Thread: Some questions about Greaseless Compound

So, I've recently gotten my full run of greaseless compounds in (Formax, from Caswell Plating) and I'm having some trouble applying it since there aren't any full-out instructions anywhere that I could find...

After some experimentation and questions (Thanks, Dylan!) here's what I ended with: Rake the buffers thoroughly, then trim them with scissors so it's all still fluffy, but all a uniform circle, then load the compound slowly (My buffer is 1800 rpm with a 1/4 HP motor, so It doesn't really have the juice to do the on/off thing... But I found a method that gets a fairly even distribution for me*)

Here's my problem: No matter how many times I reapply the compound or what different techniques I try, even though the cover is uniform in height, it is not EVEN... I don't have pictures just yet, so I'm going to explain this as best I can: The entire outside of the wheel is covered, and it is, for the most part, very flush, however it is cracked into separate "plates" of compound... Like a piece of clay left out in the sun, if that helps...

My question is; is that okay? I seem to recall some resource saying that you most likely won't get full, even coverage on the first load, and that use and reloads will smooth the whole thing down into one flat "single surface" wheel... Is that right?

Basically, Do I need to get the whole thing to be one surface, or should I just go with it if there's no protrusions/obstacles, and let time sort it out?

(*The method I use to apply the compound is to hold it just barely touching the wheel so that the heat/friction starts to melt the compound, but there's no real pressure... Then, once it starts to melt, jam the compound against it and bog the wheel down like there's no tomorrow... Sounds very amateurish, but I found the recommendation for this on the Caswell forum, and it actually worked a lot better than anything else I had tried)

Any advice and suggestions welcome... Thanks for the time, guys!

Cheers,
Jeremy

Can you do work with the coverage you are getting?

Have you tried to cover the wheel from left to right then back to left (or vice versa) ?
For me I never raked the wheels before first use,the initial cover was a bit thin but after that it was ok. When I rake I trim as the wheel turns, then apply from one side of the wheel to the other and back, wait ~15 min and it works great.
Aquick search of the forum turned up this very informative IMO thread
http://straightrazorpalace.com/works...mpounds-2.html

Hope this helps

Well, I haven't tried using it yet... My main concern was that the plate-like covering I have now would have adverse effects (although the plating layers with the direction of the spin, so it should be fine..)

Figured I'd check before I wing it, though... Guess I'll give it a go once I get all my other wheels loaded

yes just try on a junk blade and see how it goes. Do not forget to wear protection, because those wheels like to spin blades out of hands in directions you would least expect

Originally Posted by mainaman

yes just try on a junk blade and see how it goes. Do not forget to wear protection, because those wheels like to spin blades out of hands in directions you would least expect

I wear safety goggles, a Respirator and a heavy sweatshirt or a leather jacket, along with leather gloves...

Thanks for the heads up!

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

I wear safety goggles, a Respirator and a heavy sweatshirt or a leather jacket, along with leather gloves...

Thanks for the heads up!

you need to cover the feet because the wheels will spin the blade down, gloves will not let you feel when the blade is too hot and in general lack enough feedback to feel what is going on just IMHO.

Originally Posted by mainaman

you need to cover the feet because the wheels will spin the blade down, gloves will not let you feel when the blade is too hot and in general lack enough feedback to feel what is going on just IMHO.

Forgot to mention the rubber, steel toed boots

And I wear the gloves with non-greaseless.. Guess I'll lose them for the greaseless. Thanks again!

And here are some pictures... One is a head on view of the wheel... Notice that the "plating" effect layers so that, when the buffer spins, it works with the grain and creates a nearly seamless surface... The other picture is a top down view, so you can see the plate/crack lines

It's loaded up a plenty!!

I've run into the same thing you have and one part is that my shaft extensions don't seem to run 100% true. I know they should, but they don't. That along with buffing wheels not being 100% round gets me to this point you are at. I do use mine as they are, but I really thing that it's much harder considering that you don't have contact with the wheel all the time. I do try and rotate the wheel on the shaft (loosen the nut a bit) a bit to find a happy medium with mine. Having this "slight" imbalance/out of round is workable, just approach with caution. I actually think it helps me to take my time and be extra cautious. You will know if you have things too much out of round...it will seem as though you are fighting it...this is not good. The wheel WILL snatch the blade right out of your hands. It's like some invisible super blackbelt just takes it from you and throws it at your feet! Recommendation: If you are working on a concrete floor, get a scrap of carpet or some mat for your buffing area, could help to save a blade "when" you get one snatched from you. That's not an IF, but a when....

Shooter, thanks for the tips... Also, I got some advice from Dylan that really helped clean my wheels up, and I've been working on some application methods that have a more even coverage, but the best thing so far was to rake the wheel VERY thoroughly, then take a good pair of scissors (my mother has sewing scissors that I used) and trim the whole thing down flush... Don't reduce past the actual "hair line" of the wheel, but make it all uniform, and it applys much smoother...

I tried, as an experiment, picking up a spare wheel from Home Depot and then trimming it even further (imagine giving your buffer wheel a buzz cut :P) and then applying... The short, tough fibers actually grabbed the compound REALLY well, and left a nice even cover... And, since you rarely, if ever, need to rake greaseless, just reload the wheel, the short hairs aren't a hindrance... at least to me..

YMMV, though.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Jeremy