rough polishing problem

[baldysm]

I am trying to polish titanium sheet, that's pretty small. It's a pocket clip for a writing pen, so it's 5/16" by 2.5" or so.

I use a small rubberized polishing wheel (1" diameter) to remove alot of the gouges and such that are on the metal when I get it.

I'm having a heck of a time getting it polished flat. It looks like I have chatter marks on the surface.

I am using a 1" hard felt wheel with black compound on it. It doesn't seem to help much other than to make the chatter marks really shiny.

Any suggestions to buzz down the high spots on a piece this size? Once I get it rough polished, I bend the piece to the shape I need and then polish out any marks made by bending, and then bring it to a nice high shine.

Thanks
Scott

[jrow]

Originally Posted by baldysm

I am trying to polish titanium sheet, that's pretty small. It's a pocket clip for a writing pen, so it's 5/16" by 2.5" or so.

I use a small rubberized polishing wheel (1" diameter) to remove alot of the gouges and such that are on the metal when I get it.

I'm having a heck of a time getting it polished flat. It looks like I have chatter marks on the surface.

Is the rubber wheel you are using a Cratex? To achieve a flat surface for polishing you must have a flat surface to start with. I would suggest using a flat sanding block with 120 or 150 grit wet and dry, wet sand until chatter marks are gone then polish.

Originally Posted by baldysm

I am using a 1" hard felt wheel with black compound on it. It doesn't seem to help much other than to make the chatter marks really shiny.

I would try using a 1", 1 1/2" or 2" treated buff, with Emory to polish, then on to Tripoli and White to finish. Caswell's should have these.

John