Protecting Aluminum (valve covers, and other parts)

[jbell]

Jeweler's rouge?  Wow, you guys are fancy.  I was going to start w 300 grit paper, and maybe end with 500.

Am I being lazy?

No, not lazy, just not finishing the job.      

I like the look of polished aluminum much better than chrome and admittedly go overboard on my bikes.  Luckily, I don't have a boat or this could present a problem.

[Rich A]

Rich,

$25 a bottle?  This isn't rocket science.  I want protection, but I don't want to be gouged either.  I might end up w that stuff.  Who knows.

All others, it's not so much the polish/sanding, it keeping the corrosion at bay.  I thought standard paste wax would be fine, and it held up for 8 years.  Maybe that's all one can hope for.

It goes a long way--I have still have some from a bottle that's about 20yrs old.

Rich