The Steel Guitar Forum

Hi Gang,

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what is the best way to make end-plates shine like mirrors?

Can a buffer be used without taking the guitar apart?

Thanks,
Andy Eder

I never go around mirrors, sorry.

A half hour with a couple T-shirts and Mother's Aluminum polish will do wonders.
To do the job right means removing the endplates and holding them against a wheel.

Was an avid user of 'Mother's' products for years, both for my steel guitars and my motorcycles. Through the Forum, recently discovered 'Purple' polish and cleaner by California Customs, best product I have ever used. Should be available at most auto parts places, or order the kit (cleaner and polish)direct from Amazon.

What David says!!!
IF you want to spend a lot of time and effort rubbing and rubbing and polishing .. then DON'T use the purple polish ..

If you want to spend more time playing instead of polishing then...

I used Purple polish on this when the cover I bought caused a chemical reaction and clouded the end plate..
I haven't had to use it again in a couple years..

If the end plate is really hazy,, then the DE-OXIDIZER is also recommended

Olli Haavisto wrote:I never go around mirrors, sorry.

Thanks for the Saturday morning humor!

Regards,
Andy

Lane, Bo, and David,

Thanks guys for that info, will that stuff work on Mica or Wood also?

Thanks,
Andy Eder

If you are really serious about polishing up a bunch of parts, this is the rig:

Erv,

I appreciate that info and pic. What do you use besides the buffer? The purple stuff?

Will it work on Mica?

Thanks,
Andy

Andy,
There are different compounds you apply to the buffer wheel. It's kind of like using sandpaper, you start out with the most abrasive and then work into the finer, less coarse compounds. It's a time consuming, messy business.
And no, I wouldn't use it on mica.
They asked Bruce Zumsteg why he quite building guitars and he said: "I'm tired of buffing end plates".

Windex works well for cleaning formica, don't actually need to polish it.

If you have really dingy formica, I would try a polishing compound like they use on cars. Turtle Wax makes an excellent polishing compound. The reason your formica is dull is because of very tiny scratches and this compound will remove them.

Erv and David, thank you both for your input.

Andy Eder

Del Mullen Eliminated this problem many years ago!
He chrome plated them. Of course he did not use aluminum.

Hi Kyle,

I appreciate that info but what about old Emmons PP, or other brands?

Thanks,
Andy

Semicrome.

If it's scratched/etched, the chemical polishes won't do it.
If it's just dull, yeah, the chemical ones will work fine.

Thanks Lane and congrats on your Sho-Bud sale!

Best,
Andy

Jacob Hacker wrote:Semicrome.

The name is “Simichrome Polish” made by Happich, a German company.
http://www.simichrome-polish.com/

It’s available at some auto parts stores, and online from Amazon, etc..

You don’t need very much--a small tube will last a long time.


Dave

I asked Bruce Zumsteg about polishing with Simichrome and He said it was too abrasive.
I have had good results from using Mothers Mag.
Billy

Is there any way to fix this? A guy sold this steel to me via eBay and forgot to mention this...

Mike,
My Sho~Bud Pro II had a similar scratch. I started with a very coarse wet and dry paper, using kerosene as a lubricant. Work your way up to the finest grit wet or dry paper. (2000 grit is available from auto body shops.) Then use mag wheel polish or perhaps the purple polish mentioned earlier. The process takes time, but it works.

All the best,

Craig Baker 706-485-8792

cmbakerelectronics@gmail.com

C.M. Baker Electronics
P.O. Box 3965
Eatonton, GA 31024

On that power buffer I pictured, you can get some abrasive belts to use on it. As mentioned, you start with a coarser belt and work you way to finer belts. Then after that process you use the buffer wheel with different compounds. I have taken raw, rough aluminum and made it shine like a mirror.

OWEEE!

Would a Superman bandaid help!

Thanks to Erv, Dave, Billy, for all of your input.

Thanks,
Andy