Window channel seal/stainless polishing question.

[Tom S]

Harbor freight sells 4" wheels in a kit with 5 or 6 grits.

Do you remember what Harbor freight calls those wheels?  Like to check them out.

[RICH MUISE]

just keep an eye out for some wider wheels. The grabbing will still happen, but not as easily.

[RICH MUISE]

Do you remember what Harbor freight calls those wheels?  Like to check them out.

Not off hand. I'll do some checking and get back to you. Gotta go put a driveshaft center support in my nephews Ranger in the morning. Wished I had seen this earlier..was at HF this afternoon.

[GaryI72]

Maybe this...
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-4-inch-polishing-wheel-set-65287.html

[Partsman]

Try this site some really good info.  I have polished quite a bit of trim and found this really helpful.
Good Luck.
Bill

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/basics-basics-molding-repair-metal-finishing-49012.html

[RICH MUISE]

Maybe this...
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-4-inch-polishing-wheel-set-65287.html

That would be them. I just went out to my garage to get the item number, and it's the same as in the HF link GaryI72 posted. I should note while reading their description, I noted I eroneously said it was diamond impregnated, but it is actually a carbide

[Tom S]

That would be them. I just went out to my garage to get the item number, and it's the same as in the HF link GaryI72 posted.

Thanks guys!  Too bad you can't get those individually.  I'd only want the 400 & 600 grit ones.
I have used something like this before when I could get them locally, made by Craytex.

[RICH MUISE]

When I was in machine shop, we used a few Cratex products in our deburring department. Might warrant a look at machine shop supply house, or  place like Graingers. The 5 piece HF kit is only 15. or so, Cratex may be that much for one, but undoubtably would last longer. They may even make an 8 inch wheel for a grinder. I havent tried to use the coarser grits on anything..probably will someday on something non automotive.
I found those hf wheels towards the end of my ss restoration, so I don't have a real good feel for how long they'll last, for sure not as long as we'd like them too. Other than hand work, which is a real bitch on SS, I just haven't found anything else here locally that would work, particularly on concave surfaces.

[TexasFordGuy]

Thanks for the info. Things are slowly going together.  Working on the stainless for the doors. Picked this up today at Harbor Freight. It's actually a buffer/grinder. I took the grinder part off. Figured it's done after I get the stainless polished. It'll get more use sharpening my blades.  On sale.  Walks on the stand. I put my foot on it to keep it from running away.  A lot of strands are flying off of the loose leaf.  Is this normal or is it an inferior pad? I'm new to buffing so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Bolt the stand down on a piece of plywood. You then stand on the plywood and everything should stay in place.

[GaryI72]

Thanks.  I'll do that.  Just got my wider loose leaf wheel today.  That is a night and day difference from the thinner one. That thin one kept giving me more work to do!

[Tom S]

Just got my wider loose leaf wheel today.

Those seem about useless if that loose leaf thing is what I'm thinking it is.  I've polished tons of stuff with the sewn ones like what I see laying on the bottom or mounted on the right here.



The loose leaf ones are just too soft to do any good most of the time.  Maybe useful for some very light final buffing on something that is already polished up real good but sure won't take out any small scratches.

[RICH MUISE]

Gotta disagree with you on the loose wheel, Tom. Probably the main problem is the ones your showing in the pic are not effective because of it's narrow width, not the fact that is is loose. A wider wheel will surprise you how stiff it gets once the motor is turned on...almost hard to believe it's a loose wheel. Soft wheel buffing is not meant to take out scratches..only polish. Get  good quality wide wheels and use the sewn for the black or dark brown compounds, and the soft with lt. grey or green. If your happy with what you're getting now, you'll be ecstatic with the new results.

[Tom S]

Rich, after doing very high quality buffing & polishing for over 35 years I am sticking with what I've learned.
People still bring me stuff to polish.  I really don't need those soft wheels.

[RICH MUISE]

Well, there's the difference...without 35 years experience I need all the extra help I can get. Obviously, that wasn't your buffing setup in the pic you posted.

[Tom S]

Well, there's the difference...without 35 years experience I need all the extra help I can get. Obviously, that wasn't your buffing setup in the pic you posted.

No, that was GaryI72's pic from reply #7.  I built my own bench sander/buffer setup years ago.  It uses 2" wide six foot sanding belts & I can quickly attach buffing wheels.
I keep a couple old worn out fine grit sanding belts with a buffing compound run on to them to sometimes do some quick initial polishing before going to the cotton buffing wheels.