cloudy sections

[mcaswell]

While I'm glad that you seem to have been able to polish without the haze by heating the part, I'm wondering that if this is just a case of using too much compound.

My issue is with the buffing compound itself. It comes as a solid bar....hardended wax. It's meant to be used as is. It's been sold and used this way successfully for hundreds of years. If it only worked in liquid form, then it would be manufactured and sold that way.

The friction of the buffing wheel, melts the wax, which releases the abrasive onto the buffing wheel. Apply too much compound at once, and the wheel gets wax heavy, which will leave a hazy finish.

Try modifying your technique slightly, using less compound, next time you polish and please let us know if this solves the problem.

[rotorman]

The friction of the wheel against the metal would provide enough heat for the wax to melt.

Let the part get to hot and it will burn, leaving visible burn marks on the metal. I have got these by working too slow.

Experimenting countless different methods on the same stainless steel piece this is what I have observed (taking into account advice i have received on this forum).

Using less compound works. If the part was too cold (from moving the part too slowly, for instance), there would be black globs of compound left on the part. While if it was too hot, buffing was uncomfortable and occasionally left burn marks. Too much compound for me left haze and black globs if cold. The get the piece warm, and for the compound to be evenly distributed and worked into the wheel, simply place the piece against the wheel with medium pressure and hold the compound bar against the wheel ahead of the piece (ie bar above te piece if the wheel is turning clockwise looking from the LH side). The pressure of the piece warms up the buffing wheel surface uniformly letting the compound melt easier. Plus you don't get left with **** all over the ground.

[marsfrogie]

I don't have to apply heat whenever I do thin metal items, it is just when the metal part is so thick it just seeps all of the heat away from the area that is being polished. Aluminum is the worst, it cools down the quickest. (I think) Steel is easy. My main problem is insuffecient wheel speed (I think), I polish with 2480RPM's on 4" wheels. At this speed it just doesn't create enough friction. (I think) I know that when the item is hot i have no problems. I also have a bench grinder with a buffing wheel on it 8", I haven't been able to test it out on the larger items to see if it works better, (Weighs at least 30 lbs). I plan on investing on something that can spin at about 4500RPM's and fit (2) 4" wheels on a shaft. (I like 4" wheels because they are the most versatile for the work that I do) What I just wrote is all out of order and jumbled together, just can't organize my thoughts. I will try to get some pictures to you in a few months and see if I can catch some of what I am talking about on camera.

[marsfrogie]

Alright, I just recently upgraded to 3/4hp with 12amps at 3450RPMS. I am stacking 4 8" wheels on the machine and can't even slow it down. I no longer have to heat the part up at all with a torch, the wheels get the part up to temp very easily. No more streaks, no more compound buildup, works flawlessly now.

[danman]

sounds like its anodized....remove.

[marsfrogie]

No, the parts are not anodized. It is compound buildup.