How do you polish stainless steel?

I would like to polish the stainless steel radiator shell on my 30’ A Roadster. Can it be polished on the car, and using what abrasive wheels or polishing wheels? I’ve seen Rick on American Restoration using a hand held wheel to polish large SST surface to a mirror finish. What wheels and compounds should be used?
Thanks, Kevin

 

Don't buy your compound from a local hardware store (one size fits none). Check out a magazine like Hemming's (or google) to find a company that specializes with the correct compounds. Use a felt tip pen to mark squares on the shell and buff one out at a time. Start with a rough compound and work to a finer one. Watch the buffer doesn't catch an edge. If it was my project I would take it off of the car. Be careful you don't get the metal hot by pushing the shell into a fast moving wheel or you will get ripples.

Charlei Stephens

 

I know this ain't much help but I did it on several cars. Parts are better off the car and held tightly. Don't ask!
Start with a course wheel and a stick of the proper compound working as best you can. Last is what I believe was called jewelers rouge with a fine cotton wheel. There are many parts suppliers with detailed listings of what to use.
Even small dents and scratches can be tapped out and filed out then worked with the heavy wheel and compound first.
A great winter job in the garage wearing gloves and a face shield. Even with gloves the piece becomes warm. Keep it moving.

Yea, that's it. That's what I used Eastwood's cataloge and polishing kits are well worth the money. Thanks expavr

Nuther thing I used on my motorsycle and small bolts and things is a small toothpaste tubeof stuff called Semichrome.

 

I used a kit from Eastwood that included different textured wheels and compounds to polish the stainless strips on my grill shell. The kit included a guide which had good info on how to do it. IMO it was worth the investment.
I removed the stainless strips from the shell and polished them off the car.

 

How course is the stainless you are working with?? I've found aluminum polish will work well if the stainless is already nice and smooth.. But--the stuff has to be smooth and if it's not, then some agressive work with a clay-type compound on a wheel will be necessary.. Do some homework on here and you'll cerntainly find your answer as there are tons of knowledgeable folks here..
I personally have a problem polishing stainless fasteners--I use Mother's Aluminum Mag Wheel Polish for things like that--but they are small items.. The end up like chrome in the end--but for something larger--I can't help ya there...

 

As already stated, the Eastwood kit gives a good selection and a guide to go by. I think it would suit your needs pretty well for a grill.

 

My first step before starting to polish anything was to do a search on polishing and I found Caswell Platings website. They have a 50+ page download manual to tell you anything and everything about polishing and why it happens to get a brillant shine. They also sell the compounds.
They also explain the compounds and wheel speeds. It's saved me over $1000 in materials and buffers since I built my own buffing stations.

I've done intake manifolds, wheels, many sets of valve covers and even a 31 Model A Radiator shell ,but off the car.

Movin/on

 

This is who I use; http://www.tarheelparts.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=BuffingKits

 

Thanks everyone, I'll take it off the car and get the proper compounds. I have a buffing machine, so no problem. Appreciate the advice!

 

Old fart safety tip: When buffing anything, pay attention to the rotation of the wheel and make sure you keep edges and such from getting too close it. If the rotation is wrong, the wheel WILL grab the edge and either bend the hell out of what you're buffing, cut the heck out of your hands, or jam the piece into your gut. When doing edges, make sure the rotation of the buffer is such that the rotation is going away from the edge, NOT towards it as shown in the image below.

 

Pick up some cheap silverware or kitchen utensils and practice first with the compound you intend to use.

 

Old post but did a search for polishing tips, anyone use 000 or 0000 steel wool?
I have been using a fabric disc on a drill with the white clay and Mother’s aluminum polishing compound. I am having difficulty with some spaces that I can’t get the disc.

 

Have you tried using a Dremel tool, https://www.lowes.com/pl/Dremel--Tools/4294936478?refinement=4294965332 ? They used to make buffing wheels for them.

Charlie Stephens