building a buffing wheel

[spaceengravers]

okay, so i've been reading through as many of the past threads as I can and I think I have a good idea of how to start but I have a couple of questions.

I bought 1/2 thread all, nuts, washers and the 3 wheel set of buffing wheels from Harbor Freight (item 46262). It says it has a "spiral buffing wheel wheel for buffing and cutting, a loose cotton wheel for color buffing and a loose flannel wheel for a brilliant finish...

1. The spiral "cutting" wheel...I assume this is the one that is NOT loose and is sewn in rings all the way to within about 1/4 inch from the outside. When is this wheel used and do I need a compound on it?

2. How can I tell the difference between the cotton and flannel wheels? They look very similar with one being maybe a little softer to the touch.

3. Which compounds go on which wheels?

Finally, my plan is to also add a 6 inch, 60 grit grinding wheel to the other end of the thread-all. This way I can sharpen my tools as well. Basically I have an extra lathe that I brought back from OK with me that I want to set up as a buffing and sharpening station. Any reason I can't combine these? Should I put something separating (or certain distance) the buffing from the grinding to ensure metal flecks don't get mixed with my buffing compounds?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

[mredburn]

Grinding on the same set up as your buffing wheels is not a good idea. Its very easy to cross contaminate your buffing with grit from your grinding wheel.. The stitched buff is usually used for serious scratch removal quickly on surfaces harder than your finish surface. The softer wheel will be your final polishing buff. NOTE, there is a difference between buffing and polishing. Which ever compound you use on a buff than that is the only compound you should use on that buffing wheel. IF you switch to different compounds you will need a different buff for each compound. Keep them ion zip lock bags when not in use to avoid dust and grit contamination. Yes you can just switch compound on the same buffing wheel but you will one day end up with a very bad case of scratches on your final pass at polishing and have to start all over again. Possibly removing and redoing the entire finish.

 

[Gary Max]

I bought 1/2 thread all, nuts, washers and the 3 wheel set of buffing wheels from Harbor Freight (item 46262).

Personally-----I would not mount a grinding wheel on that.
You really want tool steel for that job.-----Safety is a BIG deal

 

[KenV]

Hate to tell you that you are installing a metal buffing system -- your success with finishes that are softer than brass and steel will likely be marginal to poor. Think towards jewelry and plastics buffing in terms of the materials you will be working with.

Jerry Beall started the 3 in a line buffing notion. Except for contamination, and hard to keep stray dust and dirt off the buffs, and the expectation that you were headed to a basic oil and wax finisish, it worked fine on small turned objects. Cotton buffs for rouge, white diamond, and flannel for the wax. Many other jumped on board Lots of people liked the idea of going from one to the next (including me) -- then a reality struck that I was no longer getting consistent results. Contamination

I am back to single buffs of different sizes, each mounted when used, and then back into the sealed bag until used again with the same abrasive. I am now up to rouge (not used as much), white diamond, One Step Polish (from Arizona Sil), and two different wax buffs.

You may be able to make a 6 inch grinder wheel spin. I suspect you will have a lot of time trying to make it work and do stand a fair change of having a really bad experience. Rubberized abrasive wheel turning away from you (counter clockwise looking from the headstock) has a good chance of working as a honing wheel. Note that honing needs to turn away from the edge and not into the edge.

Good luck in your adventure, and think hard about where you want to be standing if this comes loose.

 

[snyiper]

I am inclined to agree with the grinding wheel may not be the best thought out plan. That 1/2 in rod gets flexing due to a slight out of round or too much pressure when grinding and I can only imagine what could happen. I think outside of cross contamination the buff system could work fine. If you want to sharpen consider mounting sand paper to plywood and put on a disc to mount on your lathe I think you will get less flex and better performance. Of course this is just my opinion.