Removing Tool/grind Marks

[XRe]

What's the best way to remove marks made by using grinding wheel or sanding drum bits?? I've been working on fitting a new ambi to my single stack, and I blended the sides of the safety down to the frame using a grinding bit, followed by a fine sanding drum. How do I get it nice and smooth from there?? I don't have a bead blasting cabinet handy - but if I can get it close enough for now, that'd be cool. I just don't know what the best next step is I can have it blasted before the eventual refinishing...

Thanks!

[Sixgun]

I'd use a Cratex wheel. They come in various grits. You can find them at places like Production Tool.

Ray

[Singlestack]

600 grit sandpaper, your fingers + time.

[XRe]

I figured those were the answers I've used Cratex bits in the past and had mixed results. Obviously, the motor tool is quicker than sandpaper, though...

I've got a lot more work to do on the safeties themselves (they're Swensons - lots of contouring and cleanup to get done - not as much as in the past, though...). I'll clean 'em up after that... Wish I had a bench grinder w/ a buffing wheel, though...

[Radical Precision Designs]

I figured those were the answers I've used Cratex bits in the past and had mixed results. Obviously, the motor tool is quicker than sandpaper, though...

I've got a lot more work to do on the safeties themselves - (they're Swensons lots of contouring and cleanup to get done - not as much as in the past, though...). I'll clean 'em up after that... Wish I had a bench grinder w/ a buffing wheel, though...

I feel your pain ... literally! Those Swensons come in pretty rough, with lots of extra material ... and grossly oversized. It takes quite a bit of time to get them done. Happily their cast metal is rather soft and easy to grind and file down. Use various shaped files in "fine" teeth, and then progres to "sandpaper". I prefer using the "body shop type" for orbital-pneumatic self adhesive kind (6" diameter) and fold it in half which makes it stiffer and last longer along with contouring better. Start with 180 grit for dispersing the deep file marks and go on to 320 grit, which will give you a "satin" finish. Then if you wish, go on to 600 grit for that shiny, polished look. Have some "liniment" or some "Icy-Hot" handy to quench your finger joints when you are finished.

[.40AET]

Hey Dave- I borrowed a small table top belt sander to shape my last set of Swensons. It was helpful getting the back of the safety smooth and shaping the paddles. I'd buy the sander before I did another set. Sorry to hear that they haven't improved a lot.

Belt sander

[XRe]

They've been pretty easy to shape, so far. It's called "slow and easy with that motor tool, Mister... ).

Venry, I have some of each, so... not the body shop type, but, I'll make do

.40 - they're a lot better than the old ones, but still rough. There's no pits or anything, but there are still some casting marks. The paddles are thinner to start with, too. You could remove the casting marks, and then use it straight out, no issues - but I like them contoured down quite a bit (as it sounds like you do). Luckily, I have a good example to work from, so...

[JFD]

I don't know what a Cratex bit is. If it's the same thing as a rubber dremel wheel, then that's what I use to remove more metal than I would with the felt wheel and polish. It will remove any tool marks, and if you aren't careful to keep the thing moving, it will remove more than you might think.

[Flyin40]

Hit it with some fine sandpaper first. Get most of the marks out and finish up with the craytex. The sandpaper doesn't take that long unless you put some deep gashes in it.

Flyin40

[Run n Gun]

What's the best way to remove marks made by using grinding wheel or sanding drum bits?? I've been working on fitting a new ambi to my single stack, and I blended the sides of the safety down to the frame using a grinding bit, followed by a fine sanding drum. How do I get it nice and smooth from there?? I don't have a bead blasting cabinet handy - but if I can get it close enough for now, that'd be cool. I just don't know what the best next step is I can have it blasted before the eventual refinishing...

Thanks!

I used THESE to blend everything after I put an Ed Brown grip safety in my Kimber. Just be sure to "sand" and smoothly as you can, then start with the brown one followed by the black/dark gray one. If you really wand some "bling", follow the black one up with a felt pad with with some Flitz... mirror city! BTW, 600 grit "wet and dry" will give a finish about the same as a standard "brush" finish on most stainless steel guns.

Ed

[XRe]

I used THESE to blend everything after I put an Ed Brown grip safety in my Kimber

I had a brown one laying around and gave it a whirl, pre-sanding, just to check it out. Wow!!! They sure fall apart quick, but darn if it didn't do a pretty good job on it's own of cleaning everything up. Couple of spots to sand, and a trip to Home Depot to get more of these suckers

[Powder Finger]

Also if you want to spend real money the little H.D. dremel jobs come from 3mmmm

in big(for bench grinders) for machine shop deburring they cost like $35. Never used them

but I bet they last a long time for this type O stuff.

[CenTX]

I don't have a bead blasting cabinet handy - but if I can get it close enough for now, that'd be cool. I just don't know what the best next step is I can have it blasted before the eventual refinishing...

Dave,

I have a blast cabinet, with glass beads. Give it to me next match and I'll blast it for you.

[XRe]

I have a blast cabinet, with glass beads. Give it to me next match and I'll blast it for you.

Bob, you da man I'll have it ready to go for you after DoubleTap - in fact, I can turn it over to you there

[XRe]

Update - the secret to getting the Dremel buffs to last longer is... don't run them at 35K RPMs... I have two Dremels - one single speed cheap model that my wife picked up for me a while back, and one cheap rechargeable that has 5K and 10K options. At 10K, they work great and last quite a bit longer In fact, they work so good, I went ahead and finished out my magwell, too

I wish Dremel would put operating speeds in the package w/ the bit, but... They're website isn't helpful, either. I found a Dremel catalog at Lowe's and it lists max speeds for all the bits....