pipemakersforum.com

Briarfox wrote:It's an 8" wheel and it's only stitched at the bottom. However, it seems to be more course then my WD and trip wheels. It also has a lot of loose strings on the end...

If it only has a row of stitching around the hole to keep the layers together, then it's a loose wheel, but the chances are it's a cotton wheel. You can just trim the loose threads off with a pair of scissors.

A flannel wheel should feel soft, almost fluffy. I suggest getting one if you think your present loose wheel is cotton or, heaven forbid, canvas denim.

I believe it's a canvas denim... Would that make buffing more difficult?

Briarfox wrote:I believe it's a canvas denim... Would that make buffing more difficult?

That material is a bad choice for pipemaking. Very stiff and aggressive. A lot of what's sold by "buffer & finishing" companies is designed for working with metal.

I'm sure there are people who can gets decent results on pipes with a canvas wheel---I've seen a guy drive a golfball 240 yards with a putter, and putt with a driver, to score a 77 in an exhibition---but why make things deliberately hard for yourself?

Briarfox wrote:I believe it's a canvas denim... Would that make buffing more difficult?

Canvas denim is primarily useful on hard metals like steel. It's even too agressive for final polishing brass & copper.

For buffing pipes, use a stitched cotton wheel and your choice of compound.
For final waxing, get a loose flannel wheel. They're a bit more expensive, but should last a long time, since you can't really get much pressure onto them, even leaning into the wheel.

An update to the "raking" issue. Don't rake a loose wheel. You'll shred it to pieces. Raking is only useful on stitched wheels. I usually trim loose wheels with a pair of sharp scissors.

KurtHuhn wrote:

kbadkar wrote:Rad, Abralon is a micromesh.

It's actually not. Abralon is a different product altogether. The abrasive is similar (silcon carbide) but the grit specs are much different. Abralon uses the US CAMI grit spec, while Micro-Mesh is way out in left field with it's own grit spec that I haven't quite figured out.

Oops...

It looks like a micromesh sort of thingy though.

My Abralon pads are kinda smallish and in trying to get the full pipe shape profile to conform with the pad I end up near the center of the pad and it leaves whirly scratchy patterns, even on the 1500 grit. I also find that it's impossible to reach areas on certain shapes, so I end up having to hand sand there anyway. I do like them, but unless I get larger pads, their use is somewhat limited.

kbadkar wrote:My Abralon pads are kinda smallish and in trying to get the full pipe shape profile to conform with the pad I end up near the center of the pad and it leaves whirly scratchy patterns, even on the 1500 grit. I also find that it's impossible to reach areas on certain shapes, so I end up having to hand sand there anyway. I do like them, but unless I get larger pads, their use is somewhat limited.

http://www.mcmaster.com/
Item #4205A21 to #4205A26, 6" Abralon Discs

Are those abralon? Seems kinda cheap for it unless the prices have come down.

hazmat wrote:Are those abralon? Seems kinda cheap for it unless the prices have come down.

100% sure. I just received my order of them a couple of days ago. Abralon printed on the back of the discs in big letters.

NICE!!! Thanks, Frank!

Frank wrote:

kbadkar wrote:My Abralon pads are kinda smallish and in trying to get the full pipe shape profile to conform with the pad I end up near the center of the pad and it leaves whirly scratchy patterns, even on the 1500 grit. I also find that it's impossible to reach areas on certain shapes, so I end up having to hand sand there anyway. I do like them, but unless I get larger pads, their use is somewhat limited.

http://www.mcmaster.com/
Item #4205A21 to #4205A26, 6" Abralon Discs

Yeah, of course, I found that out after I purchased a whole 3" set up and after I discovered 3" wasn't big enough.

I'm not waiting for the "that's what she said" joke.

hazmat wrote:NICE!!! Thanks, Frank!

Thanks go to Kurt for pointing me there in the first place.

kbadkar wrote: Yeah, of course, I found that out after I purchased a whole 3" set up and after I discovered 3" wasn't big enough.

I'm not waiting for the "that's what she said" joke.

Hehehehehehe!! Ohh man. Its just too easy. I can't do it!

Ok I'm going to buy new buffs. Which do you guys recommend? A Canton or Domet flannel wheel for the carnuba?

I'm going to be purchasing from http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/index.html

Thanks.

Briarfox wrote:Ok I'm going to buy new buffs. Which do you guys recommend? A Canton or Domet flannel wheel for the carnuba?

There doesn't look to be any difference, just different manufacturer. Either will do.

BTW, use LESS CARNAUBA this time.