Vibratory Polishers

One of my quirks on all the restorations I've done over the years is that I replace any removed hardware with stainless. That is unless the nut/bolt in question has a grade exceeding stainless in which case I just clean and reuse or buy new replacements of equal or higher grade. In the past I just use brake clean and a brass brush to clean old hardware, on occasions a brass wheel and as a last resort they go in the glass beader.

I'm considering buying a vibratory polisher. I see Eastwood has a couple of their larger units on sale. Anyone have and experience or advice on using a home style vibrating/media/polish unit?

All input welcome, and thanks in advance!

Rick

 

Omgjon's fabulous Dino restoration thread mentions them. I'm sure a search would be productive.

 

If its just for small parts you can buy one of the small (1 gallon) sized ones that are commonly used by gun enthusiasts to clean empty shells.

You can get different media to remove rust and then empty it into a bag and use the polishing media. I used to put parts in and leave it overnight. They used to be around $100 and ebay was a good source too.

 

I have one for cleaning brass for reloading...I am not sure what media you would use, but standard corn cob or walnut shells will not be agressive enough for stainless steel parts.

 

I've seen them at Harbor Freight Tools cheap.

 

Hi there,

Sorry to hi-jack this thread, but you need to be careful about changing nuts and washers to stainless steel (unless you keep your car in a museum!) because of electrolytic corrosion, sometimes referred to as "Galvanic" corrosion. The two metals in contact with an electolyte (water or especially salt water splashed up from the road or your washing water) can form an electric cell and metallic particles transfer from anode to cathode. I think it depends on the relative position of metals in the periodic table as to which way the transfer happens (I am not a scientist) but in this instance aggressive corrosion can become apparent in the aluminium.

I like the idea of tumbling original fittings however and must try that.

All the best

Colin

 

Colin, nope, don't be sorry... you are right. I should have been more clear. I don't buy cheap offshore stainless hardware (316 series) which is a good 30 points off steel on the galvanic index. Where I have to, I buy 18-8 (304) which is just 6 or 7 points off Steel on the index. When I can, I buy 430 series hardware which is 2 points (more active) closer to aluminum on the galvanic index and only 2 points off the steel that most of the studs are made from. Being in California, I don't worry too much about salt being splashed up from the road.

Rick

 

The issue with bead blasting or polishing old metal is the same - you wear off the zin or cad plating, removing the rust resistance.

Take a nicely tumble polished/bead blasted bolt, and put it in water overnight. It will be completely rusted...

 

One of the biggest nuisances I find on old cars is stainless hardware that misguided souls install thinking they are making things better.

There are a few problems:

Stainless steel is softer that the typical steel fasteners and will strip or the heads will round off much easier.

Stainless fasteners aren't typically graded like comparably sized steel fasteners.

Stainless is subject to galling, whereby the fasteners seize in place.

Stainless is subject to work hardening, when you try to drill out the seized, snapped off fastener it is more difficult. Drills and taps break and dull quickly.

Stainless (300 series) is non-magnetic. When you inevitably drop that screw in a difficult place or want to remove the drill shavings so they don't end up inside something important, you can't use a magnet.

I invariably remove and throw away most stainless fasteners I encounter unless they were originally installed by the manufacturer or serve some special function besides looking "pretty".

 

+100 on all points!

 

While you have some historical correctness here, there is a whole new breed of Stainless fasteners slowly becoming consumer available. Since my early background was in mechanical development in caustic environments I've been sourcing and using this stuff for 20 years. But now, even ARP and TS both have a line of High Strength Stainless (17-4 PH, precipitate hardened) that even exceeds grade 8 (above 180,000 psi). And - you need to know what/when loctites and anti-seizes should be used to mitigate each of your concerns (except the magnetic issue, which incurs its own corrosion issues). I went through this recently in another forum... Hell, most out there don't even know products like ceramic anti-seize even exists, let alone where to get it or what its specs are.

This ain't your dad's Stainless....

Rick

 

I have 2 types in my restoration facility. The small bench top for light duty work, and really it is not all that good for polishing. Ours is a commercially manufactured unit. The Eastwood and other import units don't really give your parts the deep vibrating action. The more you add to these small vibrating tub the less vibration activity your parts will recieve. They just don't have the horsepower to do the job.

Our heavy duty vibratory cleaner uses ceramic and steel media of different sizes and shapes and has a tub that is 36" long, 24" wide and 20" deep with round bottom and coated with a rubberized lining. This machine operated by vibration and with the rounded bottom allows parts to rotate from the bottom up and around and then down thru the media over and over. There is an optional pump and liquid bath either stoddard solvant, or other washing liquid.

We used different types of media depending on what we are either cleaning or polishing. The one issue with any cleaning media to make sure you get all the media removed from the cleaned parts. Polishing a cylinder head requires all holes be plugged, as the media can and will get inside the water passages and cause difficulties down the road.

We use the smaller vibratory cleaner to deburr and smooth machined parts. This works very well for that purpose, but it takes hours of running. I would suggest you check with a local plating company or stainless fabricator to see if they have an electrochemical polishing process that they can put your stainless fastners in for a quick and incredibly easy way to brighten stainless.

Howard Musolf
1981 308gtsi
1982 400i Cabriolet
Maserati Spyder
2 many brass era cars

If it don't fit force it, if it breaks , it needed replacement anyway.

Friends don't let friends use Framm filters on their Ferrari

 

Thanks Howard, that's the input on small units I was looking for from a first hand user. I wouldn't be cleaning/polishing any stainless, only the factory bolts I'd be reusing. I usually don't mind a bit of patina but I was just looking for the next step beyond brass brush.

Great feedback!

Rick