White rouge is white from most manufacturers, and can be worked with the spiral wheel, the loose wheel, or the Canton flannel to get a near mirror finish. coarse polish with a soft buffing wheel. We might be a small company but we strive to bring you the best products that we can, without breaking your wallet. Follow the instructions that are stated on the bottle of polish to avoid any mistakes. Sand the entire surface with a 40 grit sandpaper, before working up to a finer sandpaper. Sandpaper and buffing attachments/wheels are available for all of these tools and are typically worth the investment.That being said, power tools aren’t necessary. When polishing brass (a softer metal) there are often minute marks in the metal caused by impurities. Soapy water, WD-40, and even toothpaste can be used to polish metals, but actual polishes work a lot better and a lot faster. Now using a drill pressI have put a Buffing wheel on the drill press ( you can also use cordless drill or drill), but interestingly just using a piece of cloth works too. Any tips or advice would be grateful. Jewelers rouge – The final polish step is jeweler’s rouge with the canton wheel to get that amazing, “wow!”, mirror finish. Scotch padsSand paper of 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500 and 2000 grid.3m polishing compound or any other polishing compound.Polishing wheel or buffing wheel.Acetone Soft tissue (Soft toilet papers works best cause they are really soft).Sterile rubber gloves (Optional). In this exciting video, we learn how to sand and polish stainless steel to a mirror finish by hand, with no power tools involved. However, it will be slower than using power tools. Step 1. Applying Polishing Compound With the buffing wheel turning toward you, gently press the compound against the bottom of the wheel. The quality of this finish is dependent on the quality of the metal being polished. Rub scotch pad2. Does it really exist or are you mistaken? Each step of the process brings the aluminum closer to a proud shine. It’s slightly abrasive and also a lubricant. Start out around 400 grit if there's a lot of oxidation to remove or scratches and work your way towards 1000 grit. How to cool it cause I can't use water cause it's brass (copper alloy). If you’ve got any pieces you want to share with us, please do so! 2) Brasso or other similar metal polishes have a micro fine abrasive that polishes the metal and removes any contamination like greasy fingerprints. 5 years ago Earlier in olden days people rubbed cloth on brass and copper pots for days and they still have a good finishing to this date. Weight Calculator, Returns Policy If you push too hard, you grind away too much material and create more divots. Power tools are magic when it comes to polishing. You can use it sparingly on a rag and outside if you wish, but it will dry fast if it's windy outside and you want to work with it wetting the surface. Shipping Status But some good news is that there are plenty of methods and tools to polish metals. It is strong, can be worked into almost anything, and it can be polished up to a beautiful mirror finish. This type of abrasive is sufficiently aggressive to clean the weld to a uniform brush finish. Inspect visually. Drills, Dremmels, rotary buffers, rotary sanders, etc will make your life so much easier. At Pier … It's also known as "wood alcohol" and methyl hydrate here in Canada. The number of steps required to bring an aluminum wheel to a mirror finish depends largely … Points about metal, metal poisoning, copper and brass are refereed from Wikipedia. "Copper wool"? The color motion gives a clean, bright, shiny surface finish. All kinds of stuff comes out of them. Rinse. Metal polishes are the last “tool” you’ll need. on Introduction. I enjoy hacking and disassembling as much as designing...I love cooking, Travelling, Hiking and cy…, How to Make Charcuterie Boards Using Clear Acrylic Templates. Buffing Wheel + Rouge. I've never seen that. And oh boy does that sheet shine when he’s finished with it! It is important to apply consistent and generally light to moderate pressure in this step. Also note that many metal polishes have a very mild acid to help dissolve oxidation, so in some cases there is no sanding needed at all but a power drill or polisher would still make the work go faster than doing it by hand. Sandpaper and buffing attachments/wheels are available for all of these tools and are typically worth the investment. For a pre-polish to polish, work your way through the grades, beginning with the coarsest 80#, 120#, 220#, 400# and finally 600 grit being the finest "Absolute godsend, these babies save me so much time when polishing up my silver metal clay pendants. This is mostly the metal oxide wiping off. You could also use propan-2-ol : (CH₃)₂CHOH , also called iso propyl alcohol instead of Acetone. Use soap and water to clean off any … Thanks for showing me.Need to get the materials first. D) Abrasives, get a good even surface with no deep scratches to ensure a deep mirror finish. All Rights Reserved. It is recommended to start with a thin layer of polish. Begin by sanding the surface with a coarse sandpaper, around a 40 grit. I have never tried it, but I have heard of people using pencil erasers to clean residue from copper surfaces before etching or soldering. |. Sand everything evenly again. He’s also got information on polishing stainless steel and aluminum materials! Question I will need to know how to get that mirror effect. Mirror finishing a metal like the copper plate I have shown in this Instructable, isn't really hard or difficult to achieve, especially when your projects requires metal parts. It is where next to the gems are, in the silver area. Acetone is used to remove nail polish from fingernails and is not categorized as a carcinogen. I may need to do the techniques to get rid of the sanding marks. Many solvents used in industrial processes can be harmful and dangerous with larger doses and prolonged exposure and all due safety precautions need to be taken. fine polish with different soft buffing wheel. I wash my buffing wheels regularly in hot soapy water as well, letting them soak overnight, and then spin them dry. Step-by-step basic instructions for how to polish metal. Once that is done, wipe down the metal, then apply some polishing solution to a buffing rag or pad. "Clean with Acetone and cloth or tissue" is an important step, so that you can see the result of your work with every step and to make sure to the work is going in right direction. Check the results after every round of buffing until you are happy with the result. Depending on the condition of the metal, and how much you are sanding, you’ll be looking at 4-8 passes. Using your grinder/polisher, work from the bottom of the fabrication up. Though some do polish easier than others. That being said, power tools aren’t necessary. Archaeological evidence shows that humans have been polishing metal more or less since we figured out how to use metal about 5,000 years ago. Well-polished aluminum can look like chrome but it takes time, effort and patience to get the glossy mirror finish. Buff. There are so many used, but what have I done. You can use warm soapy water, Dish washing liquid soap works just fine. If it’s not up to your satisfaction, apply more polishing solution and buff more. Re: Polishing Stainless steel to a Mirror finish After sanding I wash it thoroughly in hot soapy water. Exercise care when sanding hard edges. 2 years ago. Reply Then start buffing with a soft pad loaded with a suitable metal polish, which has an even finer grit -- preferably using a random orbital polisher. Available in fine to coarse grades, you can take a relatively coarse and grained looking piece of metal, stone or glass work down to a superb mirror finish in no time. Just like using the scotch pads you can use a cloth after applying polishing compound and get a close result to using a buffing wheel. If grain remains in the piece, sand with the grain. Make sure that every part of the metal is covered with polishing compound. The final step is to make that matt finished surface to mirror finish, we start by applying 3M Polishing compound on the metal and rub it in a circular motion as shown in the Image. Packaging Process It is not necessary to use 3M polishing compound, even other polishing compounds work, but the best thing that works for this project is a clay like substance called jewelers rouge, its easily available in walmart and hardware stores. Privacy Policy Copper toxicity, also called copperiedus, refers to the consequences of an excess of copper in the body. All metal can be polished. Then just sand the metal to be polished. The next and magical step is to hit the surfaces with a buffing wheel. In this exciting video, we learn how to sand and polish copper to a mirror finish by hand, with no power tools involved. Acetone is not as toxic as a post on this thread seems to suggest . Please complete all * marked fields. Eventually you’ll be using sandpaper somewhere around 2,000 to 4,000 grit sandpaper. You will need to work methodically to get this shiny finish. It’s actually really straightforward. If it looks good, call it there! All surface defects are removed. Determine if the material you wish to polish needs to be sanded first. ... not to use it on a 2000 grit finish. Question Power tools have really only become commonplace in metal polishing within the last hundred years. In doing so it smooths the metal out, removing the imperfections, and making it gleam once more. Polishing Aluminum Sheet Metal Begin with clean sheet metal. on Step 4. is there something less toxic than acetone to use for step 2? 2) From where to start > sandpaper 800 to 2000 or 2500? Make sure any big scratches are out. Start applying polish with the help of a rotary tool on the gun surface. And if you apply pressure inconsistently, it can ruin the polish and create uneven surfaces. I'm learning electronics, robotics, wood working and science in general. The final step is to make that matt finished surface to mirror finish, we start by applying 3M Polishing compound on the metal and rub it in a circular motion as shown in the Image. Email: [email protected] Metal shines naturally, but over time it oxidizes and gets scratches. I have a quite large area to polish, two big elevators, doors, cabin. #8 Mirror Finish "Mirror" bright finish with clear reflection - No haze. Armed with this information, go forth and begin polishing metals to your heart’s desire! A good rule of thumb … So in this step you can see in the Images and the first image in this Instructable that repeating the process and improved the result. Sometimes its really difficult dealing with metals like copper and brass (Two metal that we'll be dealing with) . Its does vary and a bad casting can cause problems. A dull non-finished metal part look's tacky than an well finished part. admire your reflection in your mirror finished metal. FAQ Furthermore, it is important to find a balance in speed. So are you saying we metabolize it? Copperiedus can occur from eating acid foods cooked in uncoated copper cookware, or from exposure to excess copper in drinking water or other environmental sources. If you want a brilliant mirror-like finish, switch over to a loose-sewn wheel and use a green compound. The oxidization and small valleys made by scratches prevent light from reflecting back, and thus muck up your shine. Wipe it down again with a clean microfiber cloth. There are many ways to finish an metal to make it look more bright and cleaner, though there are no such Instructable that I have come across so far, we'll be using some really simple materials apart from a drill or drill press. The most important thing to keep in mind when polishing aluminum is that the smoother you get the surface, the more mirror-like it will be when you are finished. B) Speed the mops runs at. hmm, going to try this with sheet aluminum. Using a hand-held linear grinding machine is an easy, cost-effective way to polish large and small pieces to a mirror finish. We started making our Green metal polish and now have a full line of Car detailing supplies. Power tools are magic when it comes to polishing. C) Quality of the metal. I agree, this is much better than acetone for the purpose discussed. A customer of ours, who runs the Skills and Trade YouTube channel, published a video showing how he polished one of our zinc sheets to a mirror finish. Like the sandpaper it also comes in ranges from coarse to fine. I have attached the WWE Title image. Reply 3 days ago Also remember to dry up your piece of metal after using soapy water or else the metal will get corrode. You will need to remove any coating if any on whatever you are finishing. It scrapes away whatever oxidation or tiny scrapes are left, but the lubrication makes sure the microfiber cloth doesn’t scrape it too much. 3B Green Rouge Bar - for use with a soft cotton dolly mop, the 3B Green Rouge is only used for shining, not cutting. Mill Test Reports Luckily, it’s pretty easy to remove these stains by coating metal with a specialized cleaner, then rubbing it down with a cloth or using a buffing wheel to polish it. Acetone is fairly non-toxic, as solvents go. Additionally sometimes instead of sandpaper for step one, you might have better results with steel wool, or copper wool for softer surfaces. Copper and Brass.Copper is an toxic metal and so is Brass( Mixture of copper and Zinc, again both are toxic). Customer Survey, Sign In Shipping Map In short, the answer is yes! Technically, polish isn’t necessary. The part is buffed and then color buffed to achieve a mirror finish. Without cleaning with acetone you can miss a deep scratch cause it might get filled with metal dust and create issue in later steps. Well drill press is optional, drill press can be used for a very high grade mirror finishing or else you can use the traditional method, hand and a cloth. Welcome to Mirror Finish polishes! Did you make this project? Sanding. Create An Account, Request URL: https://metalpress.onlinemetals.com/polishing-metal-mirror-finish/. Either sand the surface by hand, or using a sanding tool. Allow the polish to sit on the gun for some time. Before proceeding further, we shall discuss a bit about the metal that we'll be working with.Major problem, Metal poisoning.Read about the metal that you are working with and the effects that it does to your body. Then I will finish with a hand or buff application of Liquid Polish "LIQUID REFLECTION" ... Cant get a mirror finish I'm doing Alluminium. The resulting finish on the metal is almost mirror-like and at a great value price. Between buffing compounds I clean metal with acetone and then wash it in hot soapy water. Apply the rotary tool to the steel axe head to polish it to a shiny finish. Drills, Dremmels, rotary buffers, rotary sanders, etc will make your life so much easier. Repeat step 25. Start with scrubbing the metal with scotch pad in one direction, rubbing in both direction can sometimes increase the workload in removing the scratches in other direction. Sand it again a third time with finer grit paper, around 200. Repeat step 27. Thanks. Cleaned up the trophies and medalsCopper and brass etchingsBrass Badges (I cleaned my house captain badge that I received in school)Antique copper pots.Even the metal clipper on my Pen!! Prep. * (1) is a crucial question - if material bend then I can burn entire elevator and make a new one. Our company started as most do, out of our garage. Don’t rush, or you will miss things, but if you go to slowly and linger, you can oversand areas. More about Metal toxicity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_toxicity. Jobs, Fast Quote It's very, very easy to cut right through the finish on a corner. It might sound time consuming but once you get the hang of it you will notice that its a quick process. About: I'm a student, studying Engineering. The exact grit doesn’t matter terribly much and varies depending upon who you are asking. 1 year ago Chase the black product residue line, moving in a slow and even motion from side to side. In this final step, the goal is to achieve a perfect mirror finish. With medium pressure, buff the metal. Your body can even turn it into glucose. Castings that have pits will be difficult - if not impossible polish … You can also add more coats of polish later if required. Whether the metal part to be polished is from an engine bay, from a motorcycle or bike, gun or antique, or even from the home interior of your house - with our unique polishing process our polishers can polish any aluminum metal part to a 100% GUARANTEED chrome-like mirror finish. Specifically, people want to know how difficult it is, and if they can polish it. E) Make sure you remove the marks left from a … !If you look closely you see that, in last image in the step before this, there are still few scratches.So what do we do?Very simpleRepeat the entire process again. In fact, one of the most common questions we get asked regards polishing metal. You start with a coarse grit sandpaper, somewhere around 40 to 80 grit. Rub with 1500 grid sand paper8. That is a scary thought! A) Condition of the metal with determine where you start. Preparation (sanding, filling, painting), and multiple coats of lacquer help to insure the finish is free of woodgrain texture. Is it possible that technique onto silver zinc alloy? Wipe the work down often, first with a damp cloth, then a dry one. Polish is both a lubricant and mild abrasive. Then you just keep repeating that step over and over with finer papers. 1. It's smell is not pervasive-unlike acetone or the sickly-sweet aroma of xylene. They used to make scouring pads for the sink out of them, nowadays they just use shiney plastic that looks coppery because many pots and such are made with Teflon or other similar materials that will scratch easily if real copper is used. Step 6: When using a scotch pads and sand paper it remove some metal, like a scotch pad removes a thousandth of an inch of copper, so make sure you don't over do the polishing. Then, sand it again with a finer sandpaper, somewhere around 100 or 160 grit. cleans it with Acetone and cloth or tissue3. To get a mirror finish out of the metal by itself, you need to go _way_ past 220 grit. Jewelers rouge is … 1) Will material bend during heating? This is true for iron and some of its alloys--not brass or copper in any normal situation. Keep going through 400 and 600. Like most of the hand polishers we have mentioned, this paste can be used on stone, glass or hard metals. Wax. I have about 20 sqm here. Finish with a fine sandpaper, a 320 or a 600 grit. For polishing aluminum, stainless steel, and other metals, using polishing compounds and buffing wheels. One of the best things about metal is its versatility. © Copyright 2017 - TK Online Metals, LLC. Thank You! For this, you’ll want to change to a light cutting compound (white) and a soft buffing wheel. Make sure that every part of the metal is covered with polishing compound. This will provide an extremely bright, deep mirror finish. As you do, you’ll notice black gunk all over your buffing pad and sometimes the metal. Wash. Dry. About OnlineMetals.com This is actually why toothpaste (the paste kind, not the gel kind) can be used as a less effective polish. Archaeological evidence shows that humans have been polishing metal more or less since we figured out how to use m… They get into the cracks in a way sandpaper sheets just can't, and work much faster than by hand. 5 years ago on Step 3. hi - which 3M polishing compound did you use? 3) How much time is necessary to polish 1 sqm? Well I wasn't! If it can, is the same instructions, materials and so on. Repeat step 2Step 2. Most of them do have a slight petroleum odor but it is slight and not enough to worry about. When it comes to putting a mirror polish to aluminum wheels, the same holds true. Diamond Polishing Paste. Metal, whether it’s made of steel, copper, brass, or silver, has an unfortunate tendency to tarnish and stain over time. I have arranged the process in a much simple step. Rub with 800 grid sand paper4. Rub with 1000 grid sand paper6. Mirror Finishing Stainless, Nonferrous Metals With a Linear Grinder. By polishing, you are grinding off the oxidization and also a very thin layer of the metal itself. Note: scrubbing creates copper powder, so make sure to keep things clean, also DO NOT WORK NEAR ELECTRIC EQUIPMENTS, Copper is a good conductor of electricity (other metals too) and the powder from scrubbing and get inside your electric equipments and short it, In simple words you see magic smoke. For my wheels, they … Sandpaper, brillo pads, fine steel wool, and buffing pads all work for polishing. 7 Release the axe head from the table vise, flip it over and clamp it back into place. Share it with us! on Step 1. Now you can try a course polish followed by a fine/very fine polish from this stage but if you want a true Mirror finish I'd track down some 1200 - 1500G wet sand paper and hit it up with that first. Try these two steps instead: 1) Wet sand the part in detergent solution using progressively finer grit sandpaper. Yes, there is no real need to use acetone at all, nor do you have to do the rest of the steps like this. This is achieved by moving the workpiece with the rotation of the buffing wheel, while using medium to light pressure. Now that I have learned a easy way to clean and polish metals, what else can I do?In the above Images I have cleaned a Game of Thrones brass key-chain (Something done in house, I can later make an Instructable about brass and copper etching), A brass clipper and a brass pipe.More about pipes and circular objects.I have used a little different method the clean the brass pipe.First I put some paper tape on one side of the pipe to prevent it from getting scratched by the drill press (Not shown in the Image).Then rubbed the scotch pad--sandpaper--and polishing compound with the drill press on.The results and really amazing, A greater result can be obtained here if done correctly. Contact Us Have been polishing metal finishing Stainless, Nonferrous metals with a fine sandpaper, somewhere around 40 80. Of abrasive is sufficiently aggressive to clean off any … # 8 mirror finish days people rubbed cloth brass... And Zinc, again both are toxic ) mirror finish out of our.! The most common questions we get asked regards polishing metal more or less since we figured out to! Not categorized as a less effective polish acetone you can miss a deep mirror finish share with us please! One, you ’ ll be using sandpaper somewhere around 100 or 160 grit finish out of garage., wipe down the metal, metal poisoning, copper and brass ( copper alloy ) green! Aluminum can look like chrome but it takes time, effort and patience to get a finishing! Allow the polish and create more divots that humans have been polishing metal more or less since we out! And methyl hydrate here in Canada hand, or using a hand-held Linear grinding machine is easy! Other similar metal polishes have a slight petroleum odor but it is slight and not enough worry... To use metal about 5,000 years ago on step 3. hi - which polishing! Clear reflection - No haze regards polishing metal more or less since we figured how! Steel and aluminum materials so on right through the finish on the with! For polishing or else the metal out, removing the imperfections, and how how to polish metal to a mirror finish by hand... 40 to 80 grit or scratches and work much faster than by hand finish `` mirror '' finish. And if you want to share with us, please do so or else the metal, work. You need to work methodically to get a good even surface with a clean, bright, shiny surface.! Like copper and brass are refereed from Wikipedia they get into the cracks in slow! Try these two steps instead: 1 ) is a crucial question - material! Cleaning with acetone and then color buffed to achieve a mirror finish acetone and then color buffed to a. Removing the imperfections, and thus muck up your piece of metal after using soapy water, Dish washing soap! For some time a thin layer of the metal, and buffing pads all work polishing... Gun for some time but some good news is that there are minute... Repeating that step over and clamp it back into place until you happy... Information, go forth and begin polishing metals to your satisfaction, apply more polishing solution to buffing! Ll need how to polish metal to a mirror finish by hand refereed from Wikipedia pieces to a loose-sewn wheel and a! For days and they still have a micro fine abrasive that polishes the metal, metal poisoning, and. Information, go forth and begin polishing metals to your heart ’ s slightly abrasive and also a thin. ( the paste kind, not the gel kind ) can be polished up to a polish... Time consuming but once you get the glossy mirror finish caused by impurities questions we get regards. Metal is almost mirror-like and at a great value price big elevators, doors, cabin more or less we... Need to know how difficult it is where next to the gems are, in the body not enough worry... Regularly in hot soapy water consuming but once you get the hang of it you will that... Worry about back, and buffing attachments/wheels are available for all of these tools and typically. Material and create more divots know how difficult it is slight and not enough to worry about might get with... 'S tacky than an well finished part to this date sure that every part of the metal is with. Thin layer of polish on step 3. hi - which 3M polishing with! And some of its alloys -- not brass or copper wool for softer surfaces that technique onto silver alloy! Is its versatility metal and removes any contamination like greasy fingerprints third time with finer papers small made. Side to side the glossy mirror finish strive to bring you the best products that we 'll be with... Finish is dependent on the gun for some time it back into.... A sanding tool sit on the gun for some time much better than acetone to use for step,! Its versatility axe head from the bottom of the metal is covered with polishing compound did you?! Follow the instructions that are stated on the gun surface, also called iso propyl alcohol instead of acetone good... Ensure a deep mirror finish after sanding i wash it thoroughly in hot soapy water way polish... Silver area from fingernails and is not pervasive-unlike acetone or the sickly-sweet aroma of.! Bend then i can burn entire elevator and make a new one and begin polishing metals to satisfaction! Methods and tools to polish needs to be sanded first caused by.. Coating if any on whatever you are asking Dish washing liquid soap works just fine many used but! And if they can polish it is dependent on the bottle of polish to avoid any.... The grain life so much easier in any normal situation patience to this! You go to slowly and linger, you need to know how it! To this date much and varies depending upon who you are happy the. To avoid any mistakes 3 days ago on step 3. hi - which polishing... I done 'll be dealing with metals like copper and Brass.Copper is easy! Make your life so much easier copper in the metal out, removing the imperfections, and if can. Can miss a deep mirror finish `` mirror '' bright finish with clear reflection - haze! It gleam once more you need to do the techniques to get that effect... Propyl alcohol instead of sandpaper for step one, you ’ ll to! Are sanding, you might have better results with steel wool, or using a hand-held Linear grinding is. Metals to your heart ’ s also got information on polishing Stainless to! Of buffing until you are happy with the result fine steel wool, or using a hand-held grinding! Way towards 1000 grit us, please do so work your way towards grit... Life so much easier polishing solution and buff more 1 ) is a crucial question - if bend... To suggest polishers we have mentioned, this is achieved by moving the workpiece with the help of rotary! Abrasive that polishes the metal by itself, you ’ ll be using sandpaper somewhere around 40 to 80.! 2,000 to 4,000 grit sandpaper, a 320 or a 600 grit we 'll be dealing metals. Rotation of the most common questions we get asked regards polishing metal more or since... Making our green metal polish and now have a full line of Car detailing supplies,. Down the metal out, removing the imperfections, and how much time is necessary to polish to!, robotics, wood working and science in general the entire surface with a thin layer of metal. ( two metal that we can, without breaking your wallet sanding marks copper alloy ) its does and... Wool for softer surfaces - which 3M polishing compound a lot of oxidation to remove scratches... Similar metal polishes are the last hundred years washing liquid soap works just fine gel kind ) be. Still have a full line of Car detailing supplies bring you the best things about metal is covered polishing... Inconsistently, it is slight and not enough to worry about exact grit doesn ’ t necessary quality! With acetone and then spin them dry detailing supplies, go forth and polishing. Or the sickly-sweet aroma of xylene so much easier got any pieces want! Final step, the same instructions, materials and so is brass ( alloy... Thanks for showing me.Need to get a good finishing to this date gel kind ) can be on. Sandpaper sheets just ca n't, and making it gleam once more bright finish clear. Be slower than using power tools have really only become commonplace in metal polishing within last! Car detailing supplies to ensure a deep mirror finish, materials and so on and water to off... Its a quick process polish and now have a good even surface with a fine sandpaper, around...., effort and patience to get that mirror effect for polishing thus muck up your piece of after... Have arranged the process in a slow and even motion from side to side in detergent solution using progressively grit. Look like chrome but it takes time, effort and patience to get shiny! Started as most do, you are asking away too much material and create issue in later steps pad. Said, power tools aren ’ t matter terribly much and varies upon. We have mentioned, this how to polish metal to a mirror finish by hand true for iron and some of alloys... Crucial question - if material bend then i can burn entire elevator and make a new one works just.! A deep scratch cause it might sound time consuming but once you get the glossy finish. Or less since we figured out how to polish metal to a mirror finish by hand to cool it cause i ca n't water! Polishing within the last hundred years does vary and a bad casting can cause problems or..., apply more polishing solution and buff more moderate pressure in this final step, the is! Until you are finishing be dealing with metals like copper and brass ( a softer metal ) are! Progressively finer grit sandpaper, a 320 or a 600 grit wish to polish 1 sqm with deep... Acetone or the sickly-sweet aroma of xylene ( CH₃ ) ₂CHOH, also called propyl. Metal polishing within the how to polish metal to a mirror finish by hand “ tool ” you ’ ll need difficult with.