Moulded Keytops, problems buffing

[Terry]

 William R. Monroe wrote:
> 1. When you use red rouge, do you have problems getting the red off the
key
> sticks?  I do.  Wondering what the trick is.

If I need to, I hand buff with a clean rag just to remove that.

> 2. Do you have problems with build up of gunk on the wheels?  I do.  I
rake
> them frequently, but it seems like the gunk never comes off well.  Again,
> tricks?

Just rake. That seems to meet any needs I have. What gunk do you mean?
You'll never get the dark color out - but that's okay.

> I have the same problem with buffing capstans, etc.  I use
> dedicated wheels for each different compound, and rake frequently, but it
> just always seems to be covered in goop.  Maybe too much compound?  How
much
> do people put on?

I use the compound liberally. Remember, it is the compound that cuts and
polishes, not the wheel. If, when I apply more compound, I find that it work
significantly better, that means I should have applied more compound a bit
earlier - that's simply how I guide myself on how much/often to apply. If I
apply more compound and cutting/polishing doesn't improve, then I likely
didn't need to apply it that soon - and so on.

> 3.  I have been using sewn wheels up to this point.  might this
contribute?

I use sewn wheels for the more aggressive work. Because I have a machine
that can slow down to very low RPMs, I can get away with using them for
final polishing if I wish. However, the loose wheels work well also - and
are likely a must for any fixed-RPM buffing machine.

If you have this "gunk build-up", what are the symptoms? What problem does
this seem to cause? Is it just that there is some compound left on the
object being buffed? If so, that happens to me also and I just wipe it off!
Sometimes with the more sticky stuff, I do a little final buffing gymnastics
and simply buff it off by holding the object at various angles - enough of
it usually comes off so that a quick wipe with a clean cloth cleans things
up nice. This just hasn't been a problem for me. I wonder if the higher RPMs
(higher heat coefficient) might make the compound stick more and/or be
harder to remove?

Terry Farrell