How To Polish Metal - Basic

Instructions
1. Choose the most applicable buffing compound depending on the work surface
material to be polished. Start with the coarsest applicable compound. See our polishing
compound and jewelers rouge chart.

2. Apply polishing compound sparingly to the face of a revolving buffing wheel.

Repeat application of compound as needed during the buffing and polishing operations.

3. Use only slight pressure in applying the revolving buff to the work surface, thereby
allowing the buffing wheel and the polishing compound to do the work.

4. If after polishing the work surface is still dull, it will be necessary to repeat the
operation following up with a finer suitable compound.

5. Before changing from one buffing compound to another "rake" buffing wheel
thoroughly with a sharp tool to remove previous compound. Better yet, keep a different
buffing wheel for each compound.

6. Beautiful finishes can be obtained with the finest applicable polishing compound
applied to a single stitch buffing wheel, felt wheel, or felt bob.

7. When work has been completed the working surface can be washed in warm
soapy water to remove any excess buffing compound or dirt which may have
accumulated. Dry with a soft wool cloth or chamois. The high luster obtained from buffing
can be protected from future oxidation by the proper application of a clear metal lacquer.

Detailed Buffing & Polishing

Instructions
Metal polishing is part art and part science. These polishing instructions will
take you from start to finish through the process to help you understand the
science and begin mastering the art of metal polishing. Please note these
instructions are for use with the polishing compounds, jewelers rouge, and
buffing wheels found on PJTool.com. Polishing compound grades and colors
are not consistent between manufactures.

Jewelers Rouge and Polishing Compounds

Jewelers Rouge and Polishing Compound Uses

Jewelers rouge and buffing and polishing compounds can be used to smooth and/or
shine metals, plastic, wood, and other materials. The names buffing compound and
polishing compound are used interchangeably and refer to fine abrasive fillers combined
with greases which are formed into solid bars or liquid.

Jewelers Rouge (also known as polishing rouge or jewellers rouge) is a very fine

compound originally developed by the jewelry trade for buffing precious metals.
Jewelers rouge will bring out the maximum luster and a mirror like finish in jewelry and
other items made of soft metals. Other polishing compounds can be used to finish
harder metals and materials to a mirror like finish.

Choosing the Right Compound

Polishing Compounds are similar to sandpaper in that they are used from coarse to fine.
A work piece that is severely scratched may need to be sanded down with sandpaper
before polishing. Once the scratch depth is minimal on the work piece it is advised to
start with the coarsest compound that is applicable to the material being polished. From
there one should than move down to the next buffing compound and so on until the
desired finish is achieved.

Many times a mirror finish may be achieved by using just one compound. For example,
a scratch free piece of aluminum, which has some haze from oxidation, could be
polished to a high luster with only the White Rouge Polishing Compound.

Applying the Compound

Apply polishing compound or jewelers rouge to a buffing wheel by spinning a buffing

wheel on either a bench grinder or electric drill and lightly press the compound or
jewelry rouge onto the wheel. The heat and friction of the spinning buffing wheel will
be enough to transfer the compound to the buff. There is NO need to soften or moisten
the compound by heating or adding water to the compounds. Only a small amount of
compound is needed on the buffing wheel for it to work properly.
 Material Compounds (Coarse to Fine)

Black Brown White Green Blue All

  Emery Tripoli Rouge Stainless Red Rouge Purpose

Acrylics           E

Aluminum G G E G   G

Brass G G G G E G

Copper G G G G E G

Gold   G G   E G

Iron G     E   G

Nickel G     G E G

Pewter G G     E G

Platinum     G E   G

Silver Plate   G G   E G

Steel G     E   G

Nickel/Chrome         G E
Plate

Brass/Copper   G G   E G
Plate

Stainless Steel G G G E G

Plastic   G G   G E

Rubber   E       G

Horn   E       G
 Material Compounds (Coarse to Fine)

Black Brown White Green Blue All

  Emery Tripoli Rouge Stainless Red Rouge Purpose

Wood   E       G

Preliminary Notes

Clean Before Polishing

Before polishing your work piece, it's important to first clean it thoroughly.
Metals appear dull when there are scratches or dirt preventing the light from
reflecting directly off the surface. Dull material may just be dirty. Clean
thoroughly, and if your work piece is still dull then proceed to polishing.

Polishing and Sanding

Polishing is similar to sanding. In order to make the material more reflective

and smoother, when polishing you are simply removing the surface of the
material down to the depth of the deepest scratch. Always work from coarse to
fine when polishing (the same as if you were sanding a piece of wood).

The following steps can be followed for most reflective surfaces including
metals, plastics, rubber and even wood. Every material has different
properties and will buff differently. We recommend before polishing a new
surface to practice on a piece of scrap to familiarize yourself with the material
and how it responds to polishing.

Safety

Always wear protective gear when polishing including safety goggles or face
shield, dust mask, shop apron and gloves. You may also want to protect
surfaces and tools with tape or padding to prevent accidental gouging.

Step by Step Polishing Instructions

Step 1: Sanding

Determine if the material you wish to polish needs to be sanded first. A good
rule of thumb is if your fingernail can catch the edge of a scratch then it will
need to be sanded before it can be polished. Work your way up in grit from the
coarsest applicable paper to the finest. Sand in a consistent motion without
cross hatching and follow the grain of the material, if visible. Continue sanding
until there are no scratches visible and a satin finish is achieved (1000 grit wet
dry is usually a good grit to end with before polishing).

Step 2: Select Polishing Compound and Buffing Wheel

To begin polishing start with a stiffer buff such as a felt bob or felt cone, sisal
buffing wheel, specialty buff, or spiral sewn buffing wheel. (note: loose single
stitched buffing wheels are primarily for finishing and working with fine
compounds). A large variety of uniquely shaped buffing wheels and felt
bobs are available for getting into hard-to-reach areas of the object being
polished.

Insert the buff you wish to start with into any standard electric drill, bench
grinder, or buffing machine and choose the coarsest applicable polishing
compound by consulting the jewelers rouge and polishing compound chart .

Step 3: Apply Polishing Compound

Coat the buffing wheel or felt bob by lightly spinning the buff against the
polishing compound. Use the compounds sparingly as you only need a small
amount for them to work properly. Next, spin the coated buff or felt bob onto
the surface to be polished. Best results are obtained at 3,000 RPM or less.
Working at a higher rate will overheat the work surface and prevent the
compound from working properly. Slight pressure works best– let the coated
buff do the work for you. You'll notice a residue coming off the material as you
polish (metal should produce black soot).

Continue polishing as needed, reapplying more compound if necessary. For

best results use a different buff for each polishing compound. If using a
different buff for each compound is not possible then remove the previous
compound by "raking" the buff thoroughly. To "rake" the buff, carefully spin it
against a buffing rake or sharp metal edge to remove the residue.

Step 4: Repeat

Repeat the process with the next finer polishing compound as shown on the
chart. Continue polishing until visible scratches are removed and the desired
luster is achieved.
Step 5: Finish with Fine Compound

To finish your project and achieve a mirror like finish, use the finest applicable
compound with the loose single stitched buff. Again use very light pressure
and let the buff do the work for you. (It's not always necessary to go all the
way to the finest applicable compound. Our white polishing rouge is sufficient
in most cases.)

Step 6: Wash and Coat

Once work is completed, wash the material with warm soapy water to remove
any excess buffing compound or residue. Dry your work piece with a soft cloth
or chamois. Depending on the material you may want to protect your restored
finish with a clear coat.

Buffing Wheels Guide

Material

Buffing and Polishing Wheels can be made out of a variety of materials including

cotton, sisal, canvas, chamois, and more. Most of the buffing wheels we carry are made
of cotton because of its long wear and consistency.

Spiral Sewn vs. Loose Cotton

Spiral Sewn Buffing Wheels are sewn spirally from the center of the buffing wheels to
close to the edge. The stitching style makes these buffing and polishing wheels tough
and great for cutting and course buffing. Spiral sewn buffs generally should be used
with either Black Emery or Brown Tripoli. Loose Cotton Buffing Wheels have a circle
of stitches close to the center of the buffing wheel allowing the individual plies more
freedom. These buffing wheels are very flexible and soft making them great for getting
into hard-to-reach areas and applying a finish. Loose cotton buffing wheel should be
used with either White Diamond or Red Rouge.

Felt Polishing Wheels and Felt Bobs

Felt Polishing Wheels and Felt Bobs are made of compressed wool fibers and work with
all compounds. They can be used for any finishing operation and are used to maintain
sharp edges and flat surfaces, making them favorites of folks who work with knives.
Felt bobs come in a variety of shapes and are great for getting into hard-to-reach areas
and removing residue left from buffing.
 Material Buffing Wheels(Coarse to Fine)

Yellow Spiral
  Sisal Treated Sewn Airway Loose Sewn

Acrylics     G G G

Aluminum   G G G G

Brass   G G G G

Copper   G G G G

Gold       G G

Iron G G G G G

Nickel   G G G G

Pewter     G G G

Platinum   G G G G

Silver Plate       G G

Steel G G G G G

Nickel/Chrome Plate     G G G

Brass/Copper Plate       G G

Stainless Steel G G G G G

Plastic       G G

Rubber     G G G

Horn   G G G G

Wood   G G G G
Buffing & Polishing Terminology
Polishing:

This process removes surface material, improving the surface and preparing it
for buffing. This is generally a coarse operation involving sandpaper and/or
coarse polishing compounds.

Buffing:

This process makes the surface smooth producing a high luster and mirror
finish if desired. This is done with the use of buffing wheels and buffing
compounds. Buffing can be divided into two steps; cut buffing and color
buffing.

Buffing & Polishing Compounds & Jewelers Rouge:

These compounds can be used to smooth and/or shine metals, plastic, wood,
and other materials. The names buffing compound and polishing compound
are used interchangeably and refer to fine abrasive fillers combined with
greases which are formed into solid bars or liquid. Jewelers rouge polishing
compound or red rouge is the finest compound originally developed by the
jewelry trade for buffing precious metals. Jewelers rouge will bring out the
maximum luster and a mirror like finish. To apply a polishing compound or
jewelers rouge to a buffing wheel spin the buffing wheel on either a bench
grinder or electric drill and lightly press the compound onto the wheel. For
more about polishing compounds see our jewelers rouge and polishing
compound information page.

Cut Buffing:

This is the preliminary step to “coloring” using a course buffing compound.

This buffing operation removes scratches and makes the surface smoother.
Black emery polishing compound with a spiral sewn buffing wheel is
recommended for cutting down copper, brass, aluminum, steel, stainless steel,
nickel, and iron. Brown tripoli buffing compound is not as course as black
emery polishing compound but will cut and color copper, brass, and aluminum
in one operation. Cutting down may produce a bright, satisfactory result and
coloring may not be necessary.
Color Buffing:

This buffing operation brings out the maximum shine and produces a mirror
like finish. Coloring can take place after “cutting down” or right-away if surface
is smooth enough. Loose cotton buffing wheels are usually the best choice for
coloring but spiral sewn buffing wheels can be used as well. Brown tripoli
buffing compound is a double duty buffing compound and can be used for both
coloring and cutting down. White rouge polishing compound can be used to
color chromium, stainless steel, brass, and aluminum. The finest buffing
compound is jewelers rouge a.k.a. rouge polishing compound and can be
used to produce a mirror like finish on gold, silver, sterling, platinum, and
brass.