Surface Prep Buff and Blend Discs

Oxidized aluminum, hazy stainless and weld-discolored steel need cleaning and deburring before a buffing wheel will do anything useful, and doing that step with a sanding disc leaves scratches you then have to polish out. Surface Prep Buff and Blend discs are non-woven discs that do the cleaning without cutting deep. The abrasive-loaded web removes oxidation, light corrosion and burrs, blends edges and leaves a matte surface that goes straight to the satin airway buff or the first compound wheel.

We convert them in Anaheim, California in 6", 8", 9", 10" and 14" diameters, 1-Ply or 2-Ply, in Coarse, Medium and Very Fine. Wheel refinishers, truck and trailer polishers and restoration shops run the 6" to 10" discs on a variable-speed polisher; the 14" disc is the lathe and backstand size.

• Non-woven web cleans, deburrs and blends without the deep scratch of a coated disc
• Three grades: Coarse, Medium and Very Fine, so you can match the disc to the oxidation
• 1-Ply for contours and light work, 2-Ply epoxied together so the disc will not flare
• 6", 8", 9" and 10" discs have a 1/2" arbor hole; 14" discs have a 1-1/4" arbor hole
• Priced per disc from small sizes up, so you can stock every grade
• Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200

Which ply, size and grade should you choose?

Three decisions: how much oxidation you are removing (grade), how much machine you have (size) and how stiff you want the disc (ply).

• Coarse (the green disc): heavy oxidation, light corrosion, paint haze and rough castings. The first disc on a weather-worn aluminum wheel or a neglected tank. Run it at about 1,800 RPM.
• Medium (the blue disc): the general-purpose grade for cleaning and deburring metal that is dull but not pitted. Rated for a higher speed than the other two grades, about 2,500 RPM.
• Very Fine (the maroon disc): light haze, the last blend before the satin wheel, and cleaning parts that were polished once and have gone dull. Run it at about 1,800 RPM.
• 1-Ply: a single layer of web. More flexible, so it follows curves and wheel lips, and the lower-cost way to keep every grade on the shelf.
• 2-Ply: two layers epoxied together so the disc does not flare at the edge as it wears. Stiffer, longer-lasting, and it leaves fewer lines on flat panels because the face stays flat under pressure.
• 6 Inch: tight areas, wheel faces and smaller polishers. 8 Inch, 9 Inch and 10 Inch: the working sizes for a 7" variable-speed polisher on tanks, panels and larger wheels; all four have a 1/2" arbor hole. 14 Inch: 1-1/4" arbor hole for buffing lathes and backstand polishers.

Grade guide for cleaning metal before polishing

After the disc, you have two routes. On a part that will be mirror polished, follow with a fine-grit sanding disc or a 320 grit pass to remove any remnants the disc left, then brown tripoli on an Orange airway buffing wheel. On a part where the disc lines are light, go directly to a satin airway buff and then to the compound wheels.

What machines run Surface Prep Buff and Blend discs?

• Variable-speed polishers. The machine we recommend is the Makita 9237C, a 3,500 RPM variable-speed polisher that suits both beginners and pros. Its speed dial lets you run these discs at 1,000 to 1,200 RPM, which is where a non-woven disc cleans without heating the part.
• Bench buffers and pedestal polishers with speed control, for the 6" to 10" discs on small parts and wheel faces.
• Buffing lathes and backstand polishers with a 1-1/4" spindle for the 14" disc.

Arbor holes. The 6", 8", 9" and 10" discs have a 1/2" arbor hole; the 14" disc has a 1-1/4" arbor hole. Match the hole to your spindle or the adapter you already run with your airway buffs; our 1/2" mandrel is for 2" to 4" mini wheels only and does not carry these full-size discs. Do not run these discs on a single-speed high-RPM grinder; the web cannot take that speed.

How to get the most out of them

1. Run slow. Set the polisher to 1,000 to 1,200 RPM and stay under the grade's rated speed (about 1,800 RPM for Coarse and Very Fine, about 2,500 RPM for Medium). Speed builds heat, and heat glazes the web and discolors aluminum.
2. Use light pressure. The disc removes oxidation because the web is loaded with abrasive, not because you lean on it. Pressure tears fibers and shortens life without cleaning faster.
3. Keep it moving in one direction so any lines the disc leaves run parallel and blend out easily with the satin wheel.
4. Start with the finest grade that works. Try Very Fine or Medium first; only drop to Coarse when the oxidation will not lift. Every step coarser is another step to polish back out.
5. Follow through. Disc, then satin airway buff (or a 320 grit pass), then Orange wheel with brown tripoli, then Yellow wheel with green rouge on aluminum. Wipe the part between steps.
6. Protect yourself. These discs throw fine fiber and metal dust. We strongly recommend a full face respirator mask along with gloves, and keep loose clothing away from the disc.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Cleaning oxidation and road grime off aluminum wheels, tanks, tool boxes and trailer panels before polishing
• Deburring and smoothing edges on stainless, aluminum and steel parts
• Removing weld discoloration and haze before the compound wheels
• Bringing a dull, previously polished part back to a clean base with Very Fine
• Prepping metal for a satin or brushed finish when no mirror is wanted

Don't use it for

• Heavy stock removal, deep pitting or thick scale; use a coated sanding disc first
• The final polish; the disc leaves a matte surface, not a shine
• Single-speed high-RPM grinders or anything above the grade's rated speed
• Mounting on our 1/2" mini-wheel mandrel; that mandrel is for 2" to 4" mini buffs only

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• 14" Satin Airway Buffing Wheel (the blend step after these discs)
• Satin Airway Buffing Wheel for Angle Grinders, 8" to 10"
• All airway buffing wheels
• Metal polishing compound bars
• Aluminum polishing kit