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27ace27
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Joined: 01 Jul 2009
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Location: Omaha Nebraska, USA
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 Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:06 pm Post subject: Best way to polish a flywheel? |
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I just repainted my wilesco D16 flywheel, and the tarnished, dull metal surface doesn't go well with the nice paint. so, how do I clean, then polish it? I want a good shiny, nearly new surface.
Ace
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Roly Williams
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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I use fine emery and Brasso. Whatever you use for boilers should work for flywheels. I've never tried it but I guess you could put it in a drill or lathe to speed up the process, but be careful.
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rangerssteamtoys
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Location: Houston Texas, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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| Roly Williams wrote: | | I use fine emery and Brasso. Whatever you use for boilers should work for flywheels. I've never tried it but I guess you could put it in a drill or lathe to speed up the process, but be careful. |
Or build up a good head of steam and use the engine as the power for the lathe 
I did that once on my d-10, it was a slow process, but it came out OK. With your bigger engine it should be faster
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spandrew01709
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Joined: 30 Jan 2009
Posts: 185
Location: south yorkshire uk
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Best way to polish a flywheel? |
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| 27ace27 wrote: | I just repainted my wilesco D16 flywheel, and the tarnished, dull metal surface doesn't go well with the nice paint. so, how do I clean, then polish it? I want a good shiny, nearly new surface.
Ace |
Attatch the flywheel to the dremmel, set it going, and touch the polishing compound to the wheel. Works a treat. Make sure you wear safety goggles, it will be spinning at about 33,000 rpm. |
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27ace27
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Joined: 01 Jul 2009
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Location: Omaha Nebraska, USA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:26 pm Post subject: |
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| rangerssteamtoys wrote: | | Roly Williams wrote: | | I use fine emery and Brasso. Whatever you use for boilers should work for flywheels. I've never tried it but I guess you could put it in a drill or lathe to speed up the process, but be careful. |
Or build up a good head of steam and use the engine as the power for the lathe
I did that once on my d-10, it was a slow process, but it came out OK. With your bigger engine it should be faster |
If it was running!  now, when I was repainting, I did miss some spots, but this is my first paint job.
before
after
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Ahhhhhh... The smell of esbit in the morning!
Insert Bowman here.......
Junkers; someone has to love them!
Last edited by 27ace27 on Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:48 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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alan2525
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Location: Essex, UK
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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A bench grinder fitted with a cotton buffing mop is great. You can buy a bench grinder for next to nothing now and it will give reasonable service if used ocassionally.
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Dr. Rog
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Joined: 30 Dec 2008
Posts: 491
Location: Kingsclere
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:24 pm Post subject: |
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Ceramic hob cleaner! 
I have had very good results on my Mamods with Amway hob cleaner, it is a pasty abrasive coarser than brasso. However it takes hours rubbing with a rag in front of the telly.
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willsy
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Joined: 13 Jan 2008
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Location: yeovil, somerset, uk
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:44 pm Post subject: |
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i find a fine wire wool does the job and to protect it i give it a coat of clear laquer
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TheOperative
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Joined: 28 Jul 2008
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Location: Paris, France
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| Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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I would agree with willsy, you need some kind of coating after you polish it. Otherwise the metal will oxidize quickly and dull in a few days.....
You can polish it up as advised and use clear laquer which is probably best, otherwise you can just do what I do with my own Wilescos: use a cleaner type car-wax on the exposed metal on the flywheel.
I recommend you just polish it with the wax by hand. The wax keeps it shiny for a month or so.
T.O. |
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