First part from Aluminium

[Richard.]

My surface table was brightened up with scotch brite and Wd. Bit of elbo grease and she's a smooth as silk.
Best way to do it is by hand so it stays flat.

 

[norlander]

My surface table was brightened up with scotch brite and Wd. Bit of elbo grease and she's a smooth as silk.
Best way to do it is by hand so it stays flat.

Technique often overlooked because we always reach for the power tools, use of a block also tends to get forgotten. Plus, its quiet, less smeg flying about, more satisfying, and you get a bit of a workout as well.

I got the soles of my woodworking planes flat n smooth by working them on plate glass with grinding paste, I would probably try that for a surface like that in reverse using wet n dry 600 with paste wrapped round an owd plane.
Never done that though.

 

[MattH]

Finished welding the gates tonight. My welds certainly are not show quality (although one or two aren't bad) so I've started to grind them back flat. One gate down, just got to finish the other.
I only need to fab up some hinge tabs and weld them in and then they are ready to be installed in the workshop.

 

[Richard.]

Depending on how far you want to take it Matt you would of probably been better off taking those welds down in the Bridgeport. Then lightly rub em down and polish em up.
I know I know they are just gates but it's areas like that I'm a bit finiky with stuff.

 

[MattH]

I'm planning on wire brushing them in order to create a uniform finish.
And yes they are just gates for an industrial unit. If they where for domestic then that would be the way to go.

 

[Richard.]

I'm planning on wire brushing them in order to create a uniform finish.
And yes they are just gates for an industrial unit. If they where for domestic then that would be the way to go.

A brush grain effect will be far easier to get right with a light glance over using scotch brite rather than a brush. Don't press too hard and keep it all going with the lengths.