Polishing Dilemmas!

**Emerald** · 16-09-2009, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by Emms

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

Originally Posted by ps_bond

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

Originally Posted by Emerald

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

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

Originally Posted by Ominicci

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!