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I received some rather drab-looking aluminum wheels that really needed to be polished. I think a lot of people avoid polishing aluminum because it's a pain in the butt that involves a lot of elbow-grease. But nothing beats the look of polished aluminum! I wanted to figure out a way to polish the wheels that used their own spinning motion to do most of the work. This is what I came up with--simple yet brilliant (pun not intended)!

I took a spare axle and hack-sawed off the inner end where the dogbone slots; placed the axle shaft in my drill chuck; placed the wheel & lock-nut onto the axle (just as if it were on the car), and put my drill in a vise.

Next, I did the usual progression of sanding, I figured 600 grit was a good starting point because the wheels have no major scratches or scuffs; then 1000, 1500...and followed that up with rubbing compound, polishing compound, and a bit of Nu-Finish Scratch Doctor.

It probably took the same amount of time as doing it by hand, but with one major difference--it was so much easier!!! Not even the slightest sore hands or wrists! I'll complete the wheels by doing the insides too, and a bit of touch-up in the hard-to-get-at rim edges with some more polishing compound, but the results look great. Very little elbow-grease spent!

This is a good tutorial.

Another method is to use a Mothers PowerBall while holding the rim with a gloved hand as they get hot. That only works though if the rims are just tarnished and have superficial scratches.

I use this method or something like it (I can use a lathe also) for any cylindrical parts, axles, hubs, tie-rods, bones, screws, shock shafts, hinge pins, anything that need a good polishing that can spin.

Another method for those that have a few bucks to spend is Electro-polishing. Not sure what shops do small batches but the results are amazing.