Looking for the proper technique to polish axles. I have read that when wet sanding, if you apply to much pressure, a black residue will form on your sanding sheet indicating you are taking to much material off the axle. . Also that it is best to use a flat surface like a balsa block to keep the axle surface uniform while wet sanding. What is the best technique - wet sand/polish with a balsa block backer, add just enough pressure so the black residue is not created, slow to medium RPM? What say you?
Axle Polishing Technique
- Thread starter Falcon777
- Start date
The black residue is the steel coming off. As long as keep applying polish you will get black residue. Do not apply too much pressure. Use a sanding block 3/8 wide. Do not use pine or metal. They are too strong. I would think the balsa would be too soft and give an irregular surface, but I have no experience using balsa as a sanding block. A rubber block is good. I use a flat polishing bob. I wrap the sandpaper around the block and use my metal polish as the lubricant. I use sandpaper if there are machine marks on the nail otherwise I use green followed by blue then red polishing compound. When using the polishing compound it is not necessary to use lubricant. It's its own lubricant.I use my metal polish as the last step. The metal polish is probably not necessary if you use the red polish as the last step. You want the surface to be concentric just like the wheel tread. Takeing too much off leads to an irregular surface eventually. Moderate speed is better than high. Slow is probably OK, but I usually end up at moderate speed....2500 rpm.
I came across information (if I find the site again I will add the link) that stated the black residue was a product of how wet or dry your adrasive is. I googled buffing as buffing is more the term associated with what we are doing when "polishing axles". Good points are discussed as to whether or not you are "cutting or coloring" the material being buffed. Evidently if you are moving with the direction of the spinning axle you are coloring (final steps) and if you are going against the rotation you are cutting (more important to the first rounds of buffing). Many have stated that a lot of time for each grit or compound is not needed so with that in mind I try altering how I apply pressure to the surface to be buffed and what direction Iapply that pressure. Expirement and see what results you get under magnification. I use a hard rubber eraser and can generally see that I am applying pressure evenly by the pattern left on the paper. I am also using 3M polishing paper 4, 6 & 8K and like it better than the red jewelers rouge I used prior. I'm no experienced builder or buffer but wanted to offer a comment and see what feedback anyone has to offer in return.
Thanks, J
Thanks, J
The green and blue polishing compounds are cutting compounds. The red is coloring. There are stronger cutting compounds like the black, but it is too abrassive. Use the cutting then get your final surface perfect with the coloring. The ultra polishing papers are good too. New axles I use compound. Repreps I use fine paper to remove the plastic on the axle from the bore wear. It's just easier and quicker and less mess for the reprep.
The red is red rouge. It is coloring so it used on fine metals like gold. You don't want to cut gold. everyone uses the red rouge as a final polish if using compounds. The paper is impractical on many metal Jobs. It still gives stainless steel an excellent finish. Many of the fine shiny metal products we buy were finished with compound because paper is impractical to use. Sometimes I worry about using sandpaper because it scratches so much. It's tough to get some of that smoothed out. If I use paper, I start with 1500 on the axles at the most. 1500 if there are deep machine marks, 2500 if faint or no machine marks. Paper for rough looking axles. Compound for near ready axles. Either way will give you pretty good results.
- Nov 24, 2011
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The green tradionally has been for stainless steel. The blue is a little more fine than green and can be used on about everything except the soft metals...gold and brass. You can always use the blue on brass for bad scratches and rust. I'd finish it though with the red jeweler's rouge.
Just being the Devils advocate here.
Derby Dad has his system set up so all of the products complement each other.
When you move from this path, you could be putting something on the axle that leaves a residue that doesn't work as well with the Jig and Red Rocket.
Derby Dad has his system set up so all of the products complement each other.
When you move from this path, you could be putting something on the axle that leaves a residue that doesn't work as well with the Jig and Red Rocket.
