Aluminium frames - striped lacquer & polish - long term result?

[rwm1962]

I've an Orange Aluminium Elite. I'm undecided between rebuilding it as it is with its battle scars or stripping the lacquer, polishing & fitting new decals.

I've seen stripped & polished nickel plated steel looking good after a few years but curious how long term the polished finish remains on aluminium. I don't eant to reapply lacquer but would seal with a good polish.

Anyone done this? How long did/have the results last?

Thanks

 

[grantoury]

I never polished a frame, but I did a wet sand matte finish and its still pretty even.

 

[ishaw]

My GT team RTS is raw alu, I don't use it much but since polishing once before I built it up (it was now, but you know how it is), I think I've only really had to give it a polish a couple of times. Must have owned it 15 or more years now (wow, that surprised me).

Secret is to, as you've eluded to, use a good polish once you've got it shiny to help keep it that way.

 

[enc]

Never tried it myself but if I was to do this id be looking at how the car scene modders look after their old-school BBS polished rims

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bbs+polished+alloy+maintenence