Polishing Stainless steel plate

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Alright, i need to polish a stainless steel plate. Right now it has that factory smooth dull finish. I tried a 5 wheel kit from harbor freight and it leaves friction marks that are only removable with the lower grit(pain in the a$$). So what is my solution? What method can some one suggest. Wheels, grits, buffing wheels, compound. Ill appreciate any suggestions, thanks...
Reply:Define 'polish'....mirror finish? or something less?'Factory dull finish"?.. do you mean plain 2B mill finish? Thickness of the SS 'plate'?Pictures really help this guessing game.Blackbird
Reply:well it has the hazy look with slight reflection. i dont know the terminology, but thats i i bought it at the scrap yard. Yes, i want the mirror finish. And the plate is 3/16 x 30x 18
Reply:I sand down to 600g and then polish with a white cut/color polish on a tight spiral sewn wheel.  This can leave some fine polishing lines in large flat surfaces.  Usually these are acceptable, but when they aren't I finish with a jewelers wheel and a blue coloring paste.  Starting with a 2b finish you could probably start the sanding process @320g unless the plate has some dings in it you need to get out.  How far you take it depends on how strict your polishing standards are.Also - you never mentioned what equipment you have available.
Reply:Sanding by hand or tool? Wet or dry?
Reply:In metals shop when we were doing polishing you always wanted to get all the sanding marks out from the previous sand paper, before moving on to a finer grit. If not you'd spend forever trying to get those scratches out. Use 220 to get all the 180 grit scratches out, 320 to get out the 220 grit marks, 400 to deal with the 320 marks and so on. Trying to get 220 grit scratches out with 600 grit will be an effort in futility. Same applied when working with polishing compounds. There really no shortcuts except maybe using power tools judiciously. Power tools however can F things up faster if you don't pay attention. With flat items work with the largest sanding surface you can to get a smooth finish, and only go with smaller sanding tools to deal with small holidays the bigger one can't hit. The flatter and more even you get the surface, the better your finish usually is..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Originally Posted by Mick120Super crappy job.....Do like I do with the larger pieces, take it to a specialist polishing service, it'll save you a lot of heartache.
Reply:I wouldn't try to polish it myelf either lol.What's the application? Maybe it's easier to attach a ready to go stainless mirror to it or something.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:The right tool for the job helps.http://anchorage.craigslist.org/tls/3186526136.html
Reply:I would buy pre polished sheets.    your going to have your work cut out for you trying to shine that up with limited experience.   Hell a seasoned polisher would have a hell of a time pulling that one off.Vantage 500's LN-25's, VI-400's, cobramatics, Miller migs, synch 350 LX, Powcon inverters, XMT's, 250 Ton Acurrpress 12' brake, 1/4" 10' Atlantic shear,Koikie plasma table W/ esab plasmas. marvel & hyd-mech saws, pirrana & metal muncher punches.