Re: Blake's 1971 CB350 Cafe Racer w/ Lots of pics!
you look like a punk ass.
haha... yeah, aluminum blows (after buffing without a mask i always blow black snot/spit. terrible stuff, but i never put a mask on as its a PITA)
youve got a LOT of practice to do with the buffing. go back to 400... one direction, wet, with a touch of soap. ONE DIRECTION. then go to 600, wet, in the PERPENDICULAR direction. then from 600 up to 1000, again crossing direction. at this point i usually hit it with the buffing wheel (emory rouge with a sisal wheel) but if your just hand polishing i would go 1500 grit, opposite direction, then 2000, switching direction again. always wet sand, and keep your sandpaper clean. you should not see ANY of the rougher grit scratches by the time your reaching for the next level up.
this is the finish you should have after 600 or so.
see the uniformity of the scratches?
if you ever get a buffer... expect to spend HOURS in this position...
heres a pic of the first piece i ever buffed (took about 20 hours or so). Notice the fine scratches in the side cover?
and where i am now (about 20 hours for both fork legs! you get faster as time goes on, and WAY better; these parts looked like SHIT when i started)