Any tips for polishing stainless???

Chad one thing to think about is if you are going to have any weld joints if you weld 304 with 308 rod the joint will look different, ask me how I know that lol. My sanding and polishing steps are way over kill but when I have done bike pipes or headers I want them as close to perfect as I can get them so then its up to the owner to keep them nice not up to me to fix one tiny scratch on a header flange. A brushed finish can be a beautiful thing but its like a flat black paint job it takes the same amount of prep work just not as much finishing. With the bumpers nickel plated I would be tempted to plate the exhaust that way if you had one little installation scratch it would be a little easier to correct than a polished finish.

Pat
 
Wonder how a plated finish would hold up..

What filler rod would you recommend.. I was told to try ER347 but when I went to order it they were confused because nobody ever ordered it before.. This is what the pipe supplier told me would be best.
 
If you have no gap, you don't need a filler I believe. Saw a thread were a professional welder was welding for the food industry, wish I still had it. No filler, smoothed inside and out. I'm not that good, but just a thought.
 
I've polished a lot of stainless and aluminum with a basic wool pad on my buffer held to a work table with bungee cords and the trigger locked using everything from super duty compound and other compounds and mother's aluminum wheel polish. The large surface area of a regular pad beats the regular bench motor buffing setups I've tried in the past. I've dinged up a few stainless mouldings trying to keep them on those little bench polisher wheels, even launched a few across the shop. I did two stainless bumpers for a 41 chev last winter-these were bought raw, modified, and required sanding from 120 grit through to 3000 and I only spent a few nights to make them look like a mirror...these I bungee strapped to work stands and repositioned as needed using DA sanders and a Milwaukee buffer with a basic wool pad. I don't think you need to get too elaborate to have good results.
 
I would much rather use a basic wool pad, then I wouldn't have to buy anything.. While I do want it nice I have to remind myself this is a exhaust for a truck that will lay on the ground. Only so much will be seen. But I would like it nice enough to hit some of the higher caliber shows and actually get some notice with the truck, before it gets put into driver mode.. If that make sense..
 
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