When you use a buffing wheel, you must understand that the speed of the buffing wheel is a variable that you has to control. The speed of the buffing wheel can change the way that the buffing wheel works and the way that it can affect the metal. Using the wrong speed with a buffing wheel can lead to poor results with the metal or make the buffing wheel a hazard to yourself and other.
Different types of buffing wheels exist so that metal can be treated during different stages of buffing. Sisal buffing wheels are the most aggressively type of buffing wheel and remove heavy oxidation and deep scratches. Spiral sewn cotton buffing wheels are firm than loose section wheels and buffing wheels and can remove light scratches and follow the contours of the metal being buffed.
How to Choose the Right Buffing Wheel and Speed
Loose section wheels and flannel buffing wheels are the softest type of buffing wheel and are used for the final pass of buffing metal to a shine. Using the wrong type of buffing wheel will prevent the workpiece from having a correct finish. The speed of the buffing wheel, or the surface speed, is more important than the RPM of the buffing wheel’s motor.
This is due to the fact that larger buffing wheels cover more area. The speed at which a smaller buffing wheel is safe may not be safe with a larger buffing wheel. As the diameter of the metal buffing wheel increase, the RPM at which the buffing wheel can rotate without flying apart due to centrifugal force decreases.
Therefore, you must calculate the surface feet per minute of the buffing wheel to determine the safe RPM for buffing metal of each diameter. Different metals will react differently to buffing wheels of different speeds. Aluminum metal load quickly with buffing wheels and can burn with buffing wheels if too much pressure and speed are used.
The metal is also harder than aluminum so it requires more rotational speed for the buffing wheel to cut the metal efficient. However, too much heat will discolour the metal. Plastics and lacquered wood metal can melt or haze with buffing wheels so they must be buffed at low speeds.
To determine the safe speed for metal of different types, a metalworker can use a chart so that the metalworker dont guess at the correct buffing wheel speed. The compound that is used on the metal must match the type of buffing wheel that is being use. Coarse compounds are used with stiff buffing wheels for the initial buffing of the metal.
Fine rouges and chrome oxides is used on soft buffing wheels for the final pass. Using the wrong compound on the metal with the wrong type of buffing wheel will waste time and contaminate that buffing wheel. Most metal workers use separate buffing wheels for each compound to avoid contaminating buffing wheels and to remove the guesswork of which buffing wheels can be used with which compound.
Safety measure must be implemented when buffing metal. Metalworkers must always work below the centerline of the buffing wheel so if they should grab the workpiece it will be buffed downward away from their face. Eye protection must be worn when using buffing wheels.
Additionally, metalworking dust must be collected during buffing and the arbor nut of the buffing wheel should be checked before buffing begins. These safety measures must be taken because there is no second chance if metalworkers find themself in an accident as a result of not following these procedure. Some of the most common mistakes when buffing metal are applying too much pressure to the metal, using the wrong speed for the metal being buffed, mixing compounds on the buffing wheel, buffing the metal at too high of a speed or buffing the metal at too low of a speed.
If buffing wheel apply to much pressure to the metal, too much heat will burn the metal and harden the compound. If you mix buffing compounds of different strengths on a buffing wheel, the buffing wheel will leave fine scratches on the metal. Buffing metal at too high of a speed will fling the compound on the metal in various direction and produce a streaky metal surface.
Buffing metal at too low of a speed will produce a dull metal surface. To avoid these mistakes metalworkers must learn to buff with light pressure, to use the correct type of buffing wheel for the compound on the metal and to calculate the safe and appropriate surface speed of the buffing wheel before beginning to buff metal works.
