Mast Drilling

[rustypirate]

Just out of curiosity,

I doubt that you are racing your Irwin 41, so why the modifications to meet racing regs?

[Christian Van H]

That thing is too pretty not to polish! If you dont, YOU will know it's down there, lookin' all ugly and whatnot... Great work!

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by rustypirate

Just out of curiosity,

I doubt that you are racing your Irwin 41, so why the modifications to meet racing regs?

We do plan on the Swiftsure and the Van-Isle 360...Possibly Vic-Maui

[Stillraining]

OK Y'all said I had to polish this thing so i started in on it today.

CharlieCobra and I had a phone discussion about how to go about it and we agreed I might have bought to aggressive of wheels at 80 and 120 grit.. So it was agreed I should experiment with the bottom first and see how it went...Well it worked great and so I turned it over and went after it...in about 30 min I had this...95 % of all water jet cutting marks are gone, edges rounded as well as welding slag and splatter spots gone and 100% of the oxidization is gone...as well as 95% of the press break tooling marks.

Yes its all minutely scratched up but I know this will come right out with 220 next followed by 400.

OK ...so I am not a perfectionist....never claimed to be one...but I sleep well at night..

So.....How far down on the grit scale am I going to have to go to get that mirror finish.........you'all want.?...

[44'cruisingcat]

You do get used to it...


I've spent the last couple of weeks drilling and tapping dozens of holes all over my mast...

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Yes its all minutely scratched up but I know this will come right out with 220 next followed by 400.

OK ...so I am not a perfectionist....never claimed to be one...but I sleep well at night..

So.....How far down on the grit scale am I going to have to go to get that mirror finish.........you'all want.?...

Oh my..... You can work up to 1500 or 2000 grit before changing over to compound and the polishing wheels....

cheers,
Nick.

[Stillraining]

Dang!.... that's exactly what Charlie told me ...I was hoping he was kidding...


OK...............Well.............. we might just go for the muddy, is that really you in the mirror quality sort of thing then..

[Christian Van H]

Go to 400, then hit it with an aggressive rouge, followed by a finishing rouge...good enough for govt. work... you do have a set of buffing wheels, right?

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Dang!.... that's exactly what Charlie told me ...I was hoping he was kidding...


OK...............Well.............. we might just go for the muddy, is that really you in the mirror quality sort of thing then..

It's not good enough till you have gotten past the rubbing compound to the polishing compound and made it to the tooth paste step (with the softbrush)!

[sabray]

here is what I found. given It looks like its the S.S your polishing. Belt sanding or discs work well. If you belt sand up to 220 0r 360 thats good. Depends on how worn the disk is. Buffing with a Sisal wheel and the dark compound should not anything else down. Then you get the green stuff - rouge and the appropriate wheel. Glasses right out. You can cut more fine scratches faster with a buffing wheel then you can sanding. My experience so far. Electroplating could be an option but I prefer spending my lunch time with verying compound splatterd about. The green stuff is really good for straightening curly hair.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by Christian Van H

Go to 400, then hit it with an aggressive rouge, followed by a finishing rouge...good enough for govt. work... you do have a set of buffing wheels, right?

Man after my own heart..

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

It's not good enough till you have gotten past the rubbing compound to the polishing compound and made it to the tooth paste step (with the softbrush)!

Your Back in form... Funny!!

Originally Posted by sabray

here is what I found. given It looks like its the S.S your polishing. Belt sanding or discs work well. If you belt sand up to 220 0r 360 thats good. Depends on how worn the disk is. Buffing with a Sisal wheel and the dark compound should not anything else down. Then you get the green stuff - rouge and the appropriate wheel. Glasses right out. You can cut more fine scratches faster with a buffing wheel then you can sanding. My experience so far. Electroplating could be an option but I prefer spending my lunch time with verying compound splatterd about. The green stuff is really good for straightening curly hair.

Yep the Derlin is shinny enough..

Thanks for the tip...I will google Sisal wheel...and Im a heck of a splatter myself..

I Don't have the money for the fancy chemical polishing right now...Time I'v got.

[delmarrey]

Get some Scotch-Brite pads and skip some of the finer grits. Red first then grey. They will bring it to almost a polished condition.

BTW I still have that nitric acid if you need a little to brush on.

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by Stillraining

Here is the new mast base...should I bother polishing it?...Is there any benefit?

Scott,

I have had great luck having stuff electropolished. I have a company here in Maine that would charge me about $45.00 for that piece. That piece would take me hours to do myself so electro can be a good deal.

Edit: Never mind I see you already started!

P.S. Buy good quality buffing wheels or you'll be wearing cotton..

[sabray]

caswell industries
.Caswell Inc. - Sisal Buffing Wheel
their compounds are better then others especially the heavy cut for stainless. I have a bar from another outfit that is just a bar does not cut. my experience. Electroplate is great I am a screw it up myselfer though.

[Stillraining]

Thanks Guys!

Main: I figured it would be about as expensive a chrome plating...I wasn't going there...live and learn..I will have more than that in buying all the polishing stuff....Oh well...Im tinkering!..woohoo!...