Dirty Buffing Wheel

Hey was hoping one of you more expierianced luthiers could answer a question, buffed a neck I made and the wheel blackened some as I did the fingerboard with frets installed...does the discoloration really harm anything? or is a new wheel in order...?

Hey was hoping one of you more expierianced luthiers could answer a question, buffed a neck I made and the wheel blackened some as I did the fingerboard with frets installed...does the discoloration really harm anything? or is a new wheel in order...?

It will fade. The buffing process is almost as abrasive to the buff as it is to the body. Normal use will clean it up in no time...unless you're buffing lots of necks. :razz:

It is perfectly normal to rough up your wheel when it gets loaded. Turn the bugger on, go after it with an awl, metal comb, wood rasp, you name it. OF COURSE... DO THIS SAFELY, SLOWLY, AND GENTLY. After all, a wheel can rip things right out of your hands and hurl them anywhere.

There's even a tool for it:


Google "buffing spur"

Hold this gizmo at an angle so the wheels turn sorta slow, you don't want the little wheels spinning like dentist's drill, and dig into the wheel (kung foo grip).

Clean wheels work faster are less likely to burn the finish.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffing-polishing/wheel-rake/wheel-rake-complete-unit-handle-teeth.html

This is what I've used in the jewelry industry. About $15.137311

I took the OP to mean he just had some discoloration from the fret wire. Seems like rakes and spurs are a bit of overkill for that. What am I missing here?

You just need to rake out the wheel. We keep a dedicated "Black Wheel" just for doing metal and fretboards. It comes in real handy when you have to buff out all of the nickel hardware on an old banjo. But don't go near gold with it though!

I took the OP to mean he just had some discoloration from the fret wire. Seems like rakes and spurs are a bit of overkill for that. What am I missing here?

Not a thing! The OP was asking about a new wheel... we're just showing that a wheel can be "maintained".

And thanks MG... I now have one on the way... better than using my old wood rasp.

A plain old kitchen fork will do it also.

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffing-polishing/w.heel-rake/wheel-rake-complete-unit-handle-teeth.html

This is what I've used in the jewelry industry. About $15.137311

Having done production guitar buffing, I've tried them all, this rake is the one to get. It works.

I like the ol' rag in hand.