What is the "swirl" pattern called?

Luke · Jan 16, 2005

I'm looking for the term used to describe a particular finish that is found primarily on industrial & mil grade electronic enclosures (sheet aluminum). I did a bit of searching and found this:
www.scaleaero.com/wendys_taube_9.htm, but no real info on how or technique. Thanks for the help.
Luke

Milacron · Jan 16, 2005

Engine turned finish. Put a pencil in your drill press with some abrasive on the eraser and have at it. You'll need some good music and treats to help with the boredom

Luke · Jan 16, 2005

Thank you. I had a little project this afternoon that I tried to achieve that look and got "ok" results. The 1/4" eraser would have been a bit much since the sheet was 12"x32". After a little trial and error I ended up making a 2" dia. felt fob and using a bit of light oil rotten stone (volcanic ash) for the abrasive. I got a nice swirl pattern, but a bit too shiney. Are there larger "commercial erasers" available.
Luke

FarmallMan · Jan 16, 2005

You'll need some good music and treats to help with the boredom

You aint kidding there. Been there, and it sure was boring. Looks nice though. I know a guy that put an engine turned finish on all the trimwork of a firetruck with a cup wirebrush and drill. Sure looked nice when the light hit it.

Nick

jfsmith · Jan 16, 2005

Gunsmith used to do this on rifle bolt, gave it that extra nice look. Sometimes it was so easy to do, and the eraser on the pencil had found it's true calling.

Jerry

Harley · Jan 16, 2005

I'm thinkin gunsmiths call that jeweling. I have several jeweled bolts on my rifles. But I'm just learning the machining end of the business. Do machinist call it engine turned usually.

Zep · Jan 16, 2005

the way I was shown how to do this effect was using a wooden dowel in a drill , a pinch of grinding dust and a bit of oil

Grits · Jan 16, 2005

Check out www.brownells.com. It is a gunsmith supply house. They sell brushes for this purpose. Engine turning is common on rifle bolts and followers.

Good Luck!

Grits

toolmakerjim · Jan 16, 2005

if you want larger "swirls" use a piece of wooden dowel or a broom stick turn the face square in a lathe and reduce one end to hold in a collet against a shoulder. take scotchbrite and cut a piece to attach to the mandrel with wire ties. apply some sulpher base cuttimg oil on your part and step off the pattern you want. just finished a dashboard for a '63 Falcon doing this. do all you engine turning from centerline then turn the part over to machine the portals for the instrumentation.
looked great...jim

ZMAN92020 · Jan 16, 2005

I've gotten great results from using a piece of delron with valve grinding compound . . the delron outlasts other materials

Jon_Spear · Jan 16, 2005

For larger flat surfaces, I like the finish that a regular random orbital sander puts on raw metal.

I have made some things out of sheet and plate aluminum, and the finish looks nice on the raw metal. The circular patterns of the scratches made by the sandpaper show nicely depending on the angle of the lighting.

-Jon

metlmunchr · Jan 16, 2005

Cratex rubberized abrasive sticks do a good job on engine turning because that's one of the things they're designed to do.

mark ct · Jan 16, 2005

a friend of mine worked for a company that made firetruck bodies, first day on the job being that he was the low guy on the totem pole he had to do that swirl pattern on the entire back panel of a firetruck, needless to say he didnt stay there long! but he told me what they used was the scotchbrite pads that twist onto the little arbor and are 3 inch dia. they put them in a right angle air drill and had at it, they said a die grinder was too high of rpm. i never tried it yet with the large scotchbrite but i did do a small tool with the wooden dowel in the mill trick once

Luke · Jan 16, 2005

Wow! thanks for all the info, guys! I guess I'll get some cratex and give that a try. My 7 year old son saw the plate this evening and thought it looked pretty cool and wants something like that too. I've also got an enormous bandsaw that could use some tricked out gaurds. Looks like me and the boy have some "shop time" comming up (when it's warmer).
Luke

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