Help, please: Need help with choice of buffing / polishing wheels

[MICHAEL]

I'm ready to upgrade from my stitched muslin wheels to felt wheels after reading my gunsmith kinks from Brownell's. If I am following the instructions correctly I would need 3 soft felt wheels, either 6 or 8 inch, with 140 / 240 / 500 grit applied to each wheel.

Next, I would need a 6 or 8 inch medium wheel with 400 grit applied / a hard felt wheel with 555 polish.

Then, 3 each, 1 inch thick loose muslin 8 inch wheels with 400 / 500 grit / 555 polish.

I have 3 buffers from harbor freight. Two 3/4 HP (for the 8inch wheels) and one 1/2 HP (for the 6 inch wheels). I have the buffers mounted on 50 lb cast iron stands with a 45 lb cast iron plate bolted to the bottom.

I am also ordering a cratex abrasive kit, felt bob polishing kit, three extra mounted felt bob's, and a dressing stone/ polishing wheel / cleaning brick. If I order through Jantz I could save $200.00 + versus ordering from Brownell's. I am wondering if the stuff from Jantz is good quality? Also wondering if my order sounds like what I need. I am really looking for some input from engravers who are prepping their own firearms or have knowledge of buffing/ polishing. Also, any thoughts on 6 inch versus 8 inch wheels? Any help will be much appreciated!:biggrin:

I couldn't figure out how to keep each paragraph indented, so I broke them up. Any help on that would be appreciated also.

 

[mitch]

hi Michael-

i'll bump your thread to keep it alive, but i gotta tell you, most engravers are not big buffer users. undoubtedly somebody around here knows what you need, but you might be better off asking these questions on a general gunsmithing (custom gunmakers don't use buffers much either- or shouldn't anyway)or jewelers site. more good metal has been wrecked by improper use of a buffer than any other of man's inventions...

 

[Ray Cover]

I have to second what Mitch said. Not only do more people screw up good finishes and round corners with a buffer the buffer is also the most dangerous machine in most shops. Nothing has the potential to send projectiles across the room like a loose wheel buffer. If your a knife or razor maker those become sharp pointy projectiles.

Ray

 

[bronc]

I am a bit and spur maker, not a gunsmith. So take what I say with a couple grains of salt. I have been in quite a few different spur shops and I have yet to see two guys who use exactly the same method to do their finish work. There is some feel involved in finishing out metal -- what works best for your neighbor may not work as well for you and vice versa. And you can only do so much with buffers before you start washing out lines, rounding edges, ect. If you are doing any type of higher end work there is no substitute for hand finishing. Maybe instead of buying everything at once you could buy a little of this and a little of that. Then experiment and find out what works best for you. Good luck.

Stewart

 

[JJ Roberts]

Mike,Buffiing on guns will get you in big trouble,rounding off sharpe edge,dishing out screw & pin holes is not the way to go.There are ways of buffing but you have to really know what your doing,I block sand with wet & dry automotive paper 220,320,400,600,800,1000,1500 &2000 grits.The finer papers you'll find at an auto body suppy store.I have to do a conplete restoration on the gun before I can engrave them.You'll need to have a good selection of files, abrasive sticks & polishing stones in differents grits.Feel free to call any time if you have any questions. J.J.

 

[DKanger]

any thoughts on 6 inch versus 8 inch wheels?

Mike,
This is something else that will get you in trouble. Wheel size is determined by the rpm of the motor driving it. That's why most shops have arbor mounted wheels with multiple drive pulleys.

Imagine your high school band lined up in a single line and executing a circle march. The guy on the pole is just marking time while the guy out on the end of the line is running like hell to keep up. I didn't look, but I'm sure the Machinist Handbook gives proper rpm vs wheel size.

 

[MICHAEL]

I appreciate all the responses and will think hard and long on the advice given. Thank you.