Buff Cleaning

[shoblue]

Hi Everyone. This is my first post here and have a question that I can't find the answer to through the Advanced Search function. I want to wash my buffs; sisal, spiral cotton, and flannel. What soap should I use that would get all the compounds out? Should I wash them separate from one another? Finally, how should I dry them..... a standard dryer or air dry? Thanks for all the good info here! I'll post some pics of my first project when I get back from the supermarket. Need to get snacks for the game.

Rich

[mpierich]

Hmmm...might I ask why you want to wash them? Just curious. Most folks just rake them out as they go.

I guess you could wash them by soaking in hot water with Dawn dish detergent or any of a variety of grease-cutting soaps. If I wanted to dry a wheel I'd probably just mount it on the buffer and spin-dry it, so to speak...

[shoblue]

Thanks for your response mpierich. I'd like to wash them because I want to use them for different compounds than what they've been used for. I received my Handheld Drill Buffing Kiton Thursday and started using it on Friday morning. I didn't realize cross contamination was such a big deal till I read a little more about polishing last night. I wasn't getting the results I wanted and realized that I cross contaminated a couple of buffs. Hence, I want to wash them. Thanks for the info on the detergent and here are a couple of pics of my work so far. The first is a front bumper from my Polaris snowmobile and the second is the rear track axle for the same..........

[Rasper]

I don't think you can ever really clean a buff completely. I have several buffs for each compound that I use. I write on them with magic markers which compound it is used for so I never accidentally contaminate one with another compound.

Richard

[mpierich]

[quote=shoblue;37683]Thanks for your response mpierich. I'd like to wash them because I want to use them for different compounds than what they've been used for. I received my Handheld Drill Buffing Kiton Thursday and started using it on Friday morning. I didn't realize cross contamination was such a big deal till I read a little more about polishing last night. I wasn't getting the results I wanted and realized that I cross contaminated a couple of buffs. Hence, I want to wash them. Thanks for the info on the detergent and here are a couple of pics of my work so far. The first is a front bumper from my Polaris snowmobile and the second is the rear track axle for the same..........QUOTE]

Looking good there.

You could try the hot water and just about any kind of soap. Or just use each buff for the coarsest compound you've already used them for. Or, if you're going to do much buffing, just get new ones...use the ones you already have for emery (black) because you'll wear them out and need replacements anyhow, get new ones for brown and white, mark them and keep them in ziplocks. I don't think Caswell will mind my saying that you can probably get one or two replacement wheels at the local hardware or supply store, it's no secret.