Polished GOLDEN RAW -- Really DONE!

[PhotonFanatic]

I like shiny things, part I:

On the left, the RAW as received from ORB, on the right, after first round of polishing.





Still some more work to be done.

[Geologist]

it looks like you polished so hard that the tritium vial has shifted out of position!!!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[CroMAGnet]

sweet, That loox much better for EDC [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Christoph]

Geo [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif[/img]
Fred good polish job now don't breath on it.
Chris

[Geologist]

BTW - good job - what type of polish are you using?

[PhotonFanatic]

First, it involves sanding--down to 1500 grit with wet/dry paper. Then it has been buffed with Dialux Blue to this state:




Next I want to try some Red Rouge, which should burnish it (well that's what it does to silver, but I'm not sure what we'll see on aluminum).

[PhotonFanatic]

<font color="blue"> Now we're cookin! </font>

Red rouge wasn't too hot, but Black Rouge--very nice:




And stepping back a little bit:



All this needs now is a little Simichrome or Flitz and it will be good for months on end.

[modamag]

Fred, very nice.

I was thinking of nickel electroless plating mine since my original Orb already got corrosion on it.

[PhotonFanatic]

modamag,

Yes, that's in the back of my mind as an option also.

Other options:

EN plate, then Gold flash. Now that would be impressive!
EN plate, then satin chrome. Rockwell hardness of 70.
EN plate, then flash chrome. Really bright and shiny!
EN plate, then diamond chrome. Rockwell hardness of 98!!!

One would have to watch the threads on the electroless nickel plating--there doesn't appear to be much room for plating.

[CroMAGnet]

Gold Flash! Gold Flash!!!

BTW that black rouge polised baby loox awesome. I'm just starting to EDC my Raw-U and I'd love to graduate to a Gold Raw-U.

[PhotonFanatic]

CromagNet,

I work for money. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

The gold flash would be about $30 to $40 more than just the EN plating, which usually runs about $4 to $7 a light.

[PhotonFanatic]

<font color="blue"> Finished!! </font>



Really thinking this should be EN plated and then gold flashed. I like the yellow color from the incandescent light source.

[CroMAGnet]

OK! Can I send you mine to make into Solid Gold [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] and can you install some tritium?

[Ginseng]

Beautiful!

I get EN at 0.0005/0.0007" Do you think you've got clearance for that? I love Flitz by hand or jeweler's rouge on a soft buffing wheel. But that's the easy part. I find it's the sanding sequence that is most important.

Wilkey

[PhotonFanatic]

Wilkey,

Maybe, but there's more than one way to skin a cat. If 5 tenths would make it too snug, I can always polish off some of the EN on the threads, or use some diamond paste to give it that "custom" fit. The gold flash is very thin normally so that won't be the problem.

Dying to drop this off on Monday and see what they come up with.

[arewethereyetdad]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wow.gif[/img] Now that is something! WOW! Hey, Fred, I just got your polished Groovy! in the mail. What a superb light! I will have more to say in that regard soon.

[wquiles]

Fred,

Looks great !!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif[/img]

[img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/goodjob.gif[/img]

Will

[Hallis]

Wow nice and shiney, definately a fingerprint magnet now [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Shane

[andrewwynn]

Fred is the polish-master... i've seen two of his polish jobs first-hand one that he spent more time on but both are amazing.

-awr

[Haesslich]

Aye. I'm wondering how he polished it without doing anything to the Tritium, myself... and I need to reseat mine - the crazy glue was too thick inside. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] Any suggestions on how to remove, so I could do polishing and then reattach it properly?

[PhotonFanatic]

Haesslich,

No need to remove the vial--just work right over it, but be reasonable while working near it. I think removing and reinstalling would be a major project.

The amount that you remove from the vial is minimal, as it is somewhat below the surface of the light to start with.

With a 10X loop, I can barely detect the polishing marks.

[Haesslich]

It's not below the surface for me, actually. :P That's the problem - I put too much crazy glue in when installing, so I need to remove it. Will acetone/nail polish remover do?

[PhotonFanatic]

Haesslich,

You will need a debonder. Do a search on Google; here is one.

[Haesslich]

I just realized I could pick up the debonder from a hobby store ten minutes away. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

Thanks for the link - that turned the proverbal light on in my head, as it were. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[PhotonFanatic]

<font color="blue"> Final mod: A little gold flash! </font>

[ddaadd]

WOW! A new trend in the works here? Very classy.....

( looks at flashlights, looks at buffer, looks at shiny gold light, hmmmm)

[VidPro]

i feel demonic forces [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/evilgrin07.gif[/img] impelling me [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif[/img] to stop my house payment [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif[/img] and buy one of these [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif[/img], (jim carry mask impression) SOMBODY STOP ME !!! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif[/img]

[Haesslich]

Nice. What'd you do to get the flash on, and how tough is the coating?

[andrewwynn]

holyl crap fred.. that's stunning. I may have to bribe you for some special treatment on a groovy :-D