Making scroll marks on aluminium

[Mike Ellis]

Can anyone advise me on how to put scroll circles on Ali cowlings etc. I have tried various methods with small wire brushes and cratex rubberised grinding sticks but so far with no luck. The late Harry Harland made me a dashboard with an Ali face , on which he had put scroll circles on and it looks great but I forgot to ask him how he did it . Can anyone help please ?

[Steve Perry]

Something like this ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KmnVLU304w

[Mike Ellis]

Yes, that's exactly what I want to do. I want to do some approx 3/8" across , so what I do need is the tool/attachment that I need to get in order to get that finish. At present I can find nothing that will do the desired effect that I'm after.

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

Emery cloth rolled up inside a sympathetic size brass tube, once in the tube, grind the end flat, locate in a V block held in position, rotate both directions,

[Steve Perry]

A piece of nylon bar or a small mounted polishing mop held in a chuck and a little brasso or grinding paste depending on how heavy you want the marks to be is also an option.

[ian redshaw]

Depending on the size of swirls required, I use a suitable diameter dowel with a foam backed scotchbrite pad UHU'd on the end, trim the pad afterwards to match the dowel diameter and place in the pillar drill. The foam cushions each swirl and you'll get very even pressure swirls very easily.

Hope this helps, Ian.

[Mike Ellis]

Many thanks for all your help guys. I will give your ideas a try .