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I have been doing a gloss finish on my guitars for a while now. The more of them I do, the pickier I get. I am pretty much self taught (or forum taught) when it comes to finish. So while I get good results, there are times when I've felt like I was missing something and that things should be easier. Buffing has always been one of those things.

Specifics- I am using EM6000 as my topcoat. The point of this thread is not to discuss finish, but specifics are important none-the-less. I let the finish cure for 7-10 days. I then sand it DRY with 800 grit- starting with a ROS and then finishing by hand with a firm foam block.

So back to buffing...

Once I am happy with my flat sand, I move on to buffing. I run my buffer at around 800rpm. For years I have been using buffing wheels I got from grizzly- 60/60 canton with menzerna p204 followed by dommet flannel with menzerna atol 6. My results have been ok, but I have always been able to see marks left by my fine buffing. So I have been using a swirl remover. This process has always frustrated me and seems like more work than it should be.

So I finally called Jescar. I approached the conversation as if I had never buffed anything in my life. This is where the insight comes in. Jeff at Jescar was very patient with me and incredibly helpful. He suggested using a stack of buffs that total around 3" wide. For wheels- 60/60 cotton for medium buffing and bleached dommet flannel for fine buffing. The important thing is to keep the wheels clean and free of contaminates. For compounds- p204 for medium and p175 for fine. P175 is expensive, but he said it's worth it. I then asked him how much compound to use as I have read lots of differing opinions on the subject. His answer- charge the wheel for 1 SECOND. That's it. The compound cuts so well, you really don't need much. In fact, using too much, he said is just wasting material. We then talked about pressure. It was hard to describe, but he said "medium" pressure. You don't want to build heat- this can ruin finish. But you need enough pressure to allow the compound to work. On the same note, keep moving. Again, heat is the enemy here. When buffing, approach the work at 90 degrees to the previous marks made. In other words- sand with the grain, buff medium across the grain, buff fine with the grain. This will allow you to see when the compound has removed the scratches from the previous grit.

So I started over. I ditched my old wheels and bought new ones. I also ponied up and bought the p175 compound. I followed all the advice Jeff gave me- how much compound to use, the direction of buffing, the amount of pressure, when to switch wheels, etc. I have to say, this is the best looking gloss I have every achieved. There is not need to use any sort of swirl remover or post buffing polish. Weather I check the gloss with florescent light or incandescent, it looks flawless.



I hope this helps.

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ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
&
http://ensorguitars.com

Nice - thanks for the insights. Sounds like I'm charging way too much so I'll back off. Don't know about others but I keep my buffer wheels covered with plastic (trash bags) when not in use to keep them clean.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Good info, straight to the point. Thank you!

Did your contact at Jescar have anything to say about arbor RPM? Different RPM + pressure will give you different rates of heat buildup, which will require different rates of feed.

Steve,
I use trash bags as well.



Jason,
He did not. I mentioned that I run mine at around 7-800 rpm and he said that is pretty slow. I think most run faster. I like the slower speed. It's less grabby and creates less heat. Granted, this is shaft rpm and not ft/sec of the wheel- which is different depending on the diameter buff you are using.

_________________
ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
&
http://ensorguitars.com

That looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing, Chris.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe I should give your approach a go!!! It sure looks good

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

Looks good!

I've recently had superb success with 3'' foam buffing pads that you attach to a drill. Wet sanded 800, then 1000. Then I hit it with 3M rubbing compound, followed by 3M Finesse-it II (polish). Quick and easy, but more importantly, it came out looking flawless and flat as a mirror without a swirl mark or scratch. Mind you, the compound itself is fairly expensive, but with the few drops I used of each, I can see it will last a very long time.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

I looked at the StewMac buffer, and their unit runs at 715 (which they describe as "slow"): this must be a number they came to based on input from experienced folks.