How to dress a wheel?

[rwh]

OK guys, as silly as this may be, I need to now if I'm doing something wrong. I'm getting older so I don't get embarrassed easy. My objective is to polish my aluminum wheels that are allready in excellant shape. I purchased some canton flannel wheels and a bar of white rouge. Do you just take the wheel and push it up against the bar, naturally while the wheel is moving. I am useing a portable drill to do this and it does not seem like any of the compound is getting on the wheel. Am I doing this right or am I missing something. The canton flannel wheel is pretty soft and it will just bend if you put to much pressure against the bar of compound.
Thanks for your help, this goes without saying I'm a noobie at this and although this certainly does not seem like rocket science, apparently it is over my head.

[sswee]

If it's leaving marks in the bar, it's loading. New wheels don't load real good and you have to load more often till they become seasoned you might say. After a bit of use they will load faster and stay loaded a little longer.
SS

[pickleboy]

Originally Posted by sswee

If it's leaving marks in the bar, it's loading. New wheels don't load real good and you have to load more often till they become seasoned you might say. After a bit of use they will load faster and stay loaded a little longer.
SS

that is it exactly. it takes a few runs on a wheel to get it to hold conpound. also flannel may be a little to soft for what you want. if so move to a loose cotton.

[mpierich]

If it needs polishing, flannel is prolly too soft to start with.

If possible, apply the compund while running the wheel on the workpiece - the workpiece will help force the compound into the wheel. You also need enough speed to heat up the compound and melt it a bit.

[jrow]

rwh,

Are you sure that your wheels do not have some kind of coating on them already? Powder Coating? Clear coat?

John

[rwh]

Thanks for the respnoses guys. Maybe I'm not getting enough heat as the RPM's are probably pretty low as I am just using a portable drill to do this. And if I put to much pressure on it the canton wheel it just musshes (is that really a word?) up. The wheel has hardly turned black, just a little. The wheels (rims) are not clear coated. I have been using semi-chrome and a few other polishes to keep them shinny. The wheels just have verrrrrrry fine swirls basically from me polishing them and probably the towel I was using. I'm sticking with good micro fiber towels now. What I have done on one rim has made a difference and certainly looks better than before.
Is there a paste compound that I could use and if so do you think it would help? Well, thanks again, these forums sure are informative and I really want to thank you guys for taking the time to help me out.

[sswee]

May try the white in the liquid.
SS