This may be a duplicate thread but I couldn’t find it with the search tool. What does everyone use on their bench grinders to remove rust and polish metal with? Is there a specific type of polishing wheel or type of grinding/grit of wheel I should get? I’m due for a trip to Harbor Freight anyway. Thanks in advance.
I don't use a bench grinder for rust removal--just buffing with a cotton wheel and grinding with a grinding wheel.
For rust removal, usually evaporust.
But if I'm doing something manually, sometimes steel wool. I just picked up some abrasive balls for a drill at harbor freight, so I may give those a try instead.
If I'm regraining something like a lockbar, I'll use a drill and 3M flap wheels with different grits.
For polishing, sometimes I'll use the bench grinder, sometimes my drill with with a cotton buff bob, sometimes a variable speed polisher for large surfaces with a cotton or fleece bonnet. For any polishing, I'll use a tube of green compound. When done, I'll wipe the part down with a microfiber towel.
But, it's an evolving process depending on what the part is, the shape/size of the part, and the amount of rust removal or polishing needed.
There's a lot to know about polishing metal, but suffice to say you would use a "sisal buff" with either a black or brown rouge to "cut" (ie smooth) and a cotton buff with a blue or white rouge. My recommendation for the minimal amount of equipment to do the most types of things is a sisal with brown and a cotton with blue. Brown seems generally safe for all metals (whereas black isn't) and blue is a safe finish for both metals and plastics.
I'm by no means an expert, but I've recently gone through what you're going through. I ended up with the HF 6" buffer with various wheels and rouges. But learned quickly that it doesn't need to be as complicated as many will make it sound for our pinball parts. If you're trying to restore a vintage car to a pure mirror shine, then yeah, but getting some pinball parts sparkling clean isn't all that complicated.
i use buffing wheel on a bench grinder. i like to use a red
rouge, same thing they use on jewelry, as a polishing compound its
fast easy and they look like new
you can get the stuff at harbor freight
Thanks for all the tips I will have to try them to see what I find works best. So out of sheer convenience today I tried using my 9 year old sons rock tumbler from harbor freight with corn cob media on some metal posts and screws since I am working on a machine that is older and has a ton of metal posts. It worked amazing after only a couple of hours and it gave a mirror finish with just the media by itself. I will try adding a polishing compound later to see if I get an even better result. I would have tried walnut media because I have read that it’s even better but my son is allergic to nuts and I didn’t want to take any chances. Now to the coin door, coin plate, and shooting rod with all your advice. Thanks again
If you use a buffing wheel try the green rouge. It’s for stainless steel, but is great on chrome and zinc plated parts, just about all metal on a pin.
Quoted from Murphdom:Thanks for all the tips I will have to try them to see what I find works best. So out of sheer convenience today I tried using my 9 year old sons rock tumbler from harbor freight with corn cob media on some metal posts and screws since I am working on a machine that is older and has a ton of metal posts. It worked amazing after only a couple of hours and it gave a mirror finish with just the media by itself. I will try adding a polishing compound later to see if I get an even better result. I would have tried walnut media because I have read that it’s even better but my son is allergic to nuts and I didn’t want to take any chances. Now to the coin door, coin plate, and shooting rod with all your advice. Thanks again
Did you turn that thing loose on some feldspar?
Quoted from chad:Isn't red rouge the one you want to stay awsy from?
Yes. Cancer causing.
What’s the best way to regrain a coin door? Someone had already previously cleaned the door and the center of it is a little grainy.
26198572-F2B0-4EEE-95E3-917976B32EAB (resized).jpeg268FB1DB-B632-489F-91C9-DB7BBCD20066 (resized).jpeg89BDE0D5-729D-4811-B98E-036CD0C585D2 (resized).jpegBF5E50C4-D120-4724-B4E5-63CAA53CEDFE (resized).jpegQuoted from ktownhero:The 3M Scotch Brite sanding wheels are magic for that
Is that the same thing as the gray and red pads?
Quoted from Murphdom:Is that the same thing as the gray and red pads?
No. They are flap wheels and can be used in a drill.
Quoted from ForceFlow:No. They are flap wheels and can be used in a drill.
Is there a specific grain or type? There a bunch to choose from
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Gloucester Township, NJ
Calgary, AB
way too many rocks
