More stainless polishing...........

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Back in April I posted a thread asking about how to polish stainless.........That thread is here:  http://weldingweb.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=266511I took the advise of many and bought a polisher and some airways from Bush's..... (sp?).....At first I wasn't getting the results and nearly gave up....... until last week I had the "AHA" moment...... even though folks in the above thread clearly told me........Finer and finer and finer sanding..... then polish.......It took my own ponderous thoughts to find that same answer on my own.......PICS of my latest attempt........Pic 1) 60 grit flap wheel....Pic 2) 120 grit flap wheel......Pic 3) Use LOTS of the green stuff.......Pic 4) Polished result......Pic 5) The unpolished and the Polished side by side........And then a video I made using dad's old Sony Handycam doing the dirty...... polishing.........PICS.......[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccdnJOeGtWg[/ame] Attached ImagesPrecision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:Another tip, you are using WAY too much compound.  1/2 second to a second at most.I thought this link was a HUGE help:http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/images/Buffbook.pdf
Reply:Is that the compound you get from the truck stops? I bought those bars once, and couldn't figure out how to get them to work."Where's Stick man????????" - 7A749"SHHHHHH!! I sent him over to snag that MIC-4 while tbone wasn't looking!" - duaneb55"I have bought a few of Tbone's things unlike Stick-Man who helps himself" - TozziWelding"Stick-man"
Reply:Fex,Those look really nice polished. Who makes your buffer? Just as a suggestion you might consider wearing a mask when using your buffer. Nick
Reply:You must go finer on the flap wheel/disc (260-320 grit); then I use ~400 grit random orbital sander before doing any polishing in order to get all the scratches out.
Reply:I have not seen anything finer than 120.........Where do you find finer?......Precision TIG 185 and MP 210Bobcat 225NTCutmaster 42O/A tanks.... 2 Argon tanks...... 2 C25 TanksFacebook...... F2 Metal WorksETSY....... https://www.etsy.com/shop/F2MetalWorksF2MetalWorks.com....... http://www.f2metalworks.com/
Reply:when im sanding over 120 grit its usually by hand with ~200 grit, and ~300 grit.  Good thing that they are small and flat.  It should go pretty quickly.  Good luck!You can get those grit papers at you local autoparts store, Walmart ect ect.
Reply:Originally Posted by kiwiFex,Those look really nice polished. Who makes your buffer? Just as a suggestion you might consider wearing a mask when using your buffer. Nick
Reply:Originally Posted by FexalI have not seen anything finer than 120.........Where do you find finer?......
Reply:This is the machine that i have been using for about 5yrs.   I think that you want to pay attention to the Amps (is that like the torque of the machine?)  So you can really lean onto the machine to speed the work along.6.0 ampshttp://www.sears.com/craftsman-6inch...4&blockType=G47.8ampshttp://www.caswellplating.com/buffin...hine-only.html
Reply:When I was helping my sculptor buddy we did some mirror finish buffing.The buffing was really easy with proper prep.  We did NOT use flap discs. The tool of choice was the 3M Stikit disc on a side grinder  (I'm really partial to the handle!) with a router speed control.  Unless of course you've got one of those pneumatic body shop sanders! An 80 grit disc will take out major scratches, but if there aren't any, start at 120. Step to 220 then 320 grit, then buff.  Maybe skip the 220 but that's a "feel" thing weighed against cost.  Or maybe stop at 220???The great things about the Stikit are quick change on the paper and the control.  Much easier to not round over the edges and to get into corners.  Very high quality, long lasting and easy to use - IF you're careful with the edge!!!  Way better than the "big box store" discs.  I'm using 5" 80 grit discs, about 40 cents each, for final prep on steel before painting.Last edited by Fabn4Fun; 06-13-2013 at 11:19 AM.
Reply:Originally Posted by FexalI have not seen anything finer than 120.........Where do you find finer?......
Reply:Thanks for this!I have been so confused on the differences in the compounds......This explanation is VERY helpful........ Originally Posted by rlitmanI don't know about finer flap discs than 120 (they generally stop there), but you cannot step right from 120 to green rouge.  You'll get the scratches you're seeing.Going to a sandpaper might work on a more level surface, but with that waviness, you'll see scratches left behind in the low spots, unless you do a lot of hand work.So, get yourself a few more buffing wheels.  Load the first one with brown tripoli compound.  That should have the grit to take you to the next step, and polish out the scratches.  Tripoli works best on a stiff wheel, or a ventilated buff, but watch your fingers with one of those.Put grey tripoli on the next wheel (sometimes called stainless compound), which should remove the flatness you get from the brown.Put white rouge on the next wheel.  This should get you pretty shiny.  You might be happy finishing here.Finish with green rouge.Don't bother with red or black rouge on stainless.  It's too soft to do anything to steel, but it will make an amazing luster on softer metals.
Reply:These are what I've been using:http://www.pearlabrasive.com/Pages/I...7590200&Page=2I have their Pearl Maxidiscs in 260 & 400 grit because that's what was available at the local Ace Hardware (not sure which ones I got from Home Depot). The 240 grit part number is MAX4524C; 400 grit #MAX4540C. These fit my 4-1/2" Milwaukee angle grinder.When these run out I'll order their discs that are specifically made for metal.It is senseless (I tried) to try to remove sanding scratches using just compound. These discs cut very fast. As I said, I then finish with 400 grit hook and loop sanding discs on an orbital sander before going to the buffer.
Reply:Originally Posted by ezduzitIt is senseless (I tried) to try to remove sanding scratches using just compound.
Reply:Originally Posted by BD1His buffer is the harbor freight one on sale for $ 39.00 . Use coupon with 20 % off even better.http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-buffer-94393.html
Reply:yeah, I's say pick up a DA and sand up to at least 400 grit, then 600 and even 800 and even 1,000 then start polishing... if you get to a finer satin finish before you start to buff you can then clearly see the scratches that still need more sanding before you even start buffing and you can get a real mirror finish without all the marks it still has and the mirror finish will come up easily with much less actual buffing. flat stuff like this is really easy and almost polishes itself if you do enough progressive steps, where it gets really difficult is when you try to do this with skipping and jumping too many grits, then it becomes much more work, going from 120 to rouge is going to be impractical to even try to ever get a mirror finish, the work it takes to polish out 120 grit marks is too much, you have to work up to a much finer finish before you even start buffing if you want a flat non wavy mirrored finishmiller 330a bp TIGmiller dynasty 200DX TIGmillermatic 185 MIGthermal dynamics cutmaster 101 plasma cuttersnap-on YA5550 plasma cutterhypertherm powermax 30 plasma cutterbaileigh CS225 cold sawetc....
Reply:Hey I'm have a stainless steel exhaust pipe on my sa-200 and it was looking kind of dingy from exhaust stuff, dirt, etc. So I decided to give it a buff with a carbon steel wire wheel and I think I contaminated the metal with the carbon steel wheel. Now every time it rains tiny rust spots appear on it. I again buffed it off and took some clear coat polish and covered it. That lasted for a while but now thatts slowly coming off due to heat. Is there a stainless cleaner or something I could prevent rust with?
Reply:Another tip, you are using WAY too much compound. 1/2 second to a second at most.I thought this link was a HUGE help:http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/images/Buffbook.pdf Excellent little booklet,,,Thanx NC_Machine.
Reply:If you have a spare piece of glass laying around, you can use that for a pretty flat surface (not granite surface plat flat, of course, but pretty good). Put your sandpaper on that and work up in grit.