Buffing question

[Ernie Nyvall]

I've looked at the Beal buffing system and noticed that different companies seem to have their own version of it. I've seen them with three different wheels, but just found one where all three wheels were the same. So what wheels do you use? Thanks for any replies.

Ernie

[Gary Max]

You would use different compounds. Something like Hut---start with a med---next would be fine---last would be a dry clean buff. There are lot of different companies out there that make different products depending on your goal. Once you apply a compound to a wheel --you will not want to change unless you can really clean the wheel.

[Shane Harris]

I picked up the Beall system at an auction a few weeks ago. I love it. With the loose sewn wheels, it's harder to buff through the finish. I think with a tighter sewn wheel I, personally, would cut through the finish before I realised it...

Shane

[Ernie Nyvall]

I gotcha on the two compounds and a wax and on three different wheels, but is there a different kind of wheel for each. I've seen wheels from hard to real soft, so do you use a denim wheel for the medium compound, a spiral sewn cotton for the fine compound, and then the flappy soft cotton for the dry clean buff?

Ernie

[Glenn Hodges]

Ernie, you can order your first set from Beal then your will have something to compare with when you ever have to reorder. I still use the Beal buffs, but I have ordered some larger diameter buffs from another company for larger bowls, and they worked the same. I am not much help, but as long as they are cotton and unsewn they are about the same.

[Blake McCully]

Ernie,
The Beall system uses three wheels, as you probably know. Each wheel is used with a different compound. Consequently each wheel is constructed differently. The wheel you use with the tripoli wax is all linen, the one used with the white diamond is a 50/50 mix of linen and cotton. The wheel for the carnuba is all cotton.

The theory behind this is that the tripoli wax, I guess it's something like jewelers rouge, is used to remove any of the final sanding marks (usually not clearly visible) from the item. The white diamond supposedly removes any marks that might have occurred during the tripoli use and it begins the polishing process. The carnuba wheel finishes the polishing cycle.

Now, being a red-blooded American male, I sorta subscribe to the age old idea that if a little is good, then more is better. WRONG! The first time you use each wheel, you need to load them all up pretty heavily. After that, with the wheels running, a simple swipe to the left then to the right is all you need. I got real heavy for awhile with the carnuba wheel. I started noticing that when I finished, the finish seemed duller than what it was after I had finished with the tripoli wheel. I thought for a minute that I had gotten the waxes mixed up and put white diamond on the carnuba wheel. Nope, just too much wax on the wheel. I must have buffed about 8 pieces with the carnuba wheel before it got straightened out. Now it works like it should.

A word of caution. When using the wheels for the first time put some heavy grit sandpaper on your sanding block and run it on each wheel before you put on the waxes. This will help to keep down the tremendous amount of "fuzzies" that will be generated by the new wheel.

This was long, sorry for that, just thought I'd give my $0.10 worth.

Happy buffing.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Glenn, it was a bunch of help. You must have read my mind about other kinds of wheels, and it's good information to know.

Blake, not too long at all. I like thorough and you were with exactly what I needed.

Shane, I hadn't thought about buffing through the finish... thanks for the warning. I could picture the wind going right out of me if that happened on the final process.

And Gary, you complete the story.

Thanks to all,
Ernie