Frequently Asked questions
(Click for answer)
(Click for answer)
What metals can be polished at G.S.Polishing?
All non ferrous metals such as: brass, bronze, copper, aluminium and aluminium alloy castings,
stainless steels.
stainless steels.
What types of items can be polished?
Car & motorcycle parts, boat parts, household metal items, antique metal items and anything in between.
Realistically almost anything made from a non ferrous metal. I’ve polished all sorts of weird and
wonderful items over the years and am still surprised by what some customers bring in.
For the most part motorcycle & car parts and boat parts are the norm along with some household
items of a various nature.
I polish and restore many parts for professional car restorers and bike restorers/builders and just as
importantly any garage tinkerers out there wanting to restore their much cherished bike or car to its
former glory.
Some items are obviously more difficult than others due to the shape and/or size and sometimes
there’s an item that would literally be mission impossible. I’d rather be honest and tell the customer
if a job is not worth it, unfortunately it’s not always realised by the customer just what is in fact very
difficult or literally impossible. It’s not always what people want to hear but at least you’ll be getting
an honest opinion from someone who knows the potential pit falls involved.
Realistically almost anything made from a non ferrous metal. I’ve polished all sorts of weird and
wonderful items over the years and am still surprised by what some customers bring in.
For the most part motorcycle & car parts and boat parts are the norm along with some household
items of a various nature.
I polish and restore many parts for professional car restorers and bike restorers/builders and just as
importantly any garage tinkerers out there wanting to restore their much cherished bike or car to its
former glory.
Some items are obviously more difficult than others due to the shape and/or size and sometimes
there’s an item that would literally be mission impossible. I’d rather be honest and tell the customer
if a job is not worth it, unfortunately it’s not always realised by the customer just what is in fact very
difficult or literally impossible. It’s not always what people want to hear but at least you’ll be getting
an honest opinion from someone who knows the potential pit falls involved.
What are the processes involved?
It is mechanical polishing which basically means using rotary tools/wheels and discs of various sizes,
shapes, various machines both handheld and free standing as well as lots and lots of different
polishing compounds, mops, abrasives, etc. There really are a lot of tools and equipment used so
please excuse me for not going into too much detail!
There are occasions when someone says something like: “I thought you just dipped it in something?”
I’m sorry but there is no such magical substance! It takes a lot of hard work, skill, equipment,
knowhow and time to get these jobs done! Sorry to burst your bubble... you know who you are!
shapes, various machines both handheld and free standing as well as lots and lots of different
polishing compounds, mops, abrasives, etc. There really are a lot of tools and equipment used so
please excuse me for not going into too much detail!
There are occasions when someone says something like: “I thought you just dipped it in something?”
I’m sorry but there is no such magical substance! It takes a lot of hard work, skill, equipment,
knowhow and time to get these jobs done! Sorry to burst your bubble... you know who you are!
What results can I expect?
I’ve provided a photo gallery on this website to try and cover most types of parts and metals in order
to give the customer a fair idea of what to expect, the photos have not been digitally altered in any
way to make them look better.
At the end of the day I do the best I possibly can with the part or parts, every time the results are
dependent on the quality of the metal, the type of metal, the quality of the casting, corrosion levels,
shape, etc. You can rest assured that after over 20 years of metal polishing I know the tricks to get
the best results possible.
to give the customer a fair idea of what to expect, the photos have not been digitally altered in any
way to make them look better.
At the end of the day I do the best I possibly can with the part or parts, every time the results are
dependent on the quality of the metal, the type of metal, the quality of the casting, corrosion levels,
shape, etc. You can rest assured that after over 20 years of metal polishing I know the tricks to get
the best results possible.
Can I send my parts to you through the post or a courier?
Yes absolutely, once we’ve both come to an agreement on your proposed job and if you live too far
away or haven’t got time to get it to me, you’re welcome to send the part/s by whatever method
you choose. Please use the contact page to get my workshop address and don’t forget to write
G.S.Polishing at the top of the address line. Please include your full return details including a
telephone number on a piece of paper inside the package. I get work sent to me from all over the
UK and sometimes from further afield.
Once the job is complete I’ll get a courier or postal quote and then let you know the total amount for
the job and postage. Once paid for I send back your job well packaged with a written invoice
totalling the amount that you paid.
away or haven’t got time to get it to me, you’re welcome to send the part/s by whatever method
you choose. Please use the contact page to get my workshop address and don’t forget to write
G.S.Polishing at the top of the address line. Please include your full return details including a
telephone number on a piece of paper inside the package. I get work sent to me from all over the
UK and sometimes from further afield.
Once the job is complete I’ll get a courier or postal quote and then let you know the total amount for
the job and postage. Once paid for I send back your job well packaged with a written invoice
totalling the amount that you paid.
How do I pay?
* Cash in person.
* Cheque – must be cleared before the job is picked up or sent back.
* Bank transfer – ask for bank details when the job is complete, once I know it’s gone through I send
your job back.
* PayPal – (currently) There is a 3.4% charge which I have to ask the customer to pay. I give you my
PayPal address and you can pay it online through your PayPal account. Alternatively I can send you
a PayPal money request which can be paid online with any credit or debit card if you do not have a
PayPal account.
* Cheque – must be cleared before the job is picked up or sent back.
* Bank transfer – ask for bank details when the job is complete, once I know it’s gone through I send
your job back.
* PayPal – (currently) There is a 3.4% charge which I have to ask the customer to pay. I give you my
PayPal address and you can pay it online through your PayPal account. Alternatively I can send you
a PayPal money request which can be paid online with any credit or debit card if you do not have a
PayPal account.
Is there VAT to pay on top?
No, my business is small so I’m well below the VAT threshold.
How do I get a quote?
I can usually give you a ball park figure (minimum to maximum) providing you can email a photo or a
few photos of the part or parts you want a quote on, please use photos of the actual part or parts
and I will do my best to estimate a ball park figure. If you are not willing to do this you can always
come to my workshop in person so I can make the best judgement. If customers want a price
without letting me see the job I will usually be very reluctant to give out any prices so please be
aware ‘you the customer will need to provide this information in order to get an accurate quotation’.
few photos of the part or parts you want a quote on, please use photos of the actual part or parts
and I will do my best to estimate a ball park figure. If you are not willing to do this you can always
come to my workshop in person so I can make the best judgement. If customers want a price
without letting me see the job I will usually be very reluctant to give out any prices so please be
aware ‘you the customer will need to provide this information in order to get an accurate quotation’.
Why can’t you give me an exact cost?
Metal polishing is a form of restoration so it can sometimes be difficult to price a job, there are
usually no ‘off the shelf prices’, in some ways it’s akin to guessing how long a piece of string is.
Varying degrees of corrosion and other difficulties which can’t be seen in photos can make it difficult to
price some parts, therefore I have to give a ‘minimum to maximum’ ball park to cover any
unforeseen extra labour. Every job is timed and charged accordingly at the end of the work, if there
are any unforeseen issues I always let the customer know before completing the job. As with any
type of restoration there can be hurdles to jump over that are not always obvious at first glance. For
example if a customer has a part with paint on it, I can’t see what’s underneath the paint and I have
no idea of the metal condition, unfortunately I wasn’t born with x-ray eyes!
usually no ‘off the shelf prices’, in some ways it’s akin to guessing how long a piece of string is.
Varying degrees of corrosion and other difficulties which can’t be seen in photos can make it difficult to
price some parts, therefore I have to give a ‘minimum to maximum’ ball park to cover any
unforeseen extra labour. Every job is timed and charged accordingly at the end of the work, if there
are any unforeseen issues I always let the customer know before completing the job. As with any
type of restoration there can be hurdles to jump over that are not always obvious at first glance. For
example if a customer has a part with paint on it, I can’t see what’s underneath the paint and I have
no idea of the metal condition, unfortunately I wasn’t born with x-ray eyes!
It’s more expensive than I thought.... why?
If you’ve had polishing done in the past you won’t be asking this question.
For those that are new to this the answer is simply that polishing can be a very time consuming and
skilled process. Along with the time consuming nature of restoration metal polishing there are other
big expenses such as workshop rent, electricity, insurance, polishing materials and consumables,
welding equipment, etc, etc.
If the part you want polished is an awkward shape with lots of nooks & crannies to get into then
labour time on your job will increase significantly along with cost. Some engine parts are a lot more
time consuming than others because of this reason.
Please realise these points and support metal polishing, there are not many of us skilled polishers
left in the UK as it is!
For those that are new to this the answer is simply that polishing can be a very time consuming and
skilled process. Along with the time consuming nature of restoration metal polishing there are other
big expenses such as workshop rent, electricity, insurance, polishing materials and consumables,
welding equipment, etc, etc.
If the part you want polished is an awkward shape with lots of nooks & crannies to get into then
labour time on your job will increase significantly along with cost. Some engine parts are a lot more
time consuming than others because of this reason.
Please realise these points and support metal polishing, there are not many of us skilled polishers
left in the UK as it is!
If I leave my part/s in your workshop and don’t bother to pick it up and pay for it what happens?
Terms and conditions PLEASE READ!
If you do not pick your job up within 6 months of completion and haven’t paid for it then
unfortunately your part or parts will be sold on to recoup some of the money incurred for the work.
If you send or bring your job, part or parts to G.S.Polishing you are agreeing to these terms. If you
can’t agree to this agreement then please do not waste my time or my genuine customers' time.
Sometimes unfortunate things happen to people through no fault of their own, if it does let me
know rather than leaving me in the dark and we’ll try and work something out together.
Just like every other business I have to pay my bills on time. So please do not bring items in to be
polished if you have little intention of ever picking them up and paying for them, it’s fairly rare this
happens but unfortunately it still does.
If you do not pick your job up within 6 months of completion and haven’t paid for it then
unfortunately your part or parts will be sold on to recoup some of the money incurred for the work.
If you send or bring your job, part or parts to G.S.Polishing you are agreeing to these terms. If you
can’t agree to this agreement then please do not waste my time or my genuine customers' time.
Sometimes unfortunate things happen to people through no fault of their own, if it does let me
know rather than leaving me in the dark and we’ll try and work something out together.
Just like every other business I have to pay my bills on time. So please do not bring items in to be
polished if you have little intention of ever picking them up and paying for them, it’s fairly rare this
happens but unfortunately it still does.
What kind of repair work can you do?
* Dent repairs where possible.
* Welding repairs both TIG and MIG. Aluminium and s/steel repairs are welded with the TIG process.
I only use the MIG for steel repairs.
* Brazing and silver soldering as well as soft soldering. With extremely thin s/steel it’s possible to
silver solder as sometimes it’s the most preferred and logical method because when the metal is too
thin welding will ruin the item to be repaired.
* Aluminium poses its own problems with TIG welding, particularly if the part is corroded or has held
oil.
If you have something that needs to be repaired it’s always best to bring it down and show me, as
with all restoration there’s a right way and a wrong way. I always try my best to work around the pitfalls of repairing old stuff. It’s not always as easy or straight forward as one might think.
* Welding repairs both TIG and MIG. Aluminium and s/steel repairs are welded with the TIG process.
I only use the MIG for steel repairs.
* Brazing and silver soldering as well as soft soldering. With extremely thin s/steel it’s possible to
silver solder as sometimes it’s the most preferred and logical method because when the metal is too
thin welding will ruin the item to be repaired.
* Aluminium poses its own problems with TIG welding, particularly if the part is corroded or has held
oil.
If you have something that needs to be repaired it’s always best to bring it down and show me, as
with all restoration there’s a right way and a wrong way. I always try my best to work around the pitfalls of repairing old stuff. It’s not always as easy or straight forward as one might think.
Should I take nuts & bolts, seals and bearings etc out of the part before I give it to you?
Yes please!!
If your part needs paint stripping or anodise stripping before polishing or any other pre treatment
this is imperative because any rubber, plastic or steel parts will most probably be damaged by the
chemicals used to strip these coatings. Polishing and blasting will also leave dust and grit in bearings
etc and will cause issues for you.
Therefore if you do not break down these parts yourself I will have to charge for the time taken to
remove these parts if they are going to get in the way of the different processes and/or will cause
issues they will need removal. I end up getting stuck with this a lot of the time because the
customer does not realise the processes or the problems involved. If you do not have the tools to
take out these parts I can still do it for you but please be aware I have to charge for the time it takes.
If your part needs paint stripping or anodise stripping before polishing or any other pre treatment
this is imperative because any rubber, plastic or steel parts will most probably be damaged by the
chemicals used to strip these coatings. Polishing and blasting will also leave dust and grit in bearings
etc and will cause issues for you.
Therefore if you do not break down these parts yourself I will have to charge for the time taken to
remove these parts if they are going to get in the way of the different processes and/or will cause
issues they will need removal. I end up getting stuck with this a lot of the time because the
customer does not realise the processes or the problems involved. If you do not have the tools to
take out these parts I can still do it for you but please be aware I have to charge for the time it takes.
How do I look after it once it’s polished?
I get asked this a lot! Everyone has their own ideas or ways and it’s ultimately your choice.
It really depends on what the polished item actually is and how it’s used.
It really depends on what the polished item actually is and how it’s used.
Aluminium motorcycle and car parts for instance, my beliefs and opinions:
A good quality car wax such as carnauba wax or similar will help stop water leaving marks on the
polished surface, because the wax is creating a slick barrier between the metal surface and the air it
will also help a great deal to prevent oxidisation. (Oxidisation is a milky film that forms on top of the
aluminium surface over time). There are many products on the market that claim to protect metals
so it’s always best to do as much research before trying a product. Some of these products are
literally useless and do not work as the advertising claims!
If your polished item needs a light re-polish I can recommend ‘Meguiars NXT all metal polish’ or
‘Mothers Mag & Aluminium polish’, I’ve tried both and they work well without having any adverse
effects of most aluminium alloys. Both these products are creams, they need to be used sparingly
for them to work properly so follow the directions on the labels. Some metal polishing creams can
be hit or miss so please be careful not to use anything too abrasive because it might actually dull the
original finish.
It’s a bit like cleaning your house, leave it too long and it will be a lot more difficult. If you’ve got
shiny bits they will need regular maintenance to keep them looking good, little and often is always
the best policy.
polished surface, because the wax is creating a slick barrier between the metal surface and the air it
will also help a great deal to prevent oxidisation. (Oxidisation is a milky film that forms on top of the
aluminium surface over time). There are many products on the market that claim to protect metals
so it’s always best to do as much research before trying a product. Some of these products are
literally useless and do not work as the advertising claims!
If your polished item needs a light re-polish I can recommend ‘Meguiars NXT all metal polish’ or
‘Mothers Mag & Aluminium polish’, I’ve tried both and they work well without having any adverse
effects of most aluminium alloys. Both these products are creams, they need to be used sparingly
for them to work properly so follow the directions on the labels. Some metal polishing creams can
be hit or miss so please be careful not to use anything too abrasive because it might actually dull the
original finish.
It’s a bit like cleaning your house, leave it too long and it will be a lot more difficult. If you’ve got
shiny bits they will need regular maintenance to keep them looking good, little and often is always
the best policy.
Furniture/Home decor items (usually brass, copper, bronze):
My own personal beliefs and opinions:
A good quality carnauba wax is as good as anything. Brass, copper and bronze will start to go a light
brown colour after a long time exposed to humid/moist air, a protective wax coat will help prevent
this happening as long as it’s fairly regular and the un-waxed surface is not left exposed to air for too
long. Items kept inside a fairly dry house will take a long time to oxide over, however it’s still wise to
look after your shiny objects with a wax coating if you want the finish to last.
A good quality carnauba wax is as good as anything. Brass, copper and bronze will start to go a light
brown colour after a long time exposed to humid/moist air, a protective wax coat will help prevent
this happening as long as it’s fairly regular and the un-waxed surface is not left exposed to air for too
long. Items kept inside a fairly dry house will take a long time to oxide over, however it’s still wise to
look after your shiny objects with a wax coating if you want the finish to last.
Can I use my bike/car all year around if I’ve got polished aluminium parts on it?
Winter conditions and my beliefs/opinions:
I would not recommend anyone have polished aluminium parts and expect them to stay nice for
long if they use their bike or car in the winter. Aluminium in particular will degrade/corrode very
quickly when exposed to road salt or even trace amounts of it in the moist air. Sodium chloride (salt)
is the main enemy of aluminium alloys and it will eat into the surface of the metal spoiling the
polished finish, if left for a long time it will eventually rot all the way into the bare metal part.
Aluminium has a honeycomb structure which is why it’s so light weight, sodium chloride will
eventually soak through this structure attacking the component base metals that make up the
aluminium alloys, especially the zinc! Please be aware!
I would not recommend anyone have polished aluminium parts and expect them to stay nice for
long if they use their bike or car in the winter. Aluminium in particular will degrade/corrode very
quickly when exposed to road salt or even trace amounts of it in the moist air. Sodium chloride (salt)
is the main enemy of aluminium alloys and it will eat into the surface of the metal spoiling the
polished finish, if left for a long time it will eventually rot all the way into the bare metal part.
Aluminium has a honeycomb structure which is why it’s so light weight, sodium chloride will
eventually soak through this structure attacking the component base metals that make up the
aluminium alloys, especially the zinc! Please be aware!
What about lacquering?
My opinions and beliefs:
Lacquering is usually a bad idea on polished metal exposed to the elements, why do I say this?
Simply put, it has nothing to key to and will not hold for long until it starts to chip off. Once it’s
chipped moisture will inevitably creep underneath and spread like a white crusty disease,
motorcyclists in particular will know what I’m talking about... just look at your lacquered fork
bottoms!
Lacquering on household items/ornaments that do not get any wear is about the only way I see
lacquering being useful.
Lacquer once diseased needs to be chemically stripped off the part and in some cases it can hold
corrosion underneath so ultimately the part has to be re-polished mechanically by someone like
myself to get it back to its former glory.
I do not have the facilities to lacquer polished metal nor would I recommend it for the above
reasons. If you decide to have your polished items lacquered by someone else please be aware of
the above considerations.
Lacquering is usually a bad idea on polished metal exposed to the elements, why do I say this?
Simply put, it has nothing to key to and will not hold for long until it starts to chip off. Once it’s
chipped moisture will inevitably creep underneath and spread like a white crusty disease,
motorcyclists in particular will know what I’m talking about... just look at your lacquered fork
bottoms!
Lacquering on household items/ornaments that do not get any wear is about the only way I see
lacquering being useful.
Lacquer once diseased needs to be chemically stripped off the part and in some cases it can hold
corrosion underneath so ultimately the part has to be re-polished mechanically by someone like
myself to get it back to its former glory.
I do not have the facilities to lacquer polished metal nor would I recommend it for the above
reasons. If you decide to have your polished items lacquered by someone else please be aware of
the above considerations.
Can you take on large production jobs from metal fabrication or engineering businesses?
G.S.Polishing is only a small business comprising of myself (Gavin Sowter), therefore I’m not able to
take on large production metal polishing jobs. Please seek out a larger metal polishing/finishing
business because I mostly specialize in restoration metal polishing. I can’t deal with companies
wanting thousands of parts done quickly!
Small runs from various engineering and fabrication businesses have always been a part of my
business and will continue to be welcome.
take on large production metal polishing jobs. Please seek out a larger metal polishing/finishing
business because I mostly specialize in restoration metal polishing. I can’t deal with companies
wanting thousands of parts done quickly!
Small runs from various engineering and fabrication businesses have always been a part of my
business and will continue to be welcome.
I need it done quickly can you do it? What is your turnaround?
In a lot of cases the answer is no, unless it’s a quick & easy job. Turnaround varies from one week to
the next depending on work load at the time, it can be anywhere from 1 week to 5 weeks so best to
just ask at the time you want to put your job through and I’ll let you know roughly how long. The
busiest times of the year are usually spring and early summer with regards to motorcycle and car
parts. There’s always a queue of jobs in the workshop and when you send or bring a job in it goes in
this queue.
Sometimes customers choose to buy a donor part and have that part polished, since it’s a donor part
they can keep their car or motorcycle running and do the swap over when they get the part or parts
back, it’s a good idea and worth consideration if at all possible.
the next depending on work load at the time, it can be anywhere from 1 week to 5 weeks so best to
just ask at the time you want to put your job through and I’ll let you know roughly how long. The
busiest times of the year are usually spring and early summer with regards to motorcycle and car
parts. There’s always a queue of jobs in the workshop and when you send or bring a job in it goes in
this queue.
Sometimes customers choose to buy a donor part and have that part polished, since it’s a donor part
they can keep their car or motorcycle running and do the swap over when they get the part or parts
back, it’s a good idea and worth consideration if at all possible.
Do you come out and polish things on site?
No, I do not have the time, sorry you’ll have to find someone who specialises in site polishing.
