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Currently using the StewMac branded polishing compound bars; Medium then Fine.
I see that SM recently started carrying Menzerna and I want to give it a whirl, literally. I'm not in love with the SM ones.

I've just started using the Super Assilex, up to 1500 (thanks everyone for the posts regarding Super Assilex).
With two wheels as my limit, I 'm considering Menzerna FINE then SUPER.

Does Mez FINE followed by SUPER cut sound reasonable on WB lacquer? Hoping not to need a swirl remover with FINE then SUPER, but its always an option.

From https://www.stewmac.com/luthier-tools-and-supplies/supplies/sanding-and-polishing/buffing-and-polishing/menzerna-buffing-compounds/?queryid=77915da789bd01831b3c9ebb2f1fa687 :

MEDIUM
Menzerna P204 / Medium Cut (pink)
Removes 600-800 grit sandpaper scratches

FINE
Menzerna GW16 / Finish (tan)
Removes 800-1000 sandpaper scratches
Lubrication level: Greasy
2.6lb (1.2kg) bar
#3174 Extra Fine

SUPER
Menzerna P175 / Super Finish (ivory)
Provides an ultra-high gloss look
Lubrication level: Dry

_________________
Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

I'm answering my own question with a post from J De Rocher from February under a "ROund Table" thread.
His post is so pertinent that I pasted it here:



THanks again J for posting your results and MOW.

_________________
Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

Karl - Like you, I have just two buffing wheels so I wanted to use just two Menzerna compounds if possible. I adopted the P204 and P175 based on recommendations from other OLFers.

In case you haven't run across it, this old thread I started when I was having trouble with my first attempt at buffing has some useful info in it regarding Menzerna compunds and buffing wheel prep. https://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=53056&hilit=p204

_________________
Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - Robert Hunter

Not sure why one would have just two buffing wheels. Skipping grits with any abrasive system is generally a no-no — you end up with shiny scratches.
I have 4 sets of wheels: 3 for my Menzerna compounds and 1 for fret polishing. Wheels are clearly labelled and only used with one compound.
If you really wanted to skip a grit, I would use micro mesh carefully to 12 000, then go directly to GW16.


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Most repair shops only have two buffing wheels if that. We have two, we can have four, six, whatever but we get our work done with only two and always have for nearly 20 years now. We run fine compound on both of them and have a "light" wheel and a "dark" wheel. This practice of a light and dark wheels is common.

For buffing frets we have the Collins fret buffer that will take frets from 320 to the highest polish we've ever seen in 5 minutes or less. The fret buffer uses 3M abrasive impregnated wheels where the abrasive is molded into the fingers of the wheels.

The light wheel is used for buffing finish and the dark wheel is used for buffing wood such as bridges after repairing them from say a crack or milling in string ramps to improve break angle for neck reset candidates where the price point of the instrument will never justify the cost of a reset from a very busy shop.

The dark wheel we don't use compound on so it does not get into the pores of bridges and unfinished parts that we buff.

We do at times use medium compound on the same wheel )light wheel) and dress the wheel with the rake in-between and we might even use sacrifice boards to remove most of the compound on the wheel before switching from medium to fine and back. Sure there remains some old compound but it works fine.

One of the first things I learned in the commercial world of guitar repair is that what we read on forums.... or the StewMac catalog be it paper RIP or on-line is not always true or even a best practice.

If we have to after buffing and this is rare we might follow up with McGuires compounds such as fine cut cleaner, polish, swirl remover, etc. depending on what the case is. We are buffing all manner of finishes, whatever a maker once used from poly that can be tenacious as Joe White will verify to lacquer which again seems to be a great finish for guitars in it's ease of use.

So that's why most people only have two wheels, it works.

J, that thread was a SCORE! Thanks for starting it, and to everyone that contributed there.

Menzerna had a product data/ selection chart that lists the finial sanding finish grit then the recommended buffing schedule for the finish desired. Your P204 & P175 schedule was there as was GW16 ---> P175 :

https://www.menzerna.com/fileadmin/ns_t ... EN_web.pdf

Menzerna also spec'd the elusive buffer speed* for painted surfaces- 6-24m/s. If you know your RMP, it's easy to convert back and forth** based on the buffer pad diameter.

Thanks for the discussion everyone.

* https://www.menzerna.com/fileadmin/ns_t ... EN_web.pdf
** https://turn2engineering.com/calculators/RPM-Calculator

_________________
Measure Twice,

Karl Borum

Both ends of my buffer have the domet cotton wheels (14" from SM).
Does anyone use the SM Canton cotton wheel for the fine side?

_________________
Measure Twice,

Karl Borum