Tony N Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 is it better to polish by hand or machine see photo enclosed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 By hand will take longer, but both will get you a desired result. Main difference is that the wheel is a lot more 'dangerous' for your carving. I'm sure if you talk to any carver who has used a wheel they wpuld have been heart broken at some stage by breaking a carving during the polishing stages. I still use a wheel but am VERY careful when doing so. I learned the tricks and traps so to say. Billy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt K Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Breaking something during that stage could quite often be adjusted to some degree. But just think about whats goingto happen when your piece is getting flying lessons? And those come nearly always just before the finishline. As Billy said, its usually faster, but I prefer using Dremel, not the bigger machienes. Also be reminded that I only work hard-stone, so wood and/or bone might be different. , or even easier to polish by hand. Best regards, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony N Posted April 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 thanks for the tips will take it on board and do plenty of practise if i get it by the way do you use braso or car polish when polishing bone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 You can buy a special white compound for bone. Ask Regal, they'll help you out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janel Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Flying lessons --- Cringe! Large wheel polishing and detailed carving are not a match in my mind. As an adjunct to eliminating raised areas, or attempting to emulate the look long term 'wear' it may have a purpose in the finishing process. Not for my work though. Rarely will I take the 1" cotton or felt wheel to focus polish specific areas, or even a pointed end felt, on my microgrinder handpiece, but I know that 50 - 250 hours of work is at risk at those times. A little extra time at the end of the work time, with going up the grades of sanding/polishing paper/cloth is worth the successful end result. Flat or rounded surfaces with little or no detail would be a match, while paying close attention to holding the item properly to avoid the dangerous catch and launching of the piece in the hands as cautioned by others already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marz willis Posted November 30, 2012 Report Share Posted November 30, 2012 im genrally carving in box wood..i use a popsicle stick... it takes a while but it works well ive lso used it on other woods.. douglas maple oak ,lilac..and others..at first i used it very lightly ,,but as ive got better i use quite a bit of force,heating it up a bit with the friction.then if i feel the need il use a polish or french polish/mix.. does anyone else use wood to polish wood? i try not to use sand paper or other things... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Twilbeck Posted December 1, 2012 Report Share Posted December 1, 2012 I do some polishing with a cotton wheel and some polishing compound. I do this when I have a surface that is not detailed carved. Since I do not paint my carvings, and I want to see the grain and the color of the wood. I use a small cotton wheel with the white compound on whatever wood that I am using. I have Foredom that I use for this polishing. I have several sanding attachments that I have made to bring the surface ready to polish. I cut some strips of sand cloth 320 grit to 600 grit and some crocus cloth. I make a sanding star or a flap sander. After I sand with the sanding I may use the polishing compound with a cotton buffing wheel. I have also made a string buffer that I use to clean and final polish. Then sometimes I will wax with carnauba wax , with the small cotton wheel and then finish with the string buffer. The string buffer will also work with carved areas, because it will take to the shape of what you are buffing, and not remove detail. I will post some pics of the sanding tools and the string buffer.if any body wants to see them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E George Posted December 5, 2012 Report Share Posted December 5, 2012 I too like to use a Foredom for buffing because, with a foot pedal speed control, I can run it at low RPM's. One inch or smaller wheels are good for applying buffing compounds such as tripoli or white diamond. I also have some 3/4 inch chamois wheels that are good for creating a nice luster after compound has been applied. Even at low RPM's there is still the potential for a carving achieving suborbital flight. Hold on tight! I have a couple of my wife's discarded nylons that I use for a finial shine. Hand polishing gives me a chance to really study the piece and lets my carver's vanity have reign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Twilbeck Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 George tell me about the chamois wheel, and where did you get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E George Posted December 6, 2012 Report Share Posted December 6, 2012 Ed, Check out Rio Grande jeweler's supply ( http://www.riogrande.com ) use "Chamois buffs" in their search. Other jeweler supply houses may carry them also. They do a nice job for me when I use tripoli or white diamond. I bought six about three or four years ago and I'm still using the first one. Some of the plies are now slightly out of round; however, they are very light and it doesn't effect the way they buff. They don't give off pieces of thread or dust like other types of buffs. Rio Grande also have a microfiber version which I have but haven't used. The microfiber buffs can be washed so they claim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Twilbeck Posted January 7, 2013 Report Share Posted January 7, 2013 E.George. Thanks for the info on the chamois buffing wheels. I purchased a chamois from a Walmart and cut me some small disk and made several wheels. I find that they do work much better than the cotton for the felt. I just finished a Pelican pendant out of box wood that I carved and then polished with the chamois wheels, then waxed with carnauba. The finish came out showing the grain and a beautiful color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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