Just so you know those grills on ebay are Gangstakr's, not mine. He does some great work I agree with that. He has helped me tremendously and the reason I keep going on it. Not sure if a aluminum grill is a good place to learn body work at but then again maybe it is. It is harder on aluminum than steel right. If I get it down on aluminum a fender should be a breeze.

Thanks for your post, that sand blaster looks cool would have to build one 8 feet or so long to fit the whole grill in at once. Do you have to use a certain kind of sand, or can you just go to the river and get some? I will probally build a box and line it with plastic to do the drano dip for the grill. I dipped the bezel in some just to see if it worked and it helps but still have to sand some. I messed up and dipped it again to get the other half(did not get it all in the first dip) got some of the bare aluminum in the drano,and well it ate the bare aluminum and left a perfect line were it was in the drano. Looks like a dotted line. I have sanded and sanded on it with no results. How much material does the sandblasting take off? Or does that depend on type of sand used?

 

yes, forgot to specify who I was talking to

I use glass bead in my blaster but a fine wire wheel on a grinder would work to. Just make sure it's a "fine" wire one, your just trying to cut through the coating not into the aluminum. Oh and use a full face shield when using any wire wheels.

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Both the wire or the sand/glass bead are just roughing it up and removing most of it. you will still have to sand off the left over and sand it smooth.

 

I don't think I can hold the entire grill up while working on a bench grinder like you did those smaller pieces maybe the bezel but not the grill. I don't have a bench grinder though. Could use a wire wheel for a drill though.

 

for the big parts put a wire wheel on a hand held grinder so your only moving the grinder and not the part.

 

really need to get me a hand grinder been a parts changer most of my life just now trying my hand at restoring things learning that I need to go buy more than wrenches and sockets to be able to do it all myself lol.

Thanks for all the response on this, without it I would have gaven up by now you guys keep me going.

 

Gangstakr, how do I find more info about your services. I have a 69 ranger that needs all the trim polished.

 

Send me a P.M.

 

you have this grid to sell?

 

You want something like this?




Orbital sander: 180,220<br/>Wet sand: 400, 600, 1000, 1500 <br/>Mothers aluminum polish by hand x2 then buffer x1<br/><br/>



Lotsa work but you can't beat the finished product