Frozen Greaseless Compound

Ok so with the cold front that moved across the Western US, the temperature drop managed to freeze stuff solid in the shop..

Now I took the frozen compounds and tried loading the buffer wheels, I have never really had any issues loading mine but I have read of others having problems getting an even layer..
The frozen compound loaded more even then ever in the past..

I am not to the point of advocating this yet, and perhaps I might do some more research on it when I have time, but it is a positive enough find that perhaps if you are having a hard time getting the buffer wheels loaded correctly you might try it out :shrug:

So perhaps a freak of nature might help a bit :)

Speaking as an entirely in the dark when it comes to anything scientific...could it have been the rate at which it froze that had anything to do with you being able to load it evenly as opposed to other people's experiences. Illogic logic makes me think rate of freezing always changes things, just as the opposite when heating something. Correct me if I'm wrong and give me faint praise if I stumbled onto something.

I went to use mine the other day and I couldn't get the frozen compound to load at all.
I popped it in my powder coat oven at the lowest temp for about 15 minutes to get it to thaw enough to load.

Different frozen brands ? Just thinking some compounds may have a different base material or additive that would act different under certain circumstances.

I'm pretty sure we both use Formax. Maybe different temperature or water content.
The tube I was using is a few years old, and is on the dry side.

Even more puzzling. It's the water that freezes isn't it ? Maybe your freezing is a couple of degrees cooler than Glen's :<0)

Has anyone come up with a method of rehydrating dried out greaseless? I have a tube of 80 that is too dry to load on a wheel.

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Originally Posted by skipnord

Has anyone come up with a method of rehydrating dried out greaseless? I have a tube of 80 that is too dry to load on a wheel.

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Spray your wheel with WD 40,than load.

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Originally Posted by skipnord

Has anyone come up with a method of rehydrating dried out greaseless? I have a tube of 80 that is too dry to load on a wheel.

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Here is what I do that re-hydrates and also keeps it hydrated

One Tupperware container with sealed top
Tubes of Formax (Yes Eric and I use the same stuff )
Covered with a sheet of plastic
A wet cloth placed on top of the plastic
Keep the container closed

That has served me well for a few years now :shrug:

I had not heard of the WD-40 trick will file that away thanks Bill

Also seems that Eric had the exact opposite outcome I found so obviously this is by no way a solution without some further testing :rofl2:

I wonder if there's a temperature "sweet spot" where it is firm enough to load well, but not so frozen that it doesn't work at all - that was the case with mine. It was like a frozen brick.

Hmmmm Could be Eric but honestly inside the shop was at 20° so the Compound was /is pretty solid,,

I still haven't had time to get the heat back up out there in the shop, just came in from getting the Pumphouse unfrozen :( got even colder last night and I am done with the cold for the day hehehe

How long did you hold it on the wheel?

Just a normal load

Light touch until it started to steam :) few seconds of slight pressure and I had a really even load

To narrow it down further 4" wheels at 3450 RPM 80-120-180-240-400-600 grits


Again though, I don't have an issue nor have I had and issue loading wheels, but this was exceptionally easy and even, enough so that I posted this


On another note has anyone found the 60 grit Formax compound available on the internet ??????? I would like to try it out

What RPM are your buffers turning at? That would effect the heat generated to a degree.

My wheels loaded up better than normal today. Frozen also here.

Funny this popped back up in the forum today! I was just fixing up a blade on the wheels and "used up" the 600 grit Formax on the wheel a few minutes ago. I was going to reload it but decided to wait until after I had some lunch. It's been getting about 10 or 14 below zero at night here and hasn't been above freezing for a week now. I haven't tried to apply new compound since it froze up so I'll let you know if mine applies easier. Hell I may try it without Glu-tite to see if the wheels (spiral sown for 600 grit) take it evenly. I'll let you know in a bit.

What is Glu-tite?

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Originally Posted by AirColorado

Funny this popped back up in the forum today! I was just fixing up a blade on the wheels and "used up" the 600 grit Formax on the wheel a few minutes ago. I was going to reload it but decided to wait until after I had some lunch. It's been getting about 10 or 14 below zero at night here and hasn't been above freezing for a week now. I haven't tried to apply new compound since it froze up so I'll let you know if mine applies easier. Hell I may try it without Glu-tite to see if the wheels (spiral sown for 600 grit) take it evenly. I'll let you know in a bit.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by skipnord

What is Glu-tite?

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It's a prep for your buffing wheel that allows the greaseless compound to adhere better. I get it at Caswell. Glu-Tite Greaseless Wheel Prep - Standard Buffing Compounds - Buffing/Polishing - Caswell Inc

Glen I'm not sure if the greaseless went on any easier (certainly wasn't more difficult as I'd have expected) but I didn't need any Glu-tite today. Odd because I'd think the wheels and compound being near frozen would make it tougher. Maybe it was imagination, but still, first time I didn't HAVE to use Glu-tite. One benefit of this cold is using the wheels on a blade is more fun because of the heat on cold fingers - and the blade cools faster!

Thanks for the input Mike, guess we need more data and more cold weather :D

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Originally Posted by gssixgun

...guess we need more data and more cold weather :D

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Well the cold is certainly in the forecast for a few more months! I've used 10 gallons of kerosene in my shop in the last 6 days alone - may have to get a larger container.

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Originally Posted by AirColorado

Well the cold is certainly in the forecast for a few more months! I've used 10 gallons of kerosene in my shop in the last 6 days alone - may have to get a larger container.

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If you need to burn it faster... and then you can make a nice buffer/grinder/forge around it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SH5953iQ6w

I only tried my 80 grit, it's about all I use anymore.
When I go out to feed the dog later, I will try it again, and the other grits too.

Lemur I was laughing out loud at your engine because I could picture what that would do in a shop. Yes that would keep things toasty in any shop!

I love watching afterburners at night from the tower! First time I saw one was when I was 19, a freshly minted air traffic controller, and was in the tower at night watching a flight of 4 F-104s do a formation takeoff. Better than fireworks!

Ok. I found out that at -15f, it's definitely too cold in my shop...
for me to stay in there and do any experiments.

I'm only now catching up on this thread. I learned a long time ago that the hide glue based compounds should be left in the refrigerator and have had that habit ever since. Trust me, on a hot day, rancid hide glue will cause you to vacate the shop. I've always used cool compounds since. Dunno if this will add experimental information.

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Originally Posted by Mike Blue

I'm only now catching up on this thread. I learned a long time ago that the hide glue based compounds should be left in the refrigerator and have had that habit ever since. Trust me, on a hot day, rancid hide glue will cause you to vacate the shop. I've always used cool compounds since. Dunno if this will add experimental information.

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Been there, "I wonder what's in this can.... RUN!"