There are many types of aluminum and some are harder to polish than others. Cast aluminum is one of the most difficult kinds of aluminum to polish, but it's one of the most beautiful when it's done right. In this video I take a 20+ year old used piece of cast aluminum that was purchased on eBay and first challenge its worthiness for this job. While this may seem like a spoiler in the description because the job continues beyond this point, please understand that this is not the first cylinder head that I put through these paces. This video demonstrates WHY you would want to have high standards for any part that receives this kind of treatment, as well as the most effective use of your time while starting this process.
A successful KZfaq channel uploads at least twice a week. Videos about time-consuming, laborious processes are not profitable videos for me to make, but I understand how much satisfaction I receive from having done these kinds of jobs myself, and I want to share what I know about these jobs with all of you. I want all of you to experience that satisfaction from your efforts. My videos are typically time-consuming long-haul jobs that can not conform to Google's algorithm schedule. The kinds of videos I make CAN NOT follow that schedule, but I make these videos not for Google or their algorithms. Monetization might provide me with $60-$80 of ad revenue for it, while being subjected to ranked promotion and politicized filtering, but like I said... this is not for them, it's for you. I want this to be a resource for anyone who needs guidance and I want it to be available in your time of curiosity and need. If not for my supporters on Patreon who bridge this gap that the algorithms create for me, I would have wrapped up and quit my production years ago. Please understand that the names scrolling by at the end of my videos are the people who get this, who want me to keep making these kinds of videos, and who want YOU to have these kinds of videos. Everyone who has contributed or who continues to contribute to my production on Patreon page are the reasons why all of you have it. If you wish to support what I do here, you can do so at www.patreon.com/jafromobile. Every donation helps me help the willing, and I spend everything I make from it on doing this.
I open with the background of what inspired me to start doing this, who helped me the most once I attempted it for myself, and what I accomplished with my efforts. I believe these things are important qualifications to share because these techniques have been applied to automobiles for over 100 years (the "brass cars" of the 1900's-1910's) and repeated on many cars and motorcycles throughout the post-war era of hot rodding through today. It's an artisan's touch to engine building that does not improve the mechanical performance of an engine in any measurable way. To put it simply, it's for the fans. It's for attention. It's an aesthetic treatment. But for the one doing the work, the parts only receive this kind of treatment because that car is loved. It's a visual demonstration that it's their favorite thing. The maintenance it requires is why it's typically only seen on SHOW CARS, and why it's most often applied to high performance builds. That car owner has been receiving dividend payments of adrenaline and attention with it that made them fall in love with it. They do this because they want it to stand out among a crowd of others like it, but most importantly to make an impression on everyone who is a FAN of it. They want to make more fans of it, and people love shiny, unusual things. It's an extremely effective tactic as it makes people stop walking, and look at it. And keep looking at it. And then start looking FOR it.
Please consider how you're using these techniques and why they're beneficial to you if you wish to do this to your parts. I don't want to lose any friends over the punishment endured by anyone trying to accomplish this. If your car spends more time with the hood open than closed, then this might be for you... but it's a whole lot of work to maintain, and God forbid you break it like I did.
I have several MAJOR announcements in this series that extend beyond the polishing job and provide more context of my goals, so please come back and watch the rest. More coming soon, Stay Tubed!