Polishing head fins

P

Paul Bennett

Well-known member
I see pretty flathead engines with polished aluminum head fins and some with satin finish fins. What is a typical cost for polishing and is there a downside in the future? I imagine one has to wipe dust and oil off every so often whether they are polished or not.
 
I bought a range of sand paper and aluminum buffing compounds from Eastwood, and a hand held rotary tool, and did the heads and intake manifold myself. It is kind of fun to do. Took maybe 20 hours. I just did the sides of the heads and the top edges of the fins, not the insides between the fins. Results were good, but not brilliant. Pictures show progress on the intake from stock Offenhauser to 80 grit to 240 grit to polishing compounds and anti-corrosion coating.
 

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It’s not hard to do, just time consuming. Get a dremmel or like tool. This will get between the fins.
Here are some hub caps I just did. We’re as cast aluminum finish to start.

Well I was going to post pictures, but once again they won’t load.
 
The easiest way to refurbish a set of stained and tarnished heads is a can of engine paint. Then progressively finer grit discs on an orbital sander followed by polishing compound if you wish to polish the fins.
 
Tinker said:
It's a local guy Northern MN, fast eddie. No website or anything. Not sure he ships.
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Can you help us get in touch with him? Being up in northern Minnesota, he must be looking for business. Since I'm in the Brainerd area, he would be convenient to me and I need some stuff done.

Phone number?, address?, you must have something.
 
Paul Bennett said:
I see pretty flathead engines with polished aluminum head fins and some with satin finish fins. What is a typical cost for polishing and is there a downside in the future? I imagine one has to wipe dust and oil off every so often whether they are polished or not.
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Hey Paul,
I am fortunate to have/use a guy about three mi away for my alum polish needs. He has a shop and does government stuff as his main stay $.
However, he will polish stuff and isn't cheap. He looks over what you have and will price it according to how much time it will take to do (ruff/dirty/oily..etc).

His guys do a GREAT JOB even to show polish. When you factor in shipping, insurance and whatever, would be best to locate someone near by to save.

To get best job, IMO, you should start out with CLEAN /new unused alum.
But after you get back and use parts, they will oxidize/dirt/oil, etc, so how clean you want to keep such stuff is a personal decision. I have learned tho, that a guy can have newly polished alum/other parts ...coated with a process that protects the shine and prevents oxidation. Kinda like a clear coating but maybe different ?

I had this done on this pictured pieces. You can see the quality of his work here...if comes thru: can give info of polisher on req..
 

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tubman said:
Can you help us get in touch with him? Being up in northern Minnesota, he must be looking for business. Since I'm in the Brainerd area, he would be convenient to me and I need some stuff done.

Phone number?, address?, you must have something.
Click to expand...


I'll pm you.
 
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