Polishing a metal gbb or aeg

Stercus Accidit

Awhile back I decided I wanted to make a silver 1911.

I'd seen pulp fiction one too many times and was regretting selling my old 1911 due to boredom with the piece.

I've since gotten myself a new full metal bell 1911, and I've really just been messing with it up until now, tightening up loose fitting parts etc.

Now I want to prepare to do the whole polishing thing and would appreciate any advice, I should have free time over christmas to do this so want to know what I'm doing.

• Can I soak the parts in white spirits and simply dissolve the painted finish? Or is this impossible now its dry?
  
• For polishing I'll use a 800 grit then higher rated paper to smooth off, is it better to just use this and patience to get all paint off?
  
• I have a dremel with a polishing head, is it worth going over the finish afterwards with this and polishing compound for a better finish?
  
• The polishing compound I'm told protects the metal also so I'd like to know if this stuff is available in a motor factors for example, or where do I get it?

Basically any advice appreciated, I'm finally getting around to this.

Masada

That should look good sam, look forward to seeing it.,:)

Start by removing all the paint on it with a fine wire brush and a dremel, then get a few different grades of sandpaper, id go for P600, P1200 and P2000. start with the 600 and work up to the 2000. if should be really shiny by the time you do the 2000,.,

It takes a lot of time though but the process is pretty easy, just needs patience.
If you use a polishing wheel in a dremel or drill, always remember to keep the heat down. it will get warm from the friction but too much heat will darken the area and you'll have to rub it down again.,
when its done, rub it down with a metal polish for protection.,

Stercus Accidit

Where do I get the polish for the dremel wheel?

And when you say rub it down after with metal polish, is that the same polish you use on the wheel, and how should it be applied?

Masada

the polish for the dremel is thicker stuff than the finishing polish. the likes of woodies and similar shops have dremel sections where you can get all the accessories and the polish will be there., as for a finishing polish, you can get that in a supermarket even, its used for polishing ornaments and kitchen sinks.,

Stercus Accidit

I'll ask in spar for gun polish

Frank the Manc

start with a 400, 600, 800, 1200 & finaly 2000, dont jump more than 2 grades at a time, patience and wet sanding is the key, use a block for the flat sides of the slide and frame.
halfors do a selection pack for about €7/8, used to be only €3

try get an assortment of bits of wood ect for all the tricky places, you may be better off getting one or two drop in pieces that are silver already, mag & slide release, hammer ect depending on budget & patience.

its not really worth soaking in white spirits as most finishes are baked on.

make sure you have all scratches buffed out before you move up a grade as if you dont it will only polish the scratch into the finish.

i like to use silicone oil to wet the 1200 & 2000 papers so as to avoid oxidisataion, making sure its completely dry before starting with the 1200.

only use a dremmel to polish at the end with the felt wheel, you can use white tootpaste works fairly well but will eventually tarnish.

i hope thats not a Bell your polishing up???:p
ive held one or two and they are rattly as fúck, what did you use to tighten up the loose parts?


are you doin her full silver or two tone?

i think brasso or silver-o is the stuff vtec is referring to, real auld fashioned stuff, it smells divine & leaves your hands sparkly clean.

tonky

Nits. franc beat me to it. Brasso and Silvo + elbow grease, oldies but goodies.

Stercus Accidit

This bell dont rattle baby


The outer barrel is loose in the barrel bushing, the bushing is loose in the slide.

Wrap insulating tape around the bushing until firm in slide, wrap tape around plastic bit that holds barrel inside the bushing.

Tape where the recoil spring notch mates with the frame and it will barely rattle, actually feels like quality after that


Oh yeah, and two tone is for pimps! This will be full silver as in pulp fiction, may get a hogue grip to do a hitman job too, but mainly for the pulp fiction look.

Frank the Manc

Stercus Accidit wrote: »

This bell dont rattle baby


The outer barrel is loose in the barrel bushing, the bushing is loose in the slide.

Wrap insulating tape around the bushing until firm in slide, wrap tape around plastic bit that holds barrel inside the bushing.

Tape where the recoil spring notch mates with the frame and it will barely rattle, actually feels like quality after that


Oh yeah, and two tone is for pimps! This will be full silver as in pulp fiction, may get a hogue grip to do a hitman job too, but mainly for the pulp fiction look.

are they TM compatible? you can get a guarder steel bushing for about €15.
hows the slide to frame fit?

the trades should come up nice as well, im presuming your leaving them blackened.

ha ha i would have said full silver is for pimps, 2 twone for coppers with style, contrast is nice.

am starting a full silver one for my next project, with pachmyres and a nice silver Quicksilver supresor, the price of a threaded barrel is the only thing holding me back.

Stercus Accidit

All the parts fit loosely, even the mechanism to stop it firing without racking the slide when thumb cocked rarely works.

But feck it, it works reasonably well, was cheap, and may soon look class.

weeder

sam ive done this with an m9 barrel recently and posted the results in the pic thread, remind me tomorrow and ill dig up the info i used

Masada

brasso and silvo are old skool but deadly polishes, the one im thinkin of is a new one and works really well, Iive used it to polish headers and manifolds on cars and its good stuff.,
come to think of it, i think i saw it in lidl too.,

get dex to blast it first and save all the elbow grease with removing the paint. it'll be perfectly uniform then and yoy wont have any flat spots where ya went too hard with the papers etc.,

This is one that was blasted but its not polished up to be shiny though., if ya get that done it'll save you a lot of effort and give dex something to do other than sit on his arse all day.,

NakedDex

Excuse me? Sitting on my arse all day? I take umbridge with that statement. I only sit on my arse for most of the day, I have to walk all the way to the snack machine sometimes...

I actually have part of a 1911 with me as a test piece today but I'm ridiculously busy so I won't get a chance today. I'll run it through on Monday so you can see the result.

Edit: Alternately, you can just look at the M92 I did for vtec... Didn't see the image links there, silly Boards Mobile. (note: the slide is plated with gold-chrome, the body and barrel are blasted and peened)

Turncoat

vtec wrote: »

brasso and silvo are old skool but deadly polishes, the one im thinkin of is a new one and works really well, Iive used it to polish headers and manifolds on cars and its good stuff.,
come to think of it, i think i saw it in lidl too.,

get dex to blast it first and save all the elbow grease with removing the paint. it'll be perfectly uniform then and yoy wont have any flat spots where ya went too hard with the papers etc.,

This is one that was blasted but its not polished up to be shiny though., if ya get that done it'll save you a lot of effort and give dex something to do other than sit on his arse all day.,

Firstly, OP apologies for hijacking your threat

Vtec if you can do this for my M9 then I'll give you a week's supply of cookies and cakes:D. Please:)

SpitfireIV

vtec wrote: »

That should look good sam, look forward to seeing it.,:)

Start by removing all the paint on it with a fine wire brush and a dremel.....

If you want to save yourself a lot of time and effort just get a bottle of nitromors and a small art brush, brush it onto the metal and within a couple of minutes the paint will literally lift off the metal, you just have to brush/wipe it off.

It'll cut out that messy, hard work of removing the paint, plus it'll get into the smallest cracks and crevices and get the paint out with no hassle. Leaving you with just the bare metal to start your sanding/polishing.

WARNING - If you do use this stuff wear gloves (even little smallest offspray off the brush, or drips etc can sting like hell! And DO NOT let this stuff get in your eyes!!!!!

Head_Hunter

CroppyBoy1798 wrote: »

If you want to save yourself a lot of time and effort just get a bottle of nitromors and a small art brush, brush it onto the metal and within a couple of minutes the paint will literally lift off the metal, you just have to brush/wipe it off.

It'll cut out that messy, hard work of removing the paint, plus it'll get into the smallest cracks and crevices and get the paint out with no hassle. Leaving you with just the bare metal to start your sanding/polishing.

WARNING - If you do use this stuff wear gloves (even little smallest offspray off the brush, or drips etc can sting like hell! And DO NOT let this stuff get in your eyes!!!!!

Where do you get this "nitromors" stuff?

Spitfire666

nitromores can be got in woodies or atlantic homecare but it is leathal stuff. even with gloves on, you will feel the heat off it burning through the gloves. it disolves plastic in no time so be sure to use a metal bucket of a roses tin or something to work in.
its great stuff and will strip the paint in no time, however, take your time doing a section at a time as if you dont get the paint off quick enough, it will harden again in small clumps and will be nearly impossible to remove from areas such as the inside of the slide.
i've used it on a 1911 and got great results but got stuck with paint i cant get off clumped together on the inside of the slide.


as for protecting the finish of the metal, a car wax such as DODO JUICE or similir would work well on it to protect it.

Head_Hunter

Thanks, lol at the name "Dodo Juice" .

SpitfireIV

Spitfire666 wrote: »

nitromores can be got in woodies or atlantic homecare but it is leathal stuff. even with gloves on, you will feel the heat off it burning through the gloves. it disolves plastic in no time so be sure to use a metal bucket of a roses tin or something to work in.
its great stuff and will strip the paint in no time............

Tis cheap enough aswell, it comes with a little 'tub' attached to it, you can use that for pouring some into, hasnt ever melted on me anyway. Use a small brush and brush away from you gently, dont brush back and forth (ie like painting, as it'll splash back on you!).

Just use common sense!! :cool:, the stuff isnt volatile explosives or anything, just dont drink it or try it on yourself! Powerful smelling stuff too, so make sure you're outdoors or in a well ventilated room!

Stercus Accidit

I cant get the hop assembly and inner barrel out of the outer barrel, it's a bell m1911, the inner barrel is crap, and the hop rubber poorly installed.

Its also important to get the barrel out to do the polishing.

Anyone know how to do this?

I cant see a way of doing it.