I have polished a lot of metals, mostly stainless steel, to mirror finish. Shafts I spin as fast as possible, 2500 rpm. something as big as a platter you’ll have to spin slower in the name of safety. Of course i’m talking about using a lathe.
The key to successful polishing is to work slowly up the grit spectrum. You can probably start with 240 or maybe even 320 if the platter has a good finish and no deep scratches. Clean after each stage as you move to finer grit. 800 or 1000 will give a mirror finish but polishing cloth (3000 grit equivalent) will really make it sparkle.
It takes longer then you would expect so be patient. Don’t try to do it in one afternoon. Polish for a while and go listen to music. Come back to it the next day.
Jerry
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Metal polish (Brasso, Flitz etc) and a soft cloth and some elbow grease will do the job. If you're feeling lazy you could lightly use a Dremel with a buffing wheel.
I've never polished a platter, but I do use such polishes, jeweller's pastes and a Dremel to restore straight razors.
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@carlsbad2 is right on. Stopping at 3k will probably give it a very nice finish, but if you want it even shinier, I'd end with a metal polish.
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Give it to a Metal Polisher and then aVustom Automotive Sprayer to Multicoat Laquer Finish. These treatments are not expensive as a Polisher will see this as a Pin Money for cash job and the Sprayer will coat it when the Pot has Laquer in it.
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Guys, I think what @horsestuff has in mind is removing the tarnish from the metal, like polishing silver.
There are hundreds of metal polishes out there. I personally like Menzerna Polishing Cream. It is a rub on, wipe off product, a cotton or microfiber cloth will do. You could use a random orbital polisher, but on something as small as a platter elbow grease will do fine.
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As Carlsbad noted, work up to finer abrasives. I like the 3m foam sanding pads for auto use. 1200, 3000, 5000. 5000 makes a lacquer finish look like glass. 3m makes sandpaper and pads for polishing / fine sanding from 1000 on up. 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500, etc
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I may have misinterpreted the question. but looks like you're getting a variety of anwers. Good luck. --Jerry
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Would an orbital polishing tool be ok or is it better to use elbow grease?
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Are you experienced with an orbital polisher? If not, don't, in my opinion.
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I may have misinterpreted the question. but looks like you're getting a variety of anwers. Good luck. --Jerry
Well, the OP didn't say what condition the platter is in, so it's hard to know what it needs. What you recommended is on point if the platter is a little more worn than just lightly oxidized.
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Lets rephrase the OP's inquiry.
I have recently received a Imported from Japan Micro Sieki BL 111 Turntable.
I am keen to keep it aesthetically appealing, as this Model has a used market value of between $4K - $6K.
I have a Platter which is in need of being returned to a Highly Polished Finish.
Can a method to achieve this be recommended?
??? I have not revealed my experiences or competency levels to achieve this as a finish by myself as the option.
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That's a nice piece of gear ... follow @carlsbad2 's advice and you will be long-term happy
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Start with the simplest and least aggressive method of polishing and see if you get the results you want. Personally, I would start some metal polish and a clean micro fibre cloth.
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I agree with @testpilot Unless it's been left out in the weather for three decades, I’d be hesitant to take anything resembling sand paper to it. Pick up any metal polish (check the auto parts store) and combine with elbow grease and a bunch of old sacrificial T-shirts. They’ll turn black as you remove built up oxidation but the platter should shine up nicely as you hand buff it out. A light coat of automotive wax will keep it shiny for a long time.
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What polish do you recommend?
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I think Simi chrome (a brand) would be a good start and isn’t too aggressive.
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As a car guy, I was gonna mention Simichrome too, but I thought perhaps it was not quite appropriate since the platter is gunmetal, not aluminum. Simichrome is great for aluminum parts. However, I suspect all of these specialized polishes are similar to one another in composition.
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@horsestuff
The orbital polisher will fling polish all over the place unless you are very experienced with it. The Menzerna Polishing Cream works on all metals and you will need very little elbow grease with it. The tarnish will rub right off. I tried it on gunmetal parts of a hand plane. Worked great.
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No Lacquer applied will keep the metal exposed to oxidation and dulling will occur.
Usually non ferrous metal will be welcome to oxidise and gain a patina, it is attractive on furniture.
I have a Tenuto Platter Mat, and I know these are with a Lacquer finish.
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@pindac
All true, except clear metal lacquer is really toxic and difficult to apply. The stuff you get at Home Depot will leave a bad finish with pits and runs. It is much easier for the OP to polish the platter once in a while.
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Lacquer is an application carried out regularly by Custom Spray Paint Services, hence my earlier suggestion to use such a service once a Professional Polisher had Bright Polished the Platter.
I am not anti DIY Polishing, I have in the past taken Platter Rims to a Bright Polished Finish.
In this case the Value of the BL 111 TT on the used Market suggests it will be aesthetically attractive if dealt with by a Professional Service.
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I polished my RX-5000 platter with MAAS and the supplied cloth. I also investigated metal shops around town which dealt with hot rods and motorcycles for polishing up chrome or stainless. I feared that gunmetal being a softer material would ultimately warp if not careful and the guys at one shop I emailed, I had to explain what gunmetal even was, so decided to just do it myself.
That said I was able to get a really nice shine on the platter, but has since patina'd quite a bit. I seem to recall that Micro applied some type of coating on these platters that if removed and polished, it will patina quicker.
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Thanks for the advice. After polishing could you not put a coat of clear shellac to prevent the platter from corroding.
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