Buffing compounds - which and why?

[Sasquatch]

Greetings all.

There seem to be all sorts of buffing compounds, but I only see talk of brown tripoli and white diamond compounds, ignoring the black emery, jeweler's rouge, and "all purpose blue compound".

I understand that the green compounds are a chromium derivative, and basically a honing compound for metals, and that it has no safe or practical use on pipes.

Are the others too course, too fine, unnecessary, or just too much trouble?

[ToddJohnson]

Are the others too course, too fine, unnecessary, or just too much trouble?

For the pipe itself, they're unnecessary when the desired results can be achieved with brown tripoli, white diamond, and carnuba wax. I do use coarser green compound on stems cut from a particular ebonite source, and red rouge on all other stems.

Todd

[Frank]

Unnecessary. If you sand to a fine enough grit, all you need are those two compounds.

I would caution against using a black compound, it will "dirty" the wood. Even the greasier green compound tends to leave a dirty green tinge on wood. Jeweler's rouge also tends to be on the greasy side, same result as the green and black.

[Sasquatch]

Fair enough. Thx.

[KurtHuhn]

Brown tripoli, if you've sanded well, is sufficient to remove scratches from your pipe and stems. White diamond is the same grit as tripoli, but leaves a smoother finish.

In short, tripoli is more aggressive, and white diamond leaves a higher luster.

Emory compound is useful for removing swirl marks from metals. It can be used as a prepolish for woods, but it tends to remove wood from between grain fibers and make an uneven surface. It is *very* aggressive.

Never used Jewelers rouge or blue compound. I'm very happy with brown+white, and have not felt a need to experiment too much.

[Frank]

I just thought I'd also mention that I'm pretty impressed with the German made Menzerna line of compounds obtainable from http://www.grizzly.com/

[KurtHuhn]

I like Menzerna too. Their brown compound is what I use, and I have a bigass bar of black that I use on ferrous metals too. You get enough in one bar to last a pipe maker their entire career.

[Sasquatch]

I need to get a bar of the white and a wheel for it I guess. I told the wife I was going to clear 400,000 dollars a year making pipes, so she's good with all the purchasing

[FredS]

$400,000 huh. So your only going to work part-time?

[tritrek]

I need to get a bar of the white and a wheel for it I guess. I told the wife I was going to clear 400,000 dollars a year making pipes, so she's good with all the purchasing

In case you would divorce please give me her phone number I'd like to have a wife who approves $400k a year for pipes

[Sasquatch]

Reckon if I can generate enough money with a hobby to pay for the hobby, my wife is just pleased to get me out of her hair for an hour a day.

Fred, I figure 400,000 is pretty easy - just make 40,000 pipes out of my garage, and get 10 bucks profit on each. It's a can't miss kind of thing! It's not even 110 pipes a day!

[wdteipen]

Reckon if I can generate enough money with a hobby to pay for the hobby, my wife is just pleased to get me out of her hair for an hour a day.

Fred, I figure 400,000 is pretty easy - just make 40,000 pipes out of my garage, and get 10 bucks profit on each. It's a can't miss kind of thing! It's not even 110 pipes a day!

Hey, no saturating the market! It's tough enough the way it is.

[Sasquatch]

Wayne, from your web page, I can say definitively that you and I are not in the same market. You must use a much smaller chainsaw than I do.