BUFFING AND POLISHING

POLISHING AND BUFFING WHEELS

Polishing wheels in general use are constructed of muslin, canvas, felt, and leather. By changes in
construction, offer to the operator wheels of varying flexibility that best suit the particular object to be
finished and the condition of its surface.

Polishing wheels in widest use are made of woven cotton fabrics, the hardest wheel of this type being
made of individual discs of canvas cemented together. The softest being composed of discs of muslin
sewn together between these extremes is the most popular wheels are composed of sewed sections of
muslin discs fastened together by adhesives.

For economy, these sewed sections are often made of balanced pieces of muslin rather than full discs
of cloth. As a class, cotton fabric wheels, because of their versatility and their relatively moderate cost,
are the most commonly used medium for general all-around polishing.

Pressed felt wheels, available in densities from rock hard to extra soft, are indicated where the face of
the wheel must be kept true and be absolutely uniform in density over its entire surface. The face of a felt
wheel can be easily contoured to fit irregularly shaped articles. Because of their higher initial cost, they
are generally restricted to the finer abrasive grit sizes.

Solid leather wheels of walrus and bull neck leather are tough but resilient, with a springy open grain,
and are favored for the fine polishing required in cutlery and gun work. Wood wheels covered with
leather belting are popular for flat surfaces where a minimum of flexibility is desired. Wheels made of
sheepskin discs are used where great flexibility and less density are needed. In the harder sheepskin
wheels, the individual discs are cemented together while in the softer types the discs are held together
only by hand sewing.

Practically all the materials mentioned above which are used in disc form for the production of polishing
wheels can be used in a different manner in the production of the so-called compress wheel. In this
wheel, small pieces of leather or woven fabric are placed in a rigid center section so their edges are
perpendicular to the side of the wheel. Accordingly, there are no seams following the direction of
rotation and more precise polishing can be done than with any other type of a built-up wheel.

Various grades of flexibility are available for each type of material used and, with the stiffer density
woven fabric compress wheel in particular. A degree of fine polishing can be obtained that cannot be
duplicated with wheels of different construction.