How To Polish Metal

AN INTRODUCTION TO BUFFING & POLISHING

How to polish metal includes: Buffing and polishing using wheels and 'compounds' is somewhat like using wet and dry sanding paper, only much faster. Instead of using 'elbow grease' you will be using the power and speed of an electric motor.

The edge, or face, of the wheel is the 'sanding block', which carries a thin layer of 'compound' which is the sandpaper when you polish metal. Varying types of wheel are available, and the different grades of compoundwheel, the heat from the friction melts the wax, and both wax and abrasive are applied in a thin slick to the face of the wheel. are scaled similar to sandpaper. The compounds are made from a wax substance which has the different abrasive powders added to it. When this hard block is applied to the edge of a spinning buffing

The objective of buffing and polishing is to make a rough surface into a smooth one and, of course, each work piece will be in a different condition, so will need different procedures. Imagine the surface magnified thousands of times, it will look like jagged mountains and valleys. By repeated abrasion, you are going to wear down those mountains until they are old, soft, rolling hills! Then they will not dissipate the light, but reflect it. It is the reflection that makes the buffed part appear shiny.

Eliminating 'Swirl' Marks

Swirl marks when you polish metal is caused by buffing in the final stages can easily be removed by wetting the part with a damp cloth, then dusting with a powder such as:- Whiting, Talcum Powder or Corn Starch, then buff on your wheel again until the swirls disappear.

One Wheel For One Compound

Applying different compounds to the same wheel only causes problems, because you end up with a mixture of abrasive surfaces, and metal deposits left over from the more abrasive operation. These microscopic particles only scratch the surface, destroying any benefit gained by the finer compound. To remove excess compound from the work, apply a small amount of talc to the work and the wheel, then rebuff and polish the metal.

Applying Compound

LITTLE & OFTEN is the rule. Too much compound will reduce the effectiveness of the cutting action when you polish metal, because the surface will become TOO greasy and over lubricated. This can often be seen by the prescence of a black slick of compound that seems to reveal around the work piece. Apply compound to the wheel for approx 1 second. Any more is wasted....

When we are polishing any metals there are always things to be taken into consideration whether the metal is aluminum, stainless steel, brass, silver or gold.

Things that make life easier, healthier, safer, quicker or basically deliver better results.

We will try to pass on some of the tricks we have learned to save you time and effort.

 

1)      Clean up your work as much as you possibly can before you try to polish it.

2)      Clean up your work area regularly placing hazardous tools and chemicals out of harms way.

3)      Avoid build up of buffing dusts, soiled cloths, or mixing dusts and cloths.

4)      By mixing solvents , various metal buffings, shavings, and maybe a bit of oil in a bin we have the potential for a big firework. Don't do it.

5)      Do not smoke, use open flame burners or any other source of ignition in a fume or dust laden atmosphere. People often forget about dust explosions. They are normally fatal.

6)      Clean up your work piece between every buffing stage with either alcohol or mineral spirits to remove dirt and residue from compounds.

7)      Any abrasive or polish is only as fine as its coarsest component.

8)      Use cloths that have no labels and preferably no sewn edges.

9)      When you are polishing large pieces, do small areas at a time, it's faster and more consistent.

10)   When you do a final polish, clean up and then buff it out. Any dirt on the cloth? Buff it again

11)  Never put waxes over chrome. It makes it look hazy.

12)  Remove buff lines with flour or sodium bicarbonate.

13)  Remove surplus waxes and polishes from seams, pit marks or awkward to get at places with flour.

14)  Mist your final buffing with a light misting of water and buff it again. This seals both metals and waxes and helps reduce water stains from rain and condensation

15)  Always use top quality soft cloths for your final buffing.

16)  Use light pressure, especially on polishing strokes when power buffing. It reduces scratches.

17)  Always move buff machines slowly across work pieces, again, less scratches.

18)  Never, ever, use anhydrous solvents, ammonia or acids, or polishes that contain them on aluminum, Brass, Copper or bronze. They eat Zinc and attack most alloys. Brass is Zinc and copper, it is normally present in aluminum, it is used to make many steels and alloys less corrosive.

19)  Always try to make finishing strokes with machines or by hand in the direction of the grain if the metal is rolled.

20)  If you use electrical tools make sure there is a G.C.F.I. (Ground circuit fault indicator) in the line. It might save your life.

21)  If you use air tools drain your tanks regularly, and if you can put an air drier between the compressor and the tank. Dry air equals less rust. Your tank will last a life time.

22)  Don't rush your polish job. It will show.

23)  Always wear safety glasses when working with power tools.

24)  Always use liquid polishes, pastes, paint strippers, solvents, etc. in well ventilated areas.

25)  Never, ever, remove oil, grease, buffing compound from the skin with solvents, mineral spirits, gasoline, kerosene, alcohol or similar chemicals. If soap and maybe a little pumice wont do it. stay dirty, it'll wear off. Use chemicals and you may save the undertaker a little formaldehyde, but other than that, the  potential results are all negative.

26)  Avoid particulate absorption of metals. Excess metals in the system cause all sorts of disorders and they are readily taken in through the skin and lungs.

27)  The easiest way to reduce contamination is to polish in the open air and in areas where the is a cross flow of air

28)  Don't let all my warnings get you down or frighten you, just be sensible and enjoy your polishing safely.

29)  Remember that polishers always have a bright future.

 Restoring and Preserving Antique and Precious metals

The most important thing about preserving antiques and precious metals is handling, or at least the avoidance of it. Sweat is very acidic. Every time a metal is handled, unless some kind of preventative steps are taken, such as gloves or cloth, acid is transferred from the hand to the item, preserving waxes are removed and protective ions are disrupted allowing the acids to begin the action we call oxidation.
Protective IONS!? Yes, that's right, protective ions. When we polish something, the surface of the metal is smoothed directionally, making the ions on the surface line up like soldiers. This not only helps conceal minuscule imperfections in the surface, but also helps for a barrier that the acids and salts have to penetrate and disrupt for the oxidation to occur. We can avoid this enormously by not handling anymore than is necessary. LOOK and ADMIRE, but don't touch. Remember this when you are finished with your handiwork restoring the piece to its former glory.
Also, NOT all compounds are jeweler's rouge, as many people seem to believe. jeweler's rouge is a specific grade and made with ferric oxide, which gives it the red color. Rouge, being French for 'red', means it makes no sense to have green or white compound and call it rouge. If you ventured into Antwerp, the gold dealers capital of the world and offer a Jeweler a bar of green or white rouge, you would be laughed out of town.
Gold absorbs much of the ferric oxide when buffed and comes up a bold, bright gold color, if you use a white or green compound it will absorb the dye. Who wants green gold?
We have even seen bars of compound as coarse as a rough emery around 200 grit sold not only as jewelers rouge, but actually stated that it was suitable for use on precious metals. The product would destroy plate and tear off gold in a New York Heartbeat. This is what happens when terms are generalised and corrupted. We have been approached by salesmen who didn't even know the active abrasives in the compounds they were selling. They didn't know the grit, either. This is an intolerable state of affairs. Be warned! In the U.S.A. what is generally termed as jewelers rouge is abrasive compound bars, and is only known as jewelers rouge because it is in bar form. That is all it has in common with rouge.
English Custom Polishing manufactures a liquid rouge made from only the finest Ferric oxide combined with a synthetic wax, so it can be used to polish and protect all the fine metals that you might have in your antique collection.
Gold should be handled the least of all metals, just because of its value, and its softness. It should NEVER be cleaned with abrasives, unless it is absolutely necessary. This is when you need jewelers rouge.
We use only one preserving wax to protect precious pieces, RENAISSANCE. Unless there is need to physically polish the surface, Renaissance will remove grime and leave a stable protective coating that lasts years. This wax is pH Neutral, a microcrystaline synthetic wax, developed by the BRITISH MUSEUM and now in use at the SMITHSONIAN, the ROYAL ALBERT MUSEUM and most Major museums.
With Silver, again, handling should be minimal. You can save a lot of money and time by using a very old trick:

Find a plastic bowl, about 5-gallon capacity is normally plenty. The size needs to be enough to cover the silverware you are cleaning, fill with hot water, the hotter the better, add 2 tablespoons of sodium bicarbonate, (regular household baking soda)and 2 tablespoons of salt, stir it well, put a decent sized piece of aluminum foil in the bottom, place your silverware into the solution, standing on the aluminum. Now watch the oxidation disappear.

Apply RENAISSANCE wax, or if you really want to make it bright, polish with our CURATORS CHOICE - a liquid polish that will remove any stubborn oxidation with a compound equivalent to jeweler's rouge, and leave a superfine film of preserving wax on the item to preserve and protect the finish.
Silver plate, of course should never be polished with abrasives unless absolutely necessary, as it is so soft and easily removed, even with hand polishing.
Platinum, it's a beautiful and precious metal, so treat as you would for silver or gold.




Safety Tips when using metal polishes

1. Always use a barrier cream to prevent skin absorption of metals and chemicals.
2. Always cover exposed areas of skin and wear safety goggles or face shields when power buffing.
3. Cover and tie long hair to prevent entanglement with machines.
4. Fasten loose cuffs and loose clothing. Remove or secure long necklaces to prevent entanglement.
5. All liquid and most paste polishes give off heavy vapors which may interfere with judgement, cause nausea, etc. Always use polishes in a well ventilated area.
6. Vapors are normally flammable. Never expose to naked flame or polish in poorly ventilated areas - especially if there is an open flame.
7. Flush eyes well with water should any polishes or particles get into the eye. DO NOT RUB!!! Contact nearest hospital if irritation persists.
8. KEEP ALL CHEMICALS STORED SAFELY AWAY FROM CHILDREN, in a cool place and out of direct sunlight.
9. If polishes are ever accidentally imbibed, contact the nearest poison center and give details of polish manufacturer to doctor IMMEDIATELY. Or better still, take a bottle of the substance with you.
10. PREVENT inhalation of vapors and metal particles, wear a face mask!
11. Always clean up when changing metals, always use a different bag for vacuming buffing dust from different metals. combinations of dusts from various metals can be explosive. That is how we get fireworks!
12. Never, ever mix two different liquid polishes together, some combinations can give off poisonous and or very volatile gases.
13. REMEMBER, ALL METALS ARE HAZARDOUS TO THE BODY IN LARGE QUANTITIES. MANY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DISORDERS RELATE TO EXCESSIVE METALS IN THE BODY. DO NOT BECOME YOUR OWN VICTIM!

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