Author Topic: Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims  (Read 432 times)

Offline smsw

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Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims
« on: January 26, 2022, 06:32:05 PM »
I've been reading previous posts here about cleaning these rims (to my T3).  According to those, (including @Dave Swanson) I can sand out scratches with 1000, 1500, 2000 wet/dry paper with oil, and then buff these to a high shine.  There are a couple of pictures below of the damage to the rims that I'm trying to correct. I hesitate to do any sanding that might damage, erase, change the look of the embossed writing on the rim.  So far I've been polishing with Brasso, Simichrome polish, and buffing with white rouge and a soft wheel.

Any suggestions what I should do to fix up the scratches (no cracks, only scratches) and dents?

Can anyone suggest a wheel builder in northeast Ohio should I decide to take the wheel apart to do a real clean-up polish of the whole rim and vapor blast the hub?





« Last Edit: January 26, 2022, 06:34:15 PM by smsw »

Online Canuck750

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Re: Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2022, 06:37:56 PM »
Just sand lightly around the stampings, start with 220 dry and work up to 1500 then polish with rouge wax stick.

I have saved many sets of Borrani flanged rims including the rare V7 Sport Borrani Record Cross rims this way. You can not polish out a deep scratch or gouge.

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Offline cliffrod

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Re: Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2022, 08:05:51 PM »
Just sand carefully with successively finer grit.  Crosshatching your strokes removes stock faster without creating deeper scratches to sand out.   I prefer wet/dry paper with kerosene or paint thinner to keep the paper clean.  After 2000 grit, the simichrome or similar hand polish works fine for me.  I've never buffed them on a buffing wheel..  Big mars and dings along the flanges can be carefully worked with files to smooth, but I don't try to take off much more than protruding burrs.
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Offline Scout63

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Re: Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2022, 09:21:45 PM »
The Borranis are on the easier side of wheels to build due to the straight pull spokes.  Truing is the hardest part but with a quiet place to work is really enjoyable.  Once apart, the hubs and rims clean up very nicely by vapor honing. I’m not sure about removing deep scratches - Canuck’s instruction look good.








Ben Zehnder - Orleans, MA USA

Wildguzzi.com

Re: Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2022, 09:21:45 PM »

Offline Scout63

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Re: Cleaning/polishing Borrani Rims
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2022, 09:23:26 PM »
And Buchanan’s for buying spokes and nipples, or complete wheel building. I buy all my parts there and they are very helpful. They are everyone’s go-to.
Ben Zehnder - Orleans, MA USA

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