How to load my wheels properly

[bassman09 New User Find all posts View Profile Close bassman09]

I am just starting out with learning how to polish. I am curious of the proper way to load my wheels.

1. Do I need to warm up the compounds?
2. Do I wet the wheels first? if so do I let the compound dry after applying it?
3. Do apply alot of pressure or very little?

I am really unsure of the "Proper" way to load.

[tomg552001 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close tomg552001]

You dont need to warm up the compounds, the friction of the wheel against it should heat it enough to melt it. The proper way to apply a compound is to rake the wheel so you get most of the luffy stuff off of it. Than hold the compound against it with moderate pressure and turn the motor off so it slows down to a stop against the compound. This should work for you. Experience will give you better ways to do the little things. I also find with using the compounds, use very little black compound at a time, and apply it more often, and used more brown and white compouind and apply it less often, if that makes sense to you. The black is nothing unusual. When you notice the black becoming crusty and glistening like metal would rake the wheel out to break this up. Good luck!

[bassman09 New User Find all posts View Profile Close bassman09]

Thanks a bunch. The only thing I didn't mention was that I am using a 6" bench grinder that runs at 3, 450 Rpm.

[tomg552001 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close tomg552001]

Ahh, bench grinder. How many HP and how many amps does it put out? The old bench grinder is tricky to polish with because they are usually under powered and you can't really lay into them with the part, thus taking much more time than needed to polish a part. If you are serious about polishing i suggest looking into something that's between 1/3-1HP and makes 6-10 amps atleast. What kind of parts are you polishing? This dictates how big you really need, but its always better to have more power than you need, just incase. As far as loading the wheel, you want the grinder to come to a slow hault, meaning a 2-3 second period from when you flick the switch keeping the same constant pressure. Chances are your grinder will stop immediatly. Sorry for the jumbled post, i know i threw a lot out there but ask away with those questions.

[bassman09 New User Find all posts View Profile Close bassman09]

No worries, you didn't know what kind type of sytem I was using.

My grinder is 1/2 hp, 2.5 Amps. I know it's not much in the way of power, it was a x-mas gift.

Buying another, more powerful grinder isn't really in the cards right now.

[tomg552001 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close tomg552001]

Totally understandable. If you're using that small of a grinder may i make 2 suggestions. Dont do the on off method to load the wheel just hold the compound to the wheel until it takes with enough pressure to create friction thus heat, but not too much that you cause it to bind. Once you get it to take the first time and it gets used, it will take compound much better. Since you are doing smaller parts you should be ok, but i'd use 6 inch wheels and pickup a shaft extender from caswell to give you a bit more room. You are right about the sanding, any higher than a 600 is pretty much a waste if you use a sisal and emory compound. Polishing takes time and lots of tweaking of your method. I have only been doing it for a year, and a year non stop yet i still do not consider myself a "professional" polisher. Snap some pics, we'd all be interested in your results and it helps to trouble shoot problems. Good luck.

[bassman09 New User Find all posts View Profile Close bassman09]

Thanks again.

[tomg552001 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close tomg552001]

Yea, the swirl marks are everyones nightmare. They are impossible to completely get rid of, but when you can keep them within reason, you have accomplished a goal. As far as posting pics, you will need to post them to a webpage like imagestation or some other sort of free webspace. From there click the IMG button you are responding to this, post the link to the picture, than hit IMG again. If you need further help let me know.

[bassman09 New User Find all posts View Profile Close bassman09]

Thanks

[tomg552001 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close tomg552001]

Thats actually looks very good. Even though its hard to tell from small pics, and honestly, polished parts NEVER photgraph well, but it has that nice wet look to it. Give it time and you'll get much more efficient at what you do.

[bassman09 New User Find all posts View Profile Close bassman09]

I have heard of people using toothpaste to polish different things and remove hair-line scratches, have you ever tried it?

[tomg552001 Experienced Metal Finisher Find all posts View Profile Close tomg552001]

I have never tried that on polishing aluminum, i think its good on chrome though. Polished aprts never take a picture well. When i take a pic of something i've polished it usually takes me an hour to get a pic i can actually deal with, even still it looks nothing like it does in person. Darn cameras!