how to remove pitting?

  • Thread starter Thread starter FALKEN
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FALKEN

FALKEN

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I think the title of this thread says it all....I've got a tom rim with some pitting on it...what is the best way to go about removing it?
 
you can't remove pitting.........pitting has removed metal. you can make the pitting not as obvious by cleaning the pitted hardware with fine steel wool and polishing with a wax or something to protect it.
 
ok...I suppose buying a new rim is an option. but this is a very old kit and the pitting is only on the inside of the rim so if I could just take care of it I think that would be better. at least I want to try. I tried the steel wool thing and most of the pits just turned black............
 
inside the rim where it rests on the skin is far worse than just cosmetic pitting on the outside!
 
oh...i see.....

well, I might go ahead and replace it. thanks for the link btw. I do want to at least try to fix it first. are the pits supposed to turn black or does that just mean I need to scrub harder?
 
Falken, you might have better luck with Simicrome polish and cloth. Steel wool may leave residue (and then rust!).

Any good paste metal polish, cloth, and several pounds of elbow grease will probably do the trick. ;)

If the rims are chrome-plated and the pitting is bad enough, it may not polish out.....but you can get them re-chromed. If they are not chromed, then they should polish out with enough work.
 
foreverain4 said:
what is "pitting"? sorry..
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Pitting refers to small surface imperfections resulting from oxidation of the metal - small pits in the metal surface.
 
FALKEN said:
are the pits supposed to turn black or does that just mean I need to scrub harder?
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I'm not sure if its chrome or stainless steel. anybody???
 
well stainless steel wouldn't have any color under it

chrome is some sort of metal...that is then 'chromed'
 
The black is probably the result of the oxidized material being spread around on the rim by the steel wool. Also the steel wool may itself be oxidized and depositing its crap all over the rim.

If I were you I would switch to a non-metallic media for buffing it. (Nylon pads are available in 00 and 000 at your local hardware store, paint department.)

At any rate, more elbow grease is required!
 
I doubt you can actually do much about the existing pits, but you can sand-blast the rims and then have them chromed or powder-coated.
 
As far as chrome vs stainless, chrome is very shiny and very hard, but now that you've buffed off the hard shine it might be hard to tell what it is. If chrome plating is in really bad shape you can actually see it peeling off the metal substrate underneath.

If the rims were stainless I doubt that you would be seeing any pitting. So I'm betting it's chrome.
 
Atterion said:
I doubt you can actually do much about the existing pits, but you can sand-blast the rims and then have them chromed or powder-coated.
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Ditto that. ^^^^^
 
Zaphod B said:
The black is probably the result of the oxidized material being spread around on the rim by the steel wool. Also the steel wool may itself be oxidized and depositing its crap all over the rim.

If I were you I would switch to a non-metallic media for buffing it. (Nylon pads are available in 00 and 000 at your local hardware store, paint department.)

At any rate, more elbow grease is required!
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actually the steel wool is some sort of plastic (perhaps nylon?). I've tried buffing with just that, using a little bit of 3 and 1 oil, and with brasso. I think the oil worked best. a few of the very smallest pits have come clean and shiny again. the larger ones and most of the rest of them are just black. I guess I'm pretty much just screwed then? I should have just left it alone!!!!!! I'll try scrubbing some more later tonight I guess.... this is a vintage stop sign badge gretsch kit btw. i dont know if maybe that will help someone know what I'm dealing with?
 
I used to use sos pads on a ludwig kit all the time. cleans them right up after your done rinse it off and dry real well and put some wax on it. Works great and looks great when your done.
 
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