Ruger Rehab!.....New Progress pics.... DONE!!!

[markj]

I stoped by my local pawn shop last week and found this old 3 screw single six. Poor litle fella was just rusting away in the case, So I worked out a deal and brought it home. The gun is a "Super Single Six" and was born the same year as me, 1969.
Im planning on cooking up some bluing salts next weekend, so the timing is pretty good.

Here is how it looked when I got it home.




You can see that the finish is pretty rough. Lots of spots of surface rust, but very light pitting.





Since the finish on the alloy grip frame was almost completely gone, I decided to polish it.

Here it is after the first sanding with 400 grit paper.




And after a LOT of sanding and polishing......



That was pretty much a full day.

Today I got to work on the grips. Like the rest of the gun, there was basically very littl finish left on the grips, but they were still in good shape.

In this picture, the grip on the right has been sanded and is ready for the first coat on Tru Oil. The grip on the left is the original finish.



After 4 coats of truoil, some compound and wax, Im really happy with the results!





Ive already started sanding and polishing the steel parts. Its going well. Ill get some more pictures of the reciever and barrel when they are done.

-Mark

 

[kalashnikov blastov]

Wow! That polish job looks great. If you don't mind me asking, how did you achieve such a mirror finish?

 

[BRETTBELK]

Wow! That polish job looks great. If you don't mind me asking, how did you achieve such a mirror finish?

this^^

 

[markj]

Wow! That polish job looks great. If you don't mind me asking, how did you achieve such a mirror finish?

SLOWLY.....LOL
400-600-800-1000 grit paper with remoil. Use a popsicle stick to back up the paper any time you get near a corner that needs to stay square, an aluminum edge will round off quickly if you are not careful. then polish on a wheel with NuVite "S" Aluminum polish. Then touch up the nooks and crannies with a polishing wheel on a Dremmel and some Flitz. Its kinda time consuming, but the results are worth it. The polished aluminum is beautiful and will be corosion resistant.

 

[kalashnikov blastov]

That is some good advice, especially the popsicle stick. I've used a similar technique in the past, but without a wheel I hand polished after sanding with mothers mag and aluminum polish with decent results, but not nearly as nice as yours. For the sake of my fingers and hands, I really need to invest in a wheel! As well as NuVite. Looking at your work on this and the fusion (and other 1911 builds), any advice you give will be taken to heart. You truly do some top notch work!

 

[kalashnikov blastov]

Grips really turned out great too, almost forgot

 

[BRETTBELK]

looks really nice, anxious too see the final result. keep us posted

 

[markj]

Thanks guys.

Kalashnikov, a 6" bench grinder with a stone on one side and polishing wheel on the other is one of those tools you never knew you needed untill you get one!! I use it all the time. My "Dremmel" is one of those cheap $15 knock offs from Harbour Freight, had it for years and it just keeps going....

I use Mothers as well, but mostly for small parts. NuVite is made specifically for aluminum, its expensive because it only comes in 12 ounces or more. Its used to polish airplanes and airstream trailers. Flitz is my other fav.

 

[magna750]

That is great! I love the polishing work you have done there. You don't see that every day. Bravo!

 

[RamRoddoc]

That will look great! Just watch and don't let aluminum touch the bluing salts. It will be a a super sharp Ruger!