Any tips on glass beading steel parts

[6500rpm 670]

I've got a bolt that I'm trying to polish (Enfield). Emery cloth, shot with silica sand, and just glass beaded at 45psi. I now have a dull sheen, fine satin look. I'd like to get this thing to shine. Am I going to have to buff this out to get the effect I want, or should glass bead do it. Spent about 20 minutes in the box. Any suggestions.

Mark

Edited March 7, 2006 by 6500rpm

[dinzag 31]

PM pistonring8 & Cobra 76 Two...

[acetomatoco 0]

Any type of blasting will give you a dull sheen satin look.

If you want it to be completely smooth and shine you will have to use real fine sandpaper and work your way down to 400 or 600 grit. It would help if you could mount it in a lathe or drill press so that you can polish it as it spins. Usually the shape of the bolt will not let you do this. Unfortunately it will be harder to do since blasting it roughened the surface.

Or try someones cloth buffing wheel. It probably won't get into the tight spots.

 

What type of look are you trying to achieve? Blasted but shiny? or smooth and shiny?

Try someones bullet brass tumbler with small corn cob pieces.

 

Hope this helps

ace

[G O B 3,516]

High polish requires oil sanding with 600 emory, and polishing with a buffwheel and polishing compound.

Lots of elbow grease, but beautifull finish. The better the metal shines in the white, the better the blue will look.

 

 

G O B

[pistonring8 1]

Yup.

 

The only way to polish a bolt carrier is to rub it out. I've glass beaded about 10 Saiga bolt carriers now, they all come out nice and dull. If you want a shine on it instead of a satin finish, I would recommend wet sanding the part with 800 or 1k grit wet to get out all of the tiny little micropocks left by the beads. You will notice that the piece will take on the texure of a spoon rather quickly. Then thoroughly rinse off the part and rub it out with an automotive rubbing compound or polishing compound on a rag or old shirt until you get the shine you want. For a chrome like finish, use polishing compound on a very clean, slightly damp, soft cloth in small, tight circles. Finish off with an automotive wax or you will lose the shine.

 

I would strongly suggest a dull finish for an AK unless its a showpiece, in which case, have fun with it and good luck! You can shine it up as much as you like. If you polish the hell out of it, the finish will eventually resemble a mirror or chrome, but it takes alot of rubbing.

 

Wet sanding will take some of the work out of the job for you, and so will a Dremmel with a small buffer wheel or polishing head attachment. But nothing can take the place of old fashioned rub!

 

I hope this helps.