Anyone polishing their Stainless Steel Cybertruck to a mirror like finish?

[Mini2nut]

Like I stated previously, I predict vendors will sell pre-cut kits at affordable prices for the DIY crowd. Just pick your pattern online and FedEx/UPS will drop off at your door in just a few days.

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[Sirfun]

I will probably wrap a portion of the CT to customize it specifically for me.
Besides, when it’s next to 5-10 others in a parking lot I will know which one is mine.

I was playing around awhile back with a cyber eagle design. After seeing your avatar I thought you might like it.

 

[Dr Barnacle Luffy]

Living in the desert. Metal in the sun gets hot. Really Hot! Someone suggested that the polished surface would reflect the heat. But where I live you can leave a crome tool in the sun for a few minutes and it is too hot to pick up. The Taunnu cover that came with my pickup was black and I had to paint it with white "Cool Roofing paint. Made a huge difference. Even thought it might look bad I might consider doing the same to the CT.

 

[Mini2nut]

I assume the retractable door handles will not be manufactured entirely from stainless steel. They would be extremely hot (and expensive) to the touch if parked outside during the hot summer months. Maybe just the outer skin will be laser cut from 3mm stainless steel sheets to perfectly match the 3mm thick exoskeleton. It’s hard to tell from this low resolution night time photo. Being that the CT is a production vehicle they are probably a plastic composite that’s simply painted to match the exterior.

 

[Robesaw]

Polishing an Airstream would be more work than the CT.

3mm stainless steel wont warp much, if at all, while cutting and polishing, unlike the Airstream.

I'd sand with 400 grit, then again with 600, then "cut & color" with Airway pads, rouge, and a 6000 rpm variable speed buffer. I'll bet a pro could do the CT in 40 to 50 hours.

Would the polish look be permanent? Or do you have to redo periodically?

 

[OneLapper]

Would the polish look be permanent? Or do you have to redo periodically?

The stainless I have on my motor coaches (Prevost entertainers, with SS fluted sides, heavy SS bumpers) does pit from road salt and rocks. Once a year the bumpers get a quick 320, 400, 600 grit sand, then cut with Airway pad a heavy cut rouge, then buffed. The light gauge SS siding doesn't need much if the salt is washed away, but it'll benefit from a polish with the buffing Airway (white) and a final polish rouge. This is needed to keep up a "mirror" finish.

I think the CT will still need a occasional clean up on the front nose. Rocks will still pit it. A brown 3M pad may be fine, but I haven't see the finish yet. SS has different finishes, #8 is a mirror, #4 is "machine brushed". We don't know what the CT will have, if any finish.

 

[SSonnentag]

I wouldn't argue with making chrome finishes on all vehicles illegal. It's too blinding in the early morning and late afternoon sun. I've cussed at many a semi's chrome mud flap tips during my lifetime. It sure would look nice though, and it would definitely be cool to the touch when compared to other finishes.

 

[frankenbeans]

You could just do a chrome wrap. Get a similar end result with a lot less work. Then you can peel it off once you finally come to the conclusion that it is tacky and blinding.

 

[Mini2nut]

I found a great video on how to polish stainless to a mirror like finish. You guessed it, very labor intensive using various grits of sandpaper, steel wool, etc.

 

[craz]

It certainly would make it cooler on a hot day.

Good point! Stainless steel is widely used in energy efficient roofs because of its high solar reflectivity ratings. The high reflectivity might offset the absorption from the giant windshield and dash haha.

 

[CyberCop]

I’m not sure a mirror finish is a good idea.
You would see a lot of other drivers crashing because they were blinded by the reflection.
might be a liability issue.....?

 

[ReddykwRun]

Polishing stainless steel to a mirror like finish takes some effort, even more so than aluminum because it's a harder metal. A small Airstream travel trailer will take roughly 200 hours of labor. Anyone plan on going this route instead of a custom wrap?




Looks like someone spent some time on the display model at the museum, caught a few swirl marks on the front. Ditto on the Stainless Steel Brinell scale hence it does not buff very well.

 

[ericpdb2]

I have SS cookware and appliances in mirror and brushed. I find the brushed easier to maintain.

 

[Newton]

I found a great video on how to polish stainless to a mirror like finish. You guessed it, very labor intensive using various grits of sandpaper, steel wool, etc.

If anyone does this. I can only imagine how FSD will react to it.

 

[ldjessee]

I hate being blinded by chrome, mirror finish stainless steel would be worse.

I do not like that look, but I also would not be that mean to other people.