Basic Buffing and Metal Polishing

[Wallace]

Great looking machine you have there for polishing and you will get top notch results but it does need respect as they do bite, not just the operator but the work too. You can also get excellent results from a smaller setup, it just takes a little more time. Bits get hot quickly and fly off as it's natural to release your grip plus the dirt and soap flies off and goes everywhere, mostly on you from the head down! Preparation is the key, if you start with a good finish then you don't necessarily need a big machine like yours for small stuff unless you are making a living with it. These heater control knobs were turned up by eye on the lathe, rounded off with a file and emery cloth then polished with a mop mounted in the lathe and a bit of white soap I think was called Hyfin.

 

[MetalMonkey]

Just to update I've decided as I need a VFD for another project anyway, I'll test the machine out with the original motor first and see how it performs.
To this end I've purchased the following:

Mops:

I went with 8" to give the machine a fighting chance.

Sisal
Close Stich
Open Stich
G Loose

Compounds:

Menzerna 523LBZ (Grey)
Menzerna 439T (Green)
Menzerna P164 (Blue)
Menzerna P126 (Pink)

Along with a selection of Satin Scotchbright laps in various grades.

From what I can see this is a pretty standard selection which should cover the majority of metals, at least to start out with.
I shall update the thread once I've tested it out for anybody else in a similar situation in the future.

 

[duncans]

Just to update I've decided as I need a VFD for another project anyway, I'll test the machine out with the original motor first and see how it performs.
To this end I've purchased the following:

Mops:

I went with 8" to give the machine a fighting chance.

Sisal
Close Stich
Open Stich
G Loose

Compounds:

Menzerna 523LBZ (Grey)
Menzerna 439T (Green)
Menzerna P164 (Blue)
Menzerna P126 (Pink)

Along with a selection of Satin Scotchbright laps in various grades.

From what I can see this is a pretty standard selection which should cover the majority of metals, at least to start out with.
I shall update the thread once I've tested it out for anybody else in a similar situation in the future.

don't for get masks mate

 

[Theblackbox]

What are you mainly polishing? Polishing is my job and has been for a long time I keep meaning to write out a guide for here. I polish most materials usually stainless for medical applications, also automotive stuff and moulds

You have a good selection of stuff there you are only missing some abrasives which is probably the most important first step for most things (today I done some Victorian copper saucepans and didn’t use any abrasives)

You won’t really need the open stitch unless you are doing sheet and where the mop isn’t breaking down.

as said above don’t forget a mask and glasses this is especially important when you are using 523lbz as it contains quartz and you’ll end up being poisoned!

here’s a small (120kg!) piece of Ali I done last week

bit of copper done today not a perfect finish more sympathetic

Stainless comes out like this usually a bit better this is more of a commercial finish

 

[duncans]

have you ever polished milk churns that a job in its self I once polished 20 of them for Newark antique fairs years back yeah you need to keep your eye on the ball cause no matter how much you press on with a 3 phase 3hp polishing machine you will never slow it down like the small single-phase polishing machines

 

[Theblackbox]

have you ever polished milk churns that a job in its self I once polished 20 of them for Newark antique fairs years back yeah you need to keep your eye on the ball cause no matter how much you press on with a 3 phase 3hp polishing machine you will never slow it down like the small single-phase polishing machines

yes do these regularly not my favourite thing. Worst material is copper heat is a real issue and you can’t touch it afterwards! Think my favourite is actually aluminium quite satisfying and of course stainless which is what I started on very forgiving material when it comes to polishing easy to polish up from 60grit.

yep @MetalMonkey is lucky that his machine is a belt driven used to use similar could slow it down if wanted now I use a big direct drive cannings had a few accidents in my time

one other thing that hasn’t been mentioned any polishing machine needs to have an emergency stop on it bigger the better I wouldn’t use a machine without one.

 

[duncans]

yeah good point emergency stop the one we had didn't have one and like I've said you need to be damn careful or an accident will happen I used to love polishing but you used to get black as coal hahaha I remember doing an old cash machine which was brass and it looked a million dollars when it was finished I used to take them to bits as much as i could then reasemble

 

[zeppelin builder]

Black bogeys off the soap!

how does branston pickle end up in yer nose after polishing ?

 

[graffian]

how does branston pickle end up in yer nose after polishing ?

And Alice Cooper sneaks in and paints yer eyeballs.