Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Vaughan S. Nelson-Lee on March 30, 2011 at 1:35pm

Just a guess, but Brasso?

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Permalink Reply by Wade on March 30, 2011 at 2:14pm

 

I do know that nickel silver is very hard. It may take several course grades of polishing compound to get those out.

Brass should be a little easier to work with.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on March 30, 2011 at 3:10pm

For one thing it appears you have a buffing wheel that is contaminated with dust or grit. It looks like the scratches are caused by a larger grit than your buffing compound.

Take a “buffing wheel rake” and get rid of this layer. Reapply the buffing compound. It also appears in this case you may need to sand this with a fine emery cloth and start over.

For buffing fine items like this, after buffing the wheel needs to be covered with a plastic bag to keep contamination off the wheel. The final buff should be with a floppy loose wheel. The course needs to be the sewn type.

When rough buffing I have used the black and the red and ended up with white compound. Rio Grande jewelry supply, New Mexico supply has all sorts of this type of things.

Cheers
Bob

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Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on March 30, 2011 at 3:25pm

Thanks Bob

This was a rough first pass.  I bought a new wheel and only used it on some brass with red compound.  I've used 1500 grit wet paper on the brass but even with different wheels, haven't been happy with the final results.  The brass was just practice material while I waited for the nickel silver to arrive.  I bought dead soft grade figuring it would be easier to work with and solder.  Forming and soldering is dead simple.  From a distance, it looks great but I'm hoping for better.  I'll look into what a "buffing wheel rake" is and pick one up if I can find it.  Been using a flat bar with a burr edge to dress the wheel.  Works up a bit of fuzz on the bench.

While I'm at the store, I'll pick up a couple new soft wheels.

Don

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Permalink Reply by Mungo Park on March 30, 2011 at 5:06pm

Do as above and don't press so hard to on the buffer, fast speed light touch.  Cheers Ron.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on March 31, 2011 at 12:02am

I use Mother's magnesium and aluminum polish ( auto parts stores). Polished anything to a glass shine. I use it to buff out my clearcoat to polishing bone nuts and saddles.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on March 31, 2011 at 9:04am

You need to use a buffing compound called tripoli first. All sanding scratches must be removed, buffed out, before procedding to polish stage. You must use a seperate wheel for each compound and clean inbetween each step. Brasso, and all those like that will only work on an already polished surface.
Don

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Permalink Reply by Bruce Trappes on March 31, 2011 at 8:41pm

I use tripoli or fastcut compond for removing scratches from EPNS (Electro plated nickle silver) with a stitched sisal buff in my business http://supplybaydesign.blogspot.com/ all sourced from Josco. For polishing I use Josco Green compound on a loose leaf calico buff.

Perhaps try the tripoli first rather than the fastcut to see if that removes the scratches....better to "under do" than "over do".

To keep a shine, I use autosol polish obtainable from an auto accessory shop.

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Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on March 31, 2011 at 11:59pm

Thanks guys for the input.  I am certain Bob is right and the issue is the buffing wheel and grit.  Keep in mind this is not a finished cover.  It was just a quick sample I put together.  I know the edges need sanding but the top surface area was free of scratches when I started.  I use adhesive backed paper covering the metal when bending and the same covering the brake when bending.  This keeps the piece in pretty good shape except for the edges that are bent.

I've looked into what is available for wheels and will pickup some new ones this weekend and try again.  I also need to consider getting a dedicated machine for this.  I am using one side of my grinder with the wheel guards removed.  It looks like I'll be doing a lot more of this type of work as I am considering making my own guitar hardware now that I found a company to do laser cutting in small volume.

Bob, I found the wheel comb on Amazon.  Thanks for the tip.  I'll also look into some of the other suggestions.  I'm kind of swimming in various compounds but will check out the tripoli and do need to pickup some type of finishing polish/wax/sealer. 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on April 1, 2011 at 2:19am

Don, lots of good ideas here for buffing compounds. Also check out Brownnells gunsmithing site, gunsmiths buff alot of parts. All so band instrument repair suppliers brass/nickel instruments get buffed. 
Cheers

Bob
Don Goguen said:

Thanks guys for the input.  I am certain Bob is right and the issue is the buffing wheel and grit.  Keep in mind this is not a finished cover.  It was just a quick sample I put together.  I know the edges need sanding but the top surface area was free of scratches when I started.  I use adhesive backed paper covering the metal when bending and the same covering the brake when bending.  This keeps the piece in pretty good shape except for the edges that are bent.

I've looked into what is available for wheels and will pickup some new ones this weekend and try again.  I also need to consider getting a dedicated machine for this.  I am using one side of my grinder with the wheel guards removed.  It looks like I'll be doing a lot more of this type of work as I am considering making my own guitar hardware now that I found a company to do laser cutting in small volume.

Bob, I found the wheel comb on Amazon.  Thanks for the tip.  I'll also look into some of the other suggestions.  I'm kind of swimming in various compounds but will check out the tripoli and do need to pickup some type of finishing polish/wax/sealer. 

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on April 1, 2011 at 2:39am

Bob, thanks, In my previous life I was a jeweler and then ran a metal polishing shop for ten years.

Don

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Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on April 1, 2011 at 2:50am

Any suggestions on sealing?  I either need to figure a better way to clear coat or find something hopefully with an easier learning curve.  My spraying technique is more than just a little rusty, it has damn well seized up.  I need something for these one or two pieces at a time building I do.

Don Thompson said:

Bob, thanks, In my previous life I was a jeweler and then ran a metal polishing shop for ten years.

Don

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