Author Topic: Can you polish magnesium to a blingin' finish like alloy??? (Read 1249 times)

ozone · « **on:** August 05, 2009, 03:35 PM »

Quite an easy one to solve, hopefully.

Can you polish up magnesium to a blingin' finish or what? If anyone has done this, please let me know and maybe show me a piccy or two...

mark 2 · « **Reply #1 on:** August 05, 2009, 03:51 PM »

No , it'll stay dull and brownish. You can make it shiny but nothing like alloy or steel

ozone · « **Reply #2 on:** August 05, 2009, 04:49 PM »

Quote from: mark j. on August 05, 2009, 03:51 PM

No , it'll stay dull and brownish. You can make it shiny but nothing like alloy or steel

Just found this...

http://www.squeakysmetalpolishing.com/before-after.html

Check out the wheels and stuff - they've managed to get some magnesium wheels really shiny (maybe a different shade to polished alloy, but still pretty darn shiny $:-\$ )

I did read somewhere that it will oxidize quicker than alloy

mark 2 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 05, 2009, 05:32 PM »

It will look good at first but like you say about oxidisation, it will soon go from bling back to the dullish brown. Had it happen with some magnesium hutch stuff, it looks like polished alloy initially but goes back to its natural colour over a few weeks.

ozone · « **Reply #4 on:** August 05, 2009, 06:09 PM »

Quote from: mark j. on August 05, 2009, 05:32 PM

It will look good at first but like you say about oxidisation, it will soon go from bling back to the dullish brown. Had it happen with some magnesium hutch stuff, it looks like polished alloy initially but goes back to its natural colour over a few weeks.

Yeah, seemed like it might work but it appears the shine wouldn't last 2 minutes so no point even contemplating having stuff polished. Endless polishing every other week aint much fun

I checked out a few of the US custom car forums that had threads about polished magnesium and they reckon clear coating over the top of the polished surface can't even stop the oxidisation.