14" Airway Buffing Wheels For Polishing, 5 PACK
14" Airway Buffing Wheels For Polishing, 5 PACK
Available in stock (49988)
Once a shop moves polishing off the bench and onto a buffing lathe or backstand, 14" is the first wheel size that makes sense: the 1-1/4 Inch arbor matches those spindles, and the extra diameter gives more cloth between the center plate and the rim, so each wheel runs longer between changes. These are ventilated airway buffs with a steel clinch ring and a 5 Inch or 7 Inch center plate, made in our Anaheim, California facility.
The 5-pack is one cloth type, so a two-step station buys a cut pack and a color pack. Orange and Yellow are the two we ship most in this size because 14" lathes are most often polishing aluminum: tanks, wheels, castings and extrusions. Red, Pink, 86/80 and Domet Flannel (White) cover stainless, brass, copper and mirror finishing.
- 1-1/4 Inch arbor fits buffing lathes, backstand polishers and industrial two-spindle buffers
- 5 Inch or 7 Inch center plate: choose more cloth depth or more plate support
- Five 14" wheels per pack in one cloth type for a dedicated cut or color spindle
- Six cloth types from firm Red cut to soft Domet Flannel (White) mirror
- Ventilated pleats run cooler than sewn buffs and shed spent compound
- Made in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200
Which cloth type should you choose?
The color of an airway buff tells you its mill treatment, which sets how stiff the cotton is and therefore how hard it cuts. Treated cloth for the cut step, softer cloth for the color step, and one compound per wheel for life.
- Red: treated, firm. Our heaviest cutting buff, run with the black stainless cutting bar on stainless and steel where more aggression is needed than aluminum ever wants.
- Orange: treated, medium-firm cutting wheel. The most popular 14" wheel because it is the first step on aluminum with brown tripoli; it will also cut stainless with the black bar on lighter work.
- Yellow: mill-treated cloth. The second most popular 14" wheel: our color step on aluminum and stainless with green rouge, and the first step on brass and copper with yellow deluxe.
- 86/80: untreated, higher thread count cotton. A coloring and finishing wheel for white or blue rouge that holds its shape better than flannel on a wide lathe face.
- Domet Flannel (White): softest cloth we offer. Pair it with the purple finishing bar for the final luster on aluminum or stainless after the color step.
- Pink: soft finishing buff. Second step on stainless with yellow deluxe or green, second step on brass and copper with purple, and the wheel for acrylic and other plastics with no-scratch pink.
Which compound goes with which wheel on a lathe?
| Metal | Cut spindle | Color spindle |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | Orange + brown tripoli | Yellow + green rouge |
| Stainless / steel | Red + black stainless bar | Pink + yellow deluxe or green |
| Brass / copper | Yellow + yellow deluxe | Pink + purple high luster |
| Final luster, any metal | after color | Domet Flannel (White) + purple |
A two-spindle lathe is built for this: cut wheel on one end, color wheel on the other, and the operator turns around between steps. Brass and copper are sanded first, with a scuff pad for light tarnish or 600 to 800 grit for heavy oxidation. Bars are on the metal polishing compound bars page, and the case pack is the economical way to keep a lathe fed.
What machines run a 14" airway buff, and which center plate?
- Buffing lathes and backstand polishers with a 1-1/4" spindle: the home of this size. Clamp the center plate between the machine's flanges and torque the spindle nut before every shift.
- Two-spindle industrial buffers in aluminum wheel, tank and casting shops, running Orange on one side and Yellow on the other.
- Not hand-held machines: a 14" wheel is not offered with a 5/8" arbor and is too large for a polisher or angle grinder. For that work use the 10" airway buff.
5 Inch or 7 Inch center plate? The plate is the steel ring that holds the pleats and takes the clamping load. A 5 Inch plate leaves more usable cloth between ring and rim, so the wheel can be worn further before it is retired. A 7 Inch plate supports more of the wheel and holds the face flatter under heavy pressure on a large flat panel, at the cost of some usable depth. If your machine's flanges are large, match them to the 7 Inch plate; if you polish shaped parts and want maximum wheel life, choose 5 Inch.
How to get the most out of it
- Balance and true a new wheel. Mount it, run it up, and hold a buffing rake against the face for a few seconds to open the pleats and even the edge before the first part.
- Charge lightly and often. Brief touches of the bar; caked compound melts, smears and heats the part.
- Present the work below the center line and keep it moving across the face so the whole width wears evenly. Dwell burns aluminum and tints stainless.
- Let the cut wheel finish its job before the part goes to the color spindle. Color compound brightens; it does not remove scratches.
- Keep the two spindles separate. Wipe the part between steps, never carry cut compound to the Yellow, Pink or flannel wheel, and use Dissolver to clean residue off finished parts.
- Rake when the face glazes and rotate the five wheels in the pack so they wear down together.
- Safety. Flanges both sides of the plate, guards in place, face shield, gloves and a respirator: we use and link this full-face respirator (also here). Stay within the buff's rated speed for a 14" diameter.
In the videos below we go through the mill treatments, from the stiffest to the softest, and show wheel and compound pairing.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- Aluminum fuel tanks, wheels, castings and extrusions on a buffing lathe
- Stainless steel sheet, tanks, sinks and architectural parts on a backstand
- Brass and copper production parts after fine sanding
- Any shop that wants one cut spindle and one color spindle running all day
- Plastics and acrylic on a Pink wheel with no-scratch pink
Don't use it for
- Hand-held polishers or angle grinders; there is no 5/8" arbor in this size
- Removing weld beads, deep scratches or heavy oxidation; sand first, then buff
- More than one compound per wheel
- Satin or brushed finishes; use the 14" satin airway buff instead
Specifications
| Diameter | 14 inch |
|---|---|
| Center plate size | 5 Inch or 7 Inch |
| Arbor hole | 1-1/4 Inch |
| Cloth types | Red, Orange, Yellow, 86/80, Domet Flannel (White), Pink |
| Construction | Pleated, ventilated cotton airway buff with steel clinch ring |
| Pack quantity | 5 wheels, one cloth type per pack |
| Typical machines | Buffing lathes, backstand polishers, two-spindle buffers |
| Compound | Sold separately |
| Made in | Anaheim, California |
Frequently asked questions
Does the 14" airway buff come with a 5/8" arbor for a bench buffer?
No. The 14" airway buff is offered only with a 1-1/4 Inch arbor, which is the standard spindle on buffing lathes and backstand polishers. If your machine has a 5/8" shaft, look at our 10" or 12" airway buffs, which are available in that bore.
Which two 14" wheels should an aluminum polishing shop stock?
Orange and Yellow. Run the Orange pack with brown tripoli as the cutting step to remove oxidation and fine scratches, then the Yellow pack with green rouge as the color step for the mirror. Keep them on separate spindles and add a Domet Flannel (White) wheel with the purple bar if customers want a show finish.
What is the difference between the 5 Inch and 7 Inch center plate?
Both take the same 1-1/4 Inch arbor. The 5 Inch plate leaves more cloth between the ring and the rim, so the wheel lasts longer before it is worn out. The 7 Inch plate supports more of the wheel for flatter, heavier pressure on large panels and suits machines with large flanges.
How do I polish stainless steel with 14" airway buffs?
Cut with the Red pack and the black stainless bar to remove heat tint and fine scratches. Color with the Pink pack and yellow deluxe or green rouge. For the brightest result, follow with a Domet Flannel (White) wheel and the purple finishing bar. Stainless needs more aggression than aluminum, which is why Red replaces Orange.
How long does a 14" airway buff last on a lathe?
It depends on pressure, compound and how often you rake, so we do not quote hours. What extends life is charging lightly, keeping the part moving, raking the face when it glazes rather than pressing harder, and rotating the five wheels in the pack so they wear evenly to the plate.
Can I buy 14" airway buffs in larger quantities than the 5-pack?
Yes. Case quantities and mixed-cloth orders are quoted by phone at 714-646-3299 or by email at sales@maverickabrasives.com. Orders over $200 ship free. Tell us the cloth types, the center plate size and how many spindles you run so we quote the right split of cut and color wheels.
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