Recomendations for polishing La Cimbali stainless panels
-
- Posts: 158
- Joined: 13 years ago
Hi All, I just recently acquired a La Cimbali M32 bistro and am looking for suggestions on polishing the metal side panels. The panels right now are somewhat of a dull/matte luster...just wonder if anyone has polished them to a higher luster or even a mirror-like finish? These panels are he same luster as the older DT1 and Juniors I believe....the newer DT1 looks like it has a somewhat mirror finish as seen on the CC videos.
I have a porter cable random orbital polisher that I can use.....looking for insight/suggestions on polish/compounds or any comments.
Thanks
I have a porter cable random orbital polisher that I can use.....looking for insight/suggestions on polish/compounds or any comments.
Thanks
- drgary
- Team HB
- Posts: 14370
- Joined: 14 years ago
Hi Erik:
I went many rounds trying to polish stainless steel to a mirror finish for my Conti Prestina. If you have almost endless time and patience and want to do it by hand that is possible. It will take a long, long time. So before I go into more on that, if you want to do it right, you need the right tool. I tried something better than a random orbit polisher. I tried a small buffing motor. No good. I tried a high rpm car buffer. No good. You need a large, high torque, expensive and somewhat dangerous buffing motor to do this. An alternative is chrome plating. Here's a link to a thread by Paul Pratt, an expert restorer, discussing polishing. It includes a photo of a large buffing motor.
With my Conti Prestina project I finally decided to go with brushed steel, which is easy to do. Here's the link to the start of that exploration.
I went many rounds trying to polish stainless steel to a mirror finish for my Conti Prestina. If you have almost endless time and patience and want to do it by hand that is possible. It will take a long, long time. So before I go into more on that, if you want to do it right, you need the right tool. I tried something better than a random orbit polisher. I tried a small buffing motor. No good. I tried a high rpm car buffer. No good. You need a large, high torque, expensive and somewhat dangerous buffing motor to do this. An alternative is chrome plating. Here's a link to a thread by Paul Pratt, an expert restorer, discussing polishing. It includes a photo of a large buffing motor.
With my Conti Prestina project I finally decided to go with brushed steel, which is easy to do. Here's the link to the start of that exploration.
Gary
LMWDP#308
What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!
LMWDP#308
What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!
- Randy G.
- Posts: 5340
- Joined: 17 years ago
EspressoMyEspresso.com - 2000-2023 - a good run, its time is done
- cannonfodder
- Team HB
- Posts: 10507
- Joined: 19 years ago
Send it out to polish unless you want to invest some serious time and cash. You will spend several hundred putting together a proper buffing setup. A real buffer, multiple wheels, 5 or so compounds (one wheel per compound) and practice. You can ruin a hunk of steel by over heating or buffing in one spot too long or not know what you are doing, catch an edge and you turn that side panel into a throat cutting, finger chopping parts thrower. Or you spend a hundred bucks or so and have someone do it for you.
Dave Stephens
- vberch
- Posts: 596
- Joined: 14 years ago
I polished all metal on my La Cimbali Junior with a Porter Cable 7424 using Meguiar's M105/M205 and finished with Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. It ended up looking as good as new.
etout00 wrote:Hi All, I just recently acquired a La Cimbali M32 bistro and am looking for suggestions on polishing the metal side panels. The panels right now are somewhat of a dull/matte luster...just wonder if anyone has polished them to a higher luster or even a mirror-like finish? These panels are he same luster as the older DT1 and Juniors I believe....the newer DT1 looks like it has a somewhat mirror finish as seen on the CC videos.
I have a porter cable random orbital polisher that I can use.....looking for insight/suggestions on polish/compounds or any comments.
Thanks
-
- Posts: 158
- Joined: 13 years ago
I'm planning on calling some places to get some estimates on a mirror finish polish. I may also look into electropolishing....not sure if that's an option yet or not.cannonfodder wrote:Send it out to polish unless you want to invest some serious time and cash. You will spend several hundred putting together a proper buffing setup. A real buffer, multiple wheels, 5 or so compounds (one wheel per compound) and practice. You can ruin a hunk of steel by over heating or buffing in one spot too long or not know what you are doing, catch an edge and you turn that side panel into a throat cutting, finger chopping parts thrower. Or you spend a hundred bucks or so and have someone do it for you.
- drgary
- Team HB
- Posts: 14370
- Joined: 14 years ago
Good choice. I don't think electropolishing will give you a mirror finish. I checked into that myself.
Gary
LMWDP#308
What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!
LMWDP#308
What I WOULD do for a good cup of coffee!
-
- Posts: 158
- Joined: 13 years ago
Gary, thanks for the reply and links. Do you by any chance have some more pics you can share of the brushed finish on your continue....I might even go that route if polishing is too expensive, or not an option.drgary wrote:Hi Erik:
I went many rounds trying to polish stainless steel to a mirror finish for my Conti Prestina. If you have almost endless time and patience and want to do it by hand that is possible. It will take a long, long time. So before I go into more on that, if you want to do it right, you need the right tool. I tried something better than a random orbit polisher. I tried a small buffing motor. No good. I tried a high rpm car buffer. No good. You need a large, high torque, expensive and somewhat dangerous buffing motor to do this. An alternative is chrome plating. Here's a link to a thread by Paul Pratt, an expert restorer, discussing polishing. It includes a photo of a large buffing motor.
With my Conti Prestina project I finally decided to go with brushed steel, which is easy to do. Here's the link to the start of that exploration.
I am not 100% sure, but the La Cimbali panels almost look like they have a coating on them that gives them the dullish appearance....maybe they actually used an electropolish finish from the factory? I'm not dead set on the mirror finish idea, I just want to make the panels look new so they match the condition of the overall machine, whether I end up polishing them out, brushing the surface or doing a dulled look like they are already
-
- Posts: 158
- Joined: 13 years ago
That looks very similar to the current finish on my panels (yours look new of course)....I think Cimbali calls that their innox finish.vberch wrote:I polished all metal on my La Cimbali Junior with a Porter Cable 7424 using Meguiar's M105/M205 and finished with Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish. It ended up looking as good as new
To get that like-new finish did you have to do any sanding up front. Also do you mind me asking what pads you used for the 105/205 combo.....I have a whole bunch of Lake Co. pads and also have the 105/205 in the bottles ready to go (I do car detailing too)