Cleaning the lower instrument bowls - Revs & Speedo

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

As I have recently received my restored clocks back from Peter Horton I decided to see if I can spruce up the lower housings - I believe they are some sort of stainless steel.

Although you can't see much of  the undersides when in place mine seem full of scratches & the odd rust type spot/blemish - asside from spending a day polishing on a buffing wheel that I do not have - any tips for cleaning them?

P.S. I know it has been said here before but Peter's craftsmanship is amazing I am in awe of such ability.

[Laverdaroo]

only what you've suggested Ted, attack them first with Autosol and some 'uber; fine wire wool or brass suede brush, might have a good starting point with which to decide.

[kent400]

The covers are stainless steel Ted and not chrome. The covers fitted to the CB750 Fours are steel chrome.

If you had sent them with your gauges I would have polished them. Takes five minutes on the bench mop. 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

What covers are we talking about here Peter, the lower bowls which have the cush rubber in? or something else? cause the lower bowls aren't stainless as they rust for fun.

I am in the middle here - what I can say as a novice is that there were rust stains on the inside where the semi-captive fixing bolt sits - that came off with some chrome polish. The sides look like thin stainless steel but the outside of the backs have a few small pit marks - not the usual rust spot you get with chrome plating. The lower housings are fully magnetic - is there such a thing as thin chromed steel as opposed to chrome plating?

.case by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[Moorey]

 
    Not all stainless is rust free it depends on the gade of stainless used and conditions. Even 316 will rust if given the right conditions. Also lower grades are "magnetic".

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

 
    Not all stainless is rust free it depends on the gade of stainless used and conditions. Even 316 will rust if given the right conditions. Also lower grades are "magnetic".

We might be talking semantics here as when I googled stainless steel it said - Stainless steels are steels containing at least 10.5% chromium, less than 1.2% carbon and other alloying elements. Stainless steel's corrosion resistance and mechanical properties can be further enhanced by adding other elements, such as nickel, molybdenum, titanium, niobium, manganese, etc.

As a layman it does not have the look / appearance of chrome plating more like low grade stainless plus it is quite thin at the edges.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Sorry Ted, I was refering to the 500/550 clocks, I forgot yours is a 400.

If that's stainless it's a very poor quality stainless.

All I can say Oddjob is taking into account it's a 43 year old part that might explain why it has corroded a little over the decades - there is also galvanic corrosion to be considered with the other steels in close contact or proximity plus a degraded damp plastic cushion.

[Moorey]

Out of curiosity or if you can be arsed and you have a scrappy near by they should be able to tell exactly what it is with their XRF gun.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Just had an idea Ted, if you want to sent them to me I’ll see if I can work my magic on them and get them like new or better.

If they are stainless you need specialised buffing soap to get it to shine and I have all that.

Can’t promise I can remove all the pitting but I’m sure I can make them look far better than they are.

I'll PM you Oddjob.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I can confirm that Ken did a great job on my instrument bowls. I could have had a shave using them as my mirror they are now "bling" using the modern vernacular.