510 table surface polishing

[mtndave]

I'm a newbie to Shopsmith, having just purchased my first from ebay (great price, too)! This is a 1982 machine that was stored indoors (thankfully) for several years after being well used, and is in generally good condition. It is a model 510R, s/n 112742.

What product/technique can be used to clean and polish the saw table and extension table surfaces? Aluminum surfaces are rough, with very minor pitting in a couple of spots. Also, the chrome tubes have some rusted spots that need to be removed. I understand the importance of paste wax to finish, and just need to get the surfaces to the point of waxing.

I tried Simichrome polish, but something stronger is definitely called for.

Any suggestions will be welcomed!

[bettyt44720]

i've had good luck restoring the tubes with brasso polish and have also used simi chrome polish with good results. i have not had any tables that were in need of a good cleaning so i can't help there.

[pinkiewerewolf]

Welcome to the forum!

By initiating a search i found a lot of reading to skim through so between that and the newest tricks I'm sure you will get some pretty good advice.
here is one thread i found.

http://www.shopsmith.net/forums/showthread.htm?t=56&highlight=Rust+removal

Have fun with the Mark V!:)

[shydragon]

Brasso, I haven't heard that name since I was in the Marine Corp. We used that and something called Dura-glit for shining are brass buckles, etc. My preference back then was the Dura-glit. Wow, that was 36 years ago.

[bettyt44720]

Brasso is also good for polishing plastics.

[gnuse]

The tubes on my father's Shopsmith were rusty from the salty Florida air. I went to the hardware store and purchased some of that black sandpaper known as, emery cloth. I tore it into 1" sections, wrapped it around the tube and rotated it back and forth..........it removed the corrosion and cleaned up the tubes.

[tom_k/mo]

Another good product for polishing aluminum (or brass or silver) is a NevrDull (http://www.nevrdull.com/). It's a cotton wadding that's impregnated with a chemical and it really non-abrasive. It will remove tarnish very well and will actually bring a chrome-like mirror finish to aluminum if the sufrace was finished fine enough to begin with. My neighbor is an independant trucker, and his Peterbuilt tractor has aluminum wheels, saddle tanks, bumpers, grill (and other parts) that he polishes with NevrDull. I use it on the brass fittings of my muzzleloaders as well. Great stuff. You can normally pick it up at better hardware stores.

[beeg]

Have you tried scotchbrite?