Do you recognize this buffing compound?

Ken Easley

Member
Messages
114
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Hi, ran across this gray buffing compound and I really don't know what it is. I got it from Don Pencil (I think) a long time ago as something he threw in as a freebie. Something he often did since his shipments always went out later than expected. At least that was my experience. Anyway, he always made up for it with some little bonus in the shipment, and this was one. Trouble is I don't know what it's for or where it fits in a grit scale. It has never been pictured on his website, although he did list a PL compound and I'm wondering if this is PL. Thanks, Ken

buffingstuff.jpg
 
Thanks for the guesses so far. It's definitely not white diamond, I'm familiar with that. The photo might be a shade light. It is light to mid gray color.
 
Ken, I can say with certainty that's Don's "PL" compound, used for poly or lacquer. It's intended as a single-compound approach to the standard tripoli/white diamond combination. Put it on an unused buffing wheel, and buff at no more than about 800 rpm. You can get pretty aggressive with the buffing as long as you keep the speed down. After buffing, wipe down the piece with a clean piece of t-shirt material to remove any residue. I follow up with Renaissance wax, applied by hand and buffed out with a clean buffing wheel at about 1000 rpm. :thumb: It's now my preferred buffing routine.
 
Thanks Vaughn. I was hoping it was the PL. He actually sent a clean buffing wheel - soft type stamped WAX - along with it. I've been trying some rattle can lacquer on some smaller pieces lately and will put it to use. Couple more questions as long as your here. Any recommendations as to whether this is the correct type of buffing wheel or should I save this one for the Ren Wax and get something else for the PL? Can you use the same wax wheel for both carnauba and Ren Wax?

Ken
 
I think the wheel I'm using for the PL compound is the same linen material as the white diamond wheel. (Can't check right now because the whole shop is in storage at the moment.) It's whatever wheel Don sent me with the compound when he first started selling it. But looking at his site now, I see he's suggesting the same flannel wheel for both wax and PL compound. So perhaps he's changed his recommendation?

I don't think I'd use the same wheel for carnauba and Ren wax. When I started doing the 3-wheel buffing routine, I tried carnauba and didn't like it much at all. I ended up using a buffing wheel rake to remove as much of the carnauba residue as possible from the wheel, and since then have only used the wheel for Ren wax. The main difference is that you apply carnauba directly to the wheel, then use the wheel to apply the wax to the piece and shine it, but with Ren wax you apply the wax directly to the piece, let it dry, then use the buffing wheel just to shine things up. The Ren wax leaves virtually no residue on the wheel, but with the carnauba, you intentionally build up wax on the wheel. As inexpensive as buffing wheels are, I'd suggest just using a separate one for each type of wax.
 
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