Can anyone recommend finishing/polishing disks for use with a std angle grinder to get some steel to a mirror-like finish? Saw Jody from welding tips/tricks making a Thor-shop hammer and to finish mentioned he was using a kit from Walter - was I think 3 disks - and it brought the steel to a mirror finish - but I am a clown and just can't seem to find this "finishing kit" from Walter disks.
Aside from general use forward anyone interested - I've made a Thor hammer myself to rotate among 7th grade tackle fb players this fall that I'm coaching as a reward for a solid hit/block on someone - calling it "the hit stick" - coach in college rewarded O-lineman with a sledgehammer for the week for the best pancake block - thought it would be fun and motivating to do the same. But don't see the parents enjoying their 12 yr old getting into the car with a sledge hammer (although - well - actually this might be worse! ha!)
Get resin fiber disks with a rubber backing pad, work up through the grits being very careful not to leave any grooves in the surface, don't stop and change directions with the angle grinder without first lifting it off the workpiece,
Work up to 240 grit on the resin pads then switch to a DA sander, 120 or 180, then go up again till you get up to a high grit, then use a polishing wheel with Rouge to get your high polish, I've done this on stainless before, you can get almost a mirror finish.
Our #8 Mirror Finishing Kit really needs no introduction but in case you've been living under a rock this kit will get you that beautiful mirror finish that you've been seeing on the gram. It's a real simple 3-step process that you can learn to do by watching our boy @dabswellington demo it here. This kit sells out often so don't wait around if you need a little polish in your life.
Be sure to use promo code MIRRORKIT10 at checkout to get 10% off your order.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This can be done without much stuff, I am not sure I have a buff pic but dont need compound and so many stages, I grind, sand a little with 7 inch and buff if I would have to. The one between the air chisels has a buff on it, will go right to mirror level polish.
Ed Conley http://www.screamingbroccoli.com/
MM252
MM211 (Sold)
Passport Plus & Spool gun
Lincoln SP135 Plus- (Gone to a good home)
Klutch 120v Plasma cutter
SO 2020 bender
Beer in the fridge
If polishing regular steel,, there is a MAJOR negative about buffing,,
the highly polished surface will not hold any oil, that causes an increase in friction, and eliminates the corrosion protection offered by a coating of oil.
I polished the rear of a RUGER pistol bolt to a VERY reflective mirror finish.
The majority of the polishing was done with 1200 and 2000 grit sandpaper.
I ended up disliking the polished surface, it would show fingerprints from ANY touch.
The bolt was then directional scratched with 400 grit paper,, it looks nice,, now.
Miller Syncrowave 250DX
Millermatic 350P with XR AlumaPro
Miller Regency 200 with 22A feeder and Spoolmatic 3
Hobart Champion Elite
Everlast PowerTig 210EXT
Use 2" or 3" 3m scotch bride "conditioning pads" discs Have four different grits, yellow - red - blue - grey. Then 2" buffing disc if you want a mirror finish.
As a trophy for 12 yr olds, I might be tempted to make it out of sponge rubber and spray bomb it silver... I like that you've done it though. How much work you put into it depends on the finish you want. If it starts out really rough you might have to start with a 40 grit grinding disc and work your way down. If it's not too bad, you might be able to start with something like 100 grit on a DA. Final grit should be down around 400 (2,000 if you want that real mirror finish) and then go to the coarse-med-fine polishing compounds followed by a buffable wax.
250 amp Miller DialArc AC/DC Stick
F-225 amp Forney AC Stick
230 amp Sears AC Stick
Lincoln 180C MIG
Vevor MIG 200A
Victor Medalist 350 O/A
Vevor Cut 50 Plasma
Les
I have one of these Eastwood Surface conditioning tool. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-co...8aAjdhEALw_wcB
I definitely got my money's worth. Check out that before and after, last photo. I've added more wheels since then. They have 1'' wide wheels too. They are awesome for my horseshoe art.
.
I've got the same Eastwood SCT - just the drum that came with it and I bought another that was the coarsest for removing paint and heavy rust on some 2"x2" box tubing. I like it - went to buy more drums a while ago and they were stocked out - I need to check back on getting a bunch of variety - actually used it on a first pass of the hammer - really like how it came out! Thinking more about it - might not want to go for the mirror finish (on this one!)