Tools for polishing

[Tikvah]

I'm thinking of making my wife think that polishing the stainless is fun.
If I succeed I'll need the right tools.  I don't want to go buy a bunch of stuff, because she might find out that it isn't fun after awhile and the tools won't get used.
Below are pics of what I already own.
I also looked at Harbor Freight today for the compound.  They have lots of colors.

So, I have some wool pads on my polishers, and nothing yet for my 4-1/2" grinder.

I'm not looking for a fancy job or mirror finish, but I'd like to clean it up.  It doesn't look terrible now.  I've attached the worst spots.  Some rust stains and some old lettering spots.

What do I need to get?

[Ed Hackenbruch]

 A lot of luck to make her think it is fun? 

[Charles in SC]

Maybe you should read the Huck Finn story about white washing the fence again before you get her involved.

[Tikvah]

Okay, we got off on the funny part about the wife polishing, but I really have no ideas if I have the right machines, the right pads, or what color compounds to use.

[Jim Eh.]

Unless you are cutting thru the stainless or polishing paint, the tools you have there may not give you the finish you desire.

Generally polishing is done with an electronic variable speed 7" angle grinder and varying grades of polish. The buffing pads come in different weights as well. Generally speaking the lighter the colour the finer the polishing both in compound and in the pad/wheel. There are some compounds specifically for stainless steel but don't know exactly the name for them but the colour matches close to other polish of similar grits that are used on aluminium.

Notes:

The grinder used is variable because you are quite capable of "burning" the metal due to the friction some compounds can generate. You usually use the slowest speed setting.

The compound to use would depend on where you are starting from and how polished you want to end up with. It is done in stages with a progressively lighter compound and buffing wheel.

The buffing pad comes in various designs with some ruffled material crimped in a centre hub. Some are layers of material sewn together to make a wider buffing wheel.

The smoother the compound + the smoother the buffing wheel = the better the reflection.

Here is a Canadian suppliers line up:   http://www.truckerssupply.com/Polishing.pdf
Here is a chart of compounds:          http://www.pjtool.com/jewelers-rouge-chart.aspx
Here is a link to get your wife to polish:   http://www.amazon.ca/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034

If you just want to do a few touch ups on the rust coated spots try using some silver polish available at any department store.

[PP]

Tikvah, It took me close to 2 years to get the stainless on my bus from anodized to mirror finish. I had to wet sand from 400 grit up to 1200 grit and then I switched to my Dewalt cordless on high speed with pads and rouge. I made my pads out of some wool carpeting that we tore out of the bus during one of many remodeling spurts. I cut 6" circles and use those round discs made for sandpaper. Start with grey rouge because it has emery in it for taking out all the scratches left behind after wet sanding. Then move up to the red (brown) and when you're really happy with it and can shave in it like a mirror, either call it good or put on the white rouge to keep it from weathering dull too fast. I actually tried wiping it with brake fluid one time because someone on here said that was an easy way to get the shine back, WHAT A MISTAKE! I played hell trying to get rid of the dull oil look in that spot and bring it back to the rest of the bus. I tried attaching before and after pics, but they're never the right size. I'll take another whack at it though in a minute.
Now, when you get the dear wife to polish something like a bus, please, I'm begging you, share that secret with the rest of us.
Will

[flynbanjo]

To truly polish stainless steel you are going to need a high speed buffer.  I actually bought three of them so I wouldn't have to keep changing the wheels each time I changed compounds.  I had one buffer set up with two red wheels mounted back to back, one with two yellow wheels, and one with two white wheels.  I started out with the black compound with the red wheels, brown compound with the yellow wheels, and white compound with the white wheels. 

International bus parts has some tips and instructions for polishing stainless on their website. I believe they suggest black white and blue compounds for polishing stainless. 

[OneLapper]

That brake fluid trick only works on the anodized aluminum........

[PP]

That brake fluid trick only works on the anodized aluminum........

Now you tell me....

[Ed Hackenbruch]

Have never done it or seen it done so can only go by what the PO told me he did to my bus back in the mid 1980s. "$200, one week in Mexico, two guys with buffing wheels using jewelers rouge."

[Dave5Cs]

Dave if you only need to tough up and polish or make the whole bus shine. here is a link to what I used. Most of the bus was done but dulled from it never being cleaned. used a 4" and a 7" angle head grinder variable speed with polishing pads on them. HF type.

http://www.abrasivesupply.com/Formax_Marine_Blue_Rouge_Buffing_Wheel_Compound_Ba_p/515-111.htm

Dave5Cs