How to Polish Diamond Plate Aluminum

[Hannibal]

Ok, I just woke up *yawn*. I was up til 4 AM in my garage because I didnt get started until 10pm. I used a PC to polish the truck. I used #80 at first, but I found a stubborn spot and tried #83, I found #83 left a better finish than #80, so I used #83 to do rest of the truck. After I finished I wiped the entire truck down with #81 Pure Hand Polish. It is Looking good . I will be applying #16 to seal everything in.

About the toolbox: I have had it for four or more years. It has been outside kept all this time, it has some etched Bird Bombs, and just a dirty look. I have tried to wash it but it really doesnt affect it at all. I havent tried the G100 yet because I spent all night on the truck's body. I used to have some polishing rouge and some large wheels but I didnt like the way it handled. I think my drill was too slow. I am thinkng about picking up another wheel and some rouge (found some cheap) but again, I hate that route. And I wish there was some way to do it without the drill using an applicator or something.

As far as the coating goes, I dont think this one has one, or at least I cant seem to tell. I thought about coating it with some clear when I was done polishing it to make things easier next time.

[MojaveJoe]

Re: How to Polish Diamond Plate Aluminum

Thought Id update this old thread for anyone looking for a good way to polish diamond plate.

While at a truck stop looking for a good polish for my aluminum tool box project a trucker told me he swears by a product called Wicked Products Metal Polish. He gets it at Flying J truck stops. Well I got some at the nearby Flying J and picked up a piece of high pile carpet from the local building supply store on the way home.

Cut the white carpet into a dozen 4"x4" squares. Used the first piece as an applicator and scrubber. Got that black residue building up fast as my box hadn't been cleaned for 3 years. It had water stains all over it. I scrubbed with the carpet pad using moderate pressure both directions. Cleaned black residue off with a cotton towel, then finish polished with a clean piece of carpet. It was better but I could still see a few water stains. I went back and made another pass with fresh polish, and the same dirty carpet pad, rubbing harder. Cleaned, and polish with clean carpet. And voila', really clean and shiny diamond plate again. After doing the whole box, I finished off with a good synthetic polymer wax, that took that faint black haze off the metal and brightened it up even more. (Used a cotton towel)

CAUTION: If you don't get the black residue right away after starting to use metal polish, STOP. You're polishing clear coat. Get some paint polish.

Conclusions - 1. This is a tough job, but carpet applicators and polishers made the job a lot easier than using plain cotton towels. Less wear and tare on the fingers. BTW, plan on throwing the black polishing carpets & cloths away 2. Rubbing with the grain of the diamond plate then across it, splitting the diamond so to speak, made the polishing work even better. Seems the carpet pile just follows the little raised areas and really gets in there to remove the stains etc.

3. If you have to polish diamond plate, may as well do it the easy way (using carpet) with a good product.

Hope this helps someone else in the future. I know I was more than happy with the end result

Joe

P.S. Iam not a sales rep for this product. Just found it by sheer luck.