Buffing and Polishing

How to find the buffing supplies you need for any surface
By Lesley Graybeal Buffing and polishing are an easy do-it-yourself project for anyone who wants to get involved with a surface-finishing project. You can buff a variety of surfaces, such as wood or metal, using a variety of materials and techniques, but the result is always to smooth and refined.

Whether you need industrial metal polishing machines or just a small metal polishing kit for an individual project, you can get started with a relatively small selection of buffing supplies. To start polishing, you will need a buffing machine, a polishing wheel to create friction and a compound to use with the wheel on a given surface.

When looking for buffing supplies, shop for the following tools:

1. Buffing wheels and machines, which you can get separately or as part of a buffing kit;

2. Polishing compounds suitable for your buffing project;

3. Abrasives and blasting equipment for the toughest buffing jobs.

Get your buffing supplies in a complete polishing kit

Many wood and metal polishing machines are sold in a kit with the necessary wheels or pads. Polishing compounds also may be included. If you're looking for your first set of buffing and polishing equipment, consider purchasing products in a kit, which may also come with additional instructional support for new users.
Try:  Caswell Electroplating offers buffing wheels and buffing kits, as well as a helper tool to find the right buffer for your job, and online support. Bright Works sells polishing and buffing kits and has an instructional video available for customers in need of additional project help.

Get compounds for buffing and polishing solid surfaces

The buffing process also requires that you use buffing compounds along with your machine-operated buffing pads. The purpose of a polishing compound is to serve as a chemical solution that combines with the physical effect of the buffing wheel to create an overall final polish.
Try:  Search for the polishing compounds you need with Southwest Metal Finishing Supply or with TP Tools & Equipment. TP Tools & Equipment sells a more limited selection of compounds, but also sells a compound caddy for easy storage and portability of your polishing supplies.

Tackle the toughest buffing using abrasive solutions

Abrasives are an alternative to a traditional buffing compound that can be used with blasting equipment to buff extremely rough surfaces faster. Abrasives and blasting may be used either as an alternative to buffing supplies, or as a first step to prepare a rough surface for buffing and polishing.
Try:  Regal Associates sells abrasives, in addition to standard buffing and polishing equipment and compounds. Eastwood is another company that provides abrasives solutions as well as blasting equipment for sand and soda compounds.

• If you or your business doesn't have a long-term need for buffing equipment or metal polishing machines, consider renting equipment for short-term use. Especially if you need to do any abrasive blasting, to prepare for refining work, you may find it a better use of your resources to rent a blaster and then purchase a smaller polishing kit.