[Shop-talk] buffing wheels

[Gil Fuqua]

I have owned the same buffer for years and have polished a lot of brass and
copper on old cars. Buffing wheels come in a lot of variations but would
suggest you consider the wide ones (over 1" thick).  They are harder to find
but have more buffing area and last longer.

Take a look at :

http://jestcoproducts.com/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=5

I have been very pleased with the 120 ply hard sewn buff (1.5" thick) and the
2" thick loose buff they sell.  Jestco also sells buffing compounds in 3 pound
bars.  You will need various grits of buffing compound (suggest red for hard
sewn wheel and green or white for loose buff) and a rake to keep the buffing
wheels clean.  You periodically take the rake across the surface of the buff
to break up the glaze on the surface of the buff.

Note that buffing is really dirty work.  I have a separate room with
ventilation to keep the small particulate junk off everything in the shop that
is cast into the air when buffing.  Be sure and wear a mask to keep it out of
your lungs.

Hold on to parts tightly when buffing and don't let the spinning wheel catch
the upper edge of a part.  These buffers have tremendous power and can throw a
hard metal part flying across the room.  This is not the ideal way to treat
delicate parts.  Finally, buffing generates a lot of heat so be careful you
don't burn yourself or melt solder in a part being buffed (don't ask how I
know about the later).

Gil
Nashville

-----Original Message-----
From: shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net
[mailto:shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Steve Hammatt Mount
Vernon WA USA
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2012 5:05 PM
To: Shop Talk
Subject: [Shop-talk] buffing wheels

Recently purchased a used Baldor 333B 3/4hp dual buffing machine.
Fitted with 3/4" dia shafts, takes 8" dia wheels at 3600RPM and it runs great.
Found it on Craigslist for $50 in California.  Kept it at a friend's house for
6 months until I could go down last month and pick it up as I was passing
through.

Anyway, the old buffing/polishing wheels were toast.  Just cleaned up the
shafts and am getting ready to go spend $ on wheels.  I'll be using it on
misc. restoration and small fabrication for parts on 100 year old cars.
Probably steel, brass and aluminum.  I understand that I'll need multiple
wheels.  Would somebody with polishing experience care to offer suggestions as
to supplier and types of wheels that I should be considering?

BTW, an old customer was going to throw out an old chunk of iron, but asked me
if I'd like it instead.  After sandblasting, replacing a few fasteners and a
paint job, the old-style buffer/grinder stand with cast iron table and cast
iron water container for quenching is now mated with the Baldor buffer.  The
base alone must weigh just short of 100 lbs.!

Steve Hammatt
Mount Vernon WA USA
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