I recently bought a buffing wheel and some ***eler's rouge. I've just started experimenting with it, and I'm wondering if there are any tips that more experienced restorers can offer for these things.
Also: just how much success can I expect to have cleaning chrome with a wheel? Anyone have before and after albums that they can point me to? I've got some mighty grimy hardware laying around and I'm wondering how much more effective the wheel is than hand polishing with a rag and Novus.
Get the major crud off first.
Dawn soak. WD-40. Wiped down first.
Let it dry.
Then get some polishing compound from auto paint store or Pep Boys.
Use the cloth wheel and small amounts of compound.
It truly is better than by hand.
Make ways to hold on to the parts as the wheel wants to spin them into hyper space.
Lugs? Thread a Bass Drum T rod onto lug insert for a handle.
Stuff like that.
> Thread a Bass Drum T rod onto lug insert for a handle.
Great tip! :D
John
I figured that out after trying to get scratches out of a lug but then sending it flying across the work shop onto concrete producing even worse scratches. T-ROD!
I am a big proponent of the buffing wheel but you do need to be careful, as even with the more gentle abrasive pastes you can take the plating right off some pieces - especially thin nickel plating.
Here's an example of one of the box lugs from my '38 Broadway. It was seriously caked in dirt and I doubt it had been ever cleaned from new. The whole drum was absolutely filthy. I soaked all of the parts in WD-40 and then used the buffing wheel. The difference was remarkable. I use a wheel fixed into a drill and then clamped in a vice which works very well but as someone else mentioned, you really need to keep a firm grip on the smaller pieces as they can easily fly out of your hands and disappear into the far reaches of your garage!
Buffing wheels on Chrome you have to be very careful when use you must get the right Rouge made for Chrome or you will remove the chrome. If what you are cleaning is not bad I recommend put it in CLR if it has rust over night. Then in morning wash it off with Windex and dry it off. Put paste wax and hand polish this the best way to clean Chrome.
I have used 3M Machine Polish B and
3M Perfect-It Rubbing Compound #1
and had great results on a lot of chrome.
Both I believe from Pep Boys.
No removal of plating, no scratching.
I have also used these 2 products on some Nickel with good results.
(Used on Ludwig Flat Imperial Lugs)
Always have to go easier/not as aggressive when buffing Nickel.
I have also used Brite Boy Metal Polish but that is a really old product.
There are also several different types of buffing wheels. Hard, medium and soft flappers. Each has a application and matched compound. Some to be used in sequence depending on the parts and finish desired. Caswell plating is a great source of information. They also have a very good forum for all plating and polishing questions. Good resource to have available. :)
There are also several different types of buffing wheels. Hard, medium and soft flappers. Each has a application and matched compound. Some to be used in sequence depending on the parts and finish desired. Caswell plating is a great source of information. They also have a very good forum for all plating and polishing questions. Good resource to have available. :)
thanks Glenn for this info.
