This recipe works great on aluminum or stainless steel.

The ingredients needed are:

A. 1 large brick of buffing compound (green for heavily tarnished) (white for super shiny finish on previously polished)(blue or purple all purpose) 8-10" (approx $8 at most truck stops or truck dealer parts)
B. 1 gallon mineral spirits or non-flammable paint thinner (approx $4 at hardware store)
C. small bottle of household ammonia (approx $2 anyplace)
D. camp stove or hot plate
E. 1.5 gallon (or larger) pot with lid
F. stir stick

Directions:

PLEASE DO THIS OUTDOORS or in WELL VENTILATED AREA!!!

Pour approx 1-1.5 quarts of mineral spirits in pot and place on low heat.  Break the approx 10" brick in half and place both pieces in pot.  Stir continuously till brick has melted and stir stick has no lumps showing on end. (keep lid handy in case of flare up)  I have not had this happen but if you use a flammable thinner it could happen.  Adjust heat accordingly so that solution doesn't boil over.

Allow to cool overnight.  You will notice the thinner/spirits has come to top.  Add a bit of ammonia till it gets to your desired consistency.

The ammonia will possibly turn the polish into a paste in which case you may want to add more thinner.  Experimenting with amounts of each ingredient will allow you to make the polish to your liking and ease of use.

I like to use the blue brick and make it into a fairly thick paste that I even use on oxidized paint, aluminum and stainless steel.

The green brick is a good one to start with if you are polishing fairly tarnished aluminum and finish with a white or blue polish.

If you have badly tarnished aluminum and want a more course polish, omit the ammonia.

You will have to shake well before using. Rub on with terry cloth rag till a black sludge appears. Of course, the more you rub, the better the finish.

I then use another rag dampened with thinner to clean up the sludge then a dry clean rag to polish to a mirror finish.

You can dilute the polish till it is as thin as the store bought stuff but experimenting is the key.

Another trick to use if you are lazy is to get a cheap carb cleaner spray ( Walmart under $1) and spray the aluminum sludge off.

It dries quickly and then use clean dry rag to buff to high shine.

CAUTION please when making this polish.

Probably not a good idea to breathe vapors or make indoors.

Should wear gloves when making and using this stuff. Your wife may also want to beat you for using her pot as she will never want it when you are done with it.

Although this is safe to make if care is taken, I take no responsibility for any accidents, spills, fires, divorces, etc.

From Hogryder (Jim), a comment in another thread.

I use the same recipe but without the ammonia ....and I use plain old white baking flour on a rag to wipe off the haze ...lot easier than a solvent and then having to buff out the shine ....JMHO
...Jim