Buffing Question

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
A

allenworsham

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
94
Location
Corona, CA, USA.
I have the 3 wheel buffing system. It is one wheel at a time and not the 3 in a row. I have the "Tripoli", "White Diamond" and "Carnuba Wax" and the 3 seperate wheels. I spent most of yesterday trying out various finishing techniques on a bunch of 7mm blanks that were cut offs from the cutting boards that I make. They have 3 pieces in each blank in a mix of maple, walnut and purple heart, so I can see how the different types and colors of wood work out. I did my basic sand to 400 grit sanding both directions and using compressed air(60 psi)after each grit and then did a final wipe down with DNA. I did not do any sealer coat of CA. I then hit the "Tripoli" and "White Diamond" wheels and the buff turned out to my eye just as well as doing the micromesh from 1500-12000. But I ran into some problems with getting some build-up on the blanks and in the grain from the wheels. Trying to go back and sand down didn't seem to work too well as it still left some residue in the grain. So my assumption is that it was due to lack of sealer coat or the wheels may have been overloaded with compound. Part of this also may be because I buffed part of a brass tube on a "Comfort Pen" the night before, which immediately made the disks darker. This is the 1" tenon cut down ot the brass for the rubber grip.

So since I am new to the buffing set up, I would like to get some input from others on this.

Thanks.
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
Buffing metal and then using the same wheel on wood - especially lighter wood - will often lead to disastrous results. It's just like sanding onto the bushings and transferring the metal into the grain of the wood. Don't do it unless you want a darker wood in the end.

Using a sanding sealer may give better results, but if there is metal on the wheel it still can and most likely will always make the wood darker.

Also, over loading your wheels with compound is trouble in the end. Do a lighter touch of the compound to the wheel and add more if necessary. Give the wheel time to do it's magic. Rushing things also leads to trouble in the end.

If you have contaminated the buffing wheel with metal you may want to consider getting a new wheel and do not use it for metal. Keep the contaminated wheel for use on metal only! ;)
 
Originally posted by Fred_erick

Buffing metal and then using the same wheel on wood - especially lighter wood - will often lead to disastrous results. It's just like sanding onto the bushings and transferring the metal into the grain of the wood. Don't do it unless you want a darker wood in the end.

Using a sanding sealer may give better results, but if there is metal on the wheel it still can and most likely will always make the wood darker.

Also, over loading your wheels with compound is trouble in the end. Do a lighter touch of the compound to the wheel and add more if necessary. Give the wheel time to do it's magic. Rushing things also leads to trouble in the end.

If you have contaminated the buffing wheel with metal you may want to consider getting a new wheel and do not use it for metal. Keep the contaminated wheel for use on metal only! ;)
Click to expand...

Fred,

That's pretty much what I figured as I watched the wheel change color before my eyes. I understand not using the wheels for both metal and wood/plastic, but if you buff with the pen still on the mandrel, you get metal touching the wheel from the mandrel. If you remove the blanks from the mandrel and buff to the ends of the blank, you will get the edge of the brass tubes as well.
 
What I did to solve that problem is go to HD and get some threaded rods to fit the tubes, I then got nylon nuts to go on the rods. When it comes time to buff I put my blanks on the rods without the bushings. Problem solved, no brass and no bushings to contact the wheel.:)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom