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ok, i've got a nice matte finish on the part using the white polishing rouge and the sewn wheel. i guess i expected more shine. do i need to switch to a loose wheel and continue with white or go to the red polish?

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Can you post a pic? I haven't done aluminum in a while but I have a friend that builds custom knives. He brings raw carbon steel to a mirror finish starting with 50 or 60 grit abrasive belts and working in steps from 100 or 220 to 300 grit and through 400, 600, 800, 1500 and 2000 b4 going to buffing wheel and compounds. It sounds like you may need to go back to a coarser abrasive first. On aluminum you wouldn't want to START with anything coarser than 300 or 400 except for deep scratches. It doesn't sound like you need to go back that far but if you don't "break" the matte finsh you'll be for ever on the buffer, but in the proper steps you can bring aluminum to a near chrome like finish. It won't last unless protected due to the inherent softness of aluminum and contaminates in the atmosphere depending on your geo, but it can be done. Just takes persistence

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yeah i'll try and get a pic tonight. i've got these polished down with 600, 1000, 1200, 1500 and now i'm buffing.

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Hmmmmm 1500 should get you in the ball park. Might need to go to 2000 first then the coarsest compound; Black(?) I have polished aluminum parts on my m/c before using Brasso by hand and got a good shine Course that was factory finished already.