originates 1/2 a diameter above and over. Something like stacking tubes or racking palla da biliardo.

[petertha]

.. I like the hint of a flower in the middle.

HaHa. That's actually kind of a fluky photographic highlight aberration of the random orbital motion. The surface looks quite equally textured at eye level

[rendoman]

I will try with reduced speed and leather pad so!

I just found oxide aluminum, 220 gr in a local shop, it seems a good choice maybe mixed with toothpaste or oil.

Thanks for the advices!

https://www.hobbyland.eu/ita/shop/os...-1-kg/p-12953/

[olderdan]

Agree with your comments Toolmaker 51, if a fairly coarse finish is the target I have used fine sand mixed with a little oil to a paste with good results on the end of a plain wooden dowel, at least it is cheap to try.