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Emms
16-09-2009, 07:18 AM
I've recently finished uni and set up my own workshop and everythings going great except when it comes to finishing pieces. We weren't really taught that much about finishing as it was more of a design based course and i've had to learn from scratch. So if anyone can shine a light on what i'm doing wrong that would be so so great...

When I polish my work I end up with lots of lines on my pieces. They are mostly pierced out flat silver sheet. I've been using a polishing motor, doing the initial polish with a calico wheel and hyfin polish then a final polish with a linen wheel and blue dialux. I polish it against a piece of plastic sheet so it doesn't catch on the wheel. The plastic is clean and not scratched so i don't think it's that. Sometimes the end result is perfect but more often then not it's uneven and liney. I always wet and dry and pumice out any scratches and make sure the surface is clean beforehand. So why cant i get an evenly polished surface? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I also like to leave a matt finish on some pieces by just pumicing. However they mark easily with peoples greasy fingers etc. Is there a way to protect the matt finish somehow? or at least a way to care for matt work?

ps- sorry its a long winded over-detailed question I just really don't know whats going wrong!

Petal
16-09-2009, 07:54 AM
Hi Emms,
Although I can't answer your question, there are other polishing 'masters', who I'm sure will come along and help you out.... just hang in there!

Love
Jules x

Solunar Silver Studio
16-09-2009, 08:13 AM
Hi Emms, I know nothing at all about polishing but from a purely textile perspective I have always thought of linen as being quite a coarse fibre so I am surprised that you are using it for a final polish. I think wool is considered a better option for that final shine.... But wait for the 'Hi-Shine' mob to log on...they will have all the low-down!!:Y:

Emerald
16-09-2009, 08:26 AM
Hi Em

Sometimes with pierced items you get drag marks from the polishing process. I would suggest a soft wool mop and rouge for your final polish, make sure you remove the previous polish though before you start on your final polish. The only way to stop greasy hands is to laquer and you dont really want to do that to silver so use a soft jewellery cloth these are impregnated with polish and just wipe your pieces over.:)

caroleallen
16-09-2009, 08:29 AM
Jo's right. The final polish should be with a soft mop and rouge. Alternatively, if you're after a textured finish, you could do the texturing and then polish in a tumbler with stainless steel shot. There's loads of info about tumblers on here.

ps_bond
16-09-2009, 08:37 AM
Is it liney-scratched or liney-rippled?

How far are you going through grits with the wet & dry? At what point are you using pumice (and is that being used wet or dry?)?

Is there any possibility of buff contamination?

I don't use Hyfin, so I can't comment on that specifically; calico wheels are generally quite hard though and in combination with the Hyfin (which is more for stainless, IIRC) you'll be shifting quite a bit of material. Stitched linen mops are probably not what I'd choose for colour - might use loose ones for cut though. Shouldn't be a problem with using Dialux Blue, but I'd go softer on the mop.

In general, I'd use a wool mop with Tripoli and then a swansdown mop with rouge - however, for flat surfaces, I'd probably use a felt wheel with the Tripoli. No hard & fast rules, really.

As for matt textures and pawmarks - give it a coat of Renaissance wax and it'll stay "pregreased".

Oh - and clean everything thoroughly between polishing stages!

glen
16-09-2009, 09:09 AM
Silver is very difficult to polish without some sort of drag. In order to polish silver to a decent degree one would need a very high speed polisher.
The best thing I can advise when polishing plate is either try order it already polished or experiment with different mediums as I found technique is as important as the tools you use.
When you get to the final polishing stages try not press to hard, use lots of polish and try polishing at different angles as you go. The grain of drag generally would follow the direction of the polishing wheels spin.

caroleallen
16-09-2009, 09:27 AM
"As for matt textures and pawmarks - give it a coat of Renaissance wax and it'll stay "pregreased"."

Can you see that an item has been waxed and is it quite hard-wearing?

ps_bond
16-09-2009, 09:32 AM
Can you see that an item has been waxed and is it quite hard-wearing?

It will change the appearance slightly once it's on, but you won't see it is there for a thin coat. It is fairly hard wearing; I probably wouldn't use it for something like a ring though.

The guys at the Royal Armouries advocate applying it with a paintbrush and a hair dryer - warm the piece and the paintbrush simultaneously until the polish on the brush starts to flow, then apply & allow to set. They're usually using it on quite large pieces though.

Emms
16-09-2009, 12:15 PM
Is it liney-scratched or liney-rippled?

How far are you going through grits with the wet & dry? At what point are you using pumice (and is that being used wet or dry?)?

Is there any possibility of buff contamination?

I don't use Hyfin, so I can't comment on that specifically; calico wheels are generally quite hard though and in combination with the Hyfin (which is more for stainless, IIRC) you'll be shifting quite a bit of material. Stitched linen mops are probably not what I'd choose for colour - might use loose ones for cut though. Shouldn't be a problem with using Dialux Blue, but I'd go softer on the mop.

In general, I'd use a wool mop with Tripoli and then a swansdown mop with rouge - however, for flat surfaces, I'd probably use a felt wheel with the Tripoli. No hard & fast rules, really.

As for matt textures and pawmarks - give it a coat of Renaissance wax and it'll stay "pregreased".

Oh - and clean everything thoroughly between polishing stages!

It's more liney rippled then liney scratched. I use the wet and dry dry going 600, 800, 1200 and then pumice it wet and then clean it with soap and water before polishing. Is that right or wrong?

Thank-you for all the advice i'm going to buy some different mops and polishes and definately some renaissance wax:)!

Emerald
16-09-2009, 12:21 PM
It's more liney rippled then liney scratched. I use the wet and dry dry going 600, 800, 1200 and then pumice it wet and then clean it with soap and water before polishing. Is that right or wrong?

Thank-you for all the advice i'm going to buy some different mops and polishes and definately some renaissance wax:)!

it sounds like drag from the piercing, when you polish the mop drags on the edges of your piercing and causes this effect just dont press to hard, it sounds like you prepare yout work really well for polishing so you shouldent need to much pressure

ps_bond
16-09-2009, 12:25 PM
Hmm. I thought pumice generally came out at the 800ish grit level... The stuff I've got (both stone and powder) leaves a distinct pattern; I use it for cleaning oxides off metals more than I do as a polishing stage.

Rippled marks sounds like drag from the cut, as Glen says. Can you go any finer on backed abrasive papers before you take it to the polishing motor?

Emerald
16-09-2009, 12:28 PM
metals more than I do as a polishing stage.

Rippled marks sounds like drag from the cut, as Glen says. Can you go any finer on backed abrasive papers before you take it to the polishing motor?


surely its the polishing thats causing the ripple effect?

ps_bond
16-09-2009, 12:37 PM
surely its the polishing thats causing the ripple effect?

Communication gap possibly?

Polishing on the polishing motor - as I know it anyway - is a 2(ish) part process; the first part with a coarser compound, the cut; 2nd part with the finer compound - colour.

Not, as you might think, because you cover everything with rouge in the process... It's putting the colour into the metal, so to speak.

Or did you mean something completely different to my blethering?

Emms
16-09-2009, 01:18 PM
Thanks for more of your amazing advice peeps :ta:
I've ordered some different mops and polishes so i'll let you know how it turns out! Hugs X

Emms
07-10-2009, 12:31 PM
Ok so i bought new mops and polish but im still having issues and i'm beginning to stress. Can anyone help?!?:(|

I've been using wet and dry up to 1200 grit to get rid of any big scratches then cleaning with soapy water. Doing an initial polish with a wool mop and tripoli then cleaning in an ammonia solution, then with soapy water, then a final polish with rouge. The ripple effect has gone and there's a really nice shine to my work now but i can't get rid of the scratches caused by the wet and dry. They don't look that prominant before polishing but after they seem to have magnified. So what am i doing wrong, how should i be preparing the metal?

A stressed out Emms in need of a hug

snow_imp
07-10-2009, 12:50 PM
Sorry Emms, can't help with the polishing, but have a group hug anyway

[[]]

Lisa Quinn
07-10-2009, 12:51 PM
Hi Emm

I had this problem too and George recommended micromesh and this has solved all my finishing issues.

I bought it in 8 different grades and because it is soft and flexible I find it far easier to work with than wet and dry.

I know how frustrating it can be so here is a big hug[]

Lisa x

Ominicci
07-10-2009, 02:11 PM
In class we ever only used up to 1200 and then tripoli and rouge, and my pieces were nice and shiny. But I have since got some 2000 as well. I don't use mine 'wet' though. And I make sure I keep everything in separate labelled bags so they don't contaminate each other. Always put the lower grade away before getting the next one out and always a clean sheet of newspaper underneath (if not using a tumbler, then I use a 'dremel' type machine to polish as I haven't got a big motor polisher).

agent_44
07-10-2009, 02:14 PM
In class we ever only used up to 1200 and then tripoli and rouge, and my pieces were nice and shiny. But I have since got some 2000 as well. I don't use mine 'wet' though. And I make sure I keep everything in separate labelled bags so they don't contaminate each other. Always put the lower grade away before getting the next one out and always a clean sheet of newspaper underneath (if not using a tumbler, then I use a 'dremel' type machine to polish as I haven't got a big motor polisher).

I was taught like that, but recently I have been sanding up to 1200 then tripoli with a felt wheel and rouge with a wool mop and getting the drag effect on some of my pierced pices, most annoying!

mizgeorge
07-10-2009, 03:17 PM
I'm going to have to recommend micromesh again!



I get it in both cloth and pads, and it's made by a co called micro finishing products:

here are some pads: WOODTURNING- MICRO MESH 9 PAD VARIETY PACK (LARGE) on eBay (end time 16-Oct-09 21:31:46 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/WOODTURNING-MICRO-MESH-9-PAD-VARIETY-PACK-LARGE_W0QQitemZ350253626691QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_C rafts_Other_Crafts_EH?hash=item518cbe3543&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14#ht_1010wt_1165)

and here are some sheets: MICROMESH / MICRO MESH POLISHING CLOTHS 6" x 4" on eBay (end time 25-Sep-09 17:13:06 BST) (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MICROMESH-MICRO-MESH-POLISHING-CLOTHS-6-x-4_W0QQitemZ130332306954QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Defau ltDomain_3?hash=item1e58692e0a&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14#ht_544wt_1165)

The first seller also has the buffing sticks, which are dead handy ;)

I actually think I get a better finish this way than I did using a bit polishing motor, which I'm delighted about.

agent_44
07-10-2009, 03:28 PM
They're on my shopping list George, think I will have to give them a go!

Emms
08-10-2009, 07:10 AM
They are definately on my shopping list too!!

Thanks guys:)