Brush finish on Stainless Steel

Anyone out there perfected the art of a brushed finish on stainless sheet with the usual range of DIY power tools ?

I can get a great finish using scotchbrite on stainless tube in the lathe. That turns out really well.

But on a flat sheet I have only seen professionals do it with some sort of proper drum burnishing machine. Actually it was someone resurfacing a Delorean bonnet on Wheeler Dealers, which I don't have ( neither the tool nor the car).

Cheers - Will

I've had good success using the Garyflex blocks (Craytex in USA). The blocks are substantial enough to hold in the hand and move in a linear or circular manner. They are available in at least 3 grades. Depending on the surface to begin with, start with the coarse and move to fine if you need it.

We use a machine that has a rotating drum with a 240 grit sanding drum. In the right hands we can get a good finish. No use for a large area though as you can see waves in it.

Bri

I use discs for the angle grinder that have a fleece on them

they are called dronco discs

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dronco-115-x-22mm-Bore-Angle-Grinder-Cleaning-Fleece-Disc-Coarse-/131558858436?hash=item1ea184dec4

They are really great for cleaning matals and for polishing steels and give the brushed finish

they look expensive but last well

Thanks for the answers guys - Mr Fury, can you get a good even aesthetic linear pattern with the blocks if care is taken ?

Cheers - Will

~Will,

My workbench top is covered with thick stainless steel, it's been in use for 40+ years and is deeply scored and dented. This morning, I've used first coarse, then medium and finally, fine Garryflex blocks on a smaarea. I used the blocks in an "up & down" motion.The area was rubbed for no more than about 20 seconds with each block. The fine grade block was only applied to the left half of the area - so that bit has had, say, 3 x 20 seconds of rubbing.

The image (hopefully reproduced here !) was taken with ambient light as flash caused too much flare. Obviously Garryflex has not removed the deep scoring in that time but the surface finish is much improved. That probably doesn't constitute an answer to your " can you get a good even aesthetic linear pattern with the blocks if care is taken", but depending on the surface you have to begin with - Garryflex ought to work OK.

Garryflex is brilliant, as FF's post shows, at polishing. if you want a 'brushed' finish I would go for the dark grey flexible sanding blocks, a medium grit

Hi Will, I have some of these **LINK**, they are pretty good and are impregnated throughout, but I don't know how they compare to the Garryflex ones.

Regards Nick.

P.S. no connection to B&H other than an occasional customer.

Thanks gents, appreciate the advice - I'll get some blocks and give it a go.

Cheers - Will