This blog explains the advantages of polishing with felt wheels versus using polishing mops.
What are felt wheels?
A felt wheel for polishing is a cylindrical tool made of compressed sheeps wool. Moleroda make felt wheels in their factory in Salisbury in the UK.
The felt material provides a soft yet sturdy surface for polishing a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, glass, and wood. Felt wheels are commonly used in conjunction with polishing compounds to achieve smooth, glossy finishes on surfaces.
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What are polishing mops?
Polishing mops are a range of wheels that are made from a range of different fibres. The soft and flexible nature of polishing mops allows them to conform to the contours of the workpiece, making them suitable for polishing curved or irregular surfaces.
Polishing mops are available in various types, including:
Dry sisal Mops: These mops are made from sisal material which makes for a coarse cutting mop.
White stitched mops: These mops are made from soft layers of calico which have been stitched together to give rigidity.
Loosefold mops: These mops are for final finishing and are often made out of calico but can be from a wide range of materials.
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The advantages of Felt wheels vs Polishing mops
Polishing with felt wheels offers several advantages over polishing with mops:
- Precision: Felt wheels provide more control and precision in polishing due to their firmer structure compared to soft polishing mops. This allows for more targeted polishing in intricate or delicate areas.
- Consistency: Felt wheels maintain a more consistent surface texture and pressure during polishing, resulting in a more uniform finish across the workpiece.
- Durability: Felt wheels are typically more durable than soft polishing mops, making them suitable for prolonged use without significant wear and tear.
- Versatility: Felt wheels can be used with a wider range of polishing compounds and abrasive materials, making them suitable for various polishing applications across different industries.
- Heat Dissipation: Felt wheels often have better heat dissipation properties compared to soft polishing mops, which can help prevent overheating and damage to the workpiece during polishing.
- Less Linting: Felt wheels generally produce less lint compared to soft polishing mops, resulting in a cleaner working environment and reducing the risk of contamination in the polishing process.
Overall, while both felt wheels and polishing mops have their place in polishing operations, felt wheels offer greater precision, consistency, and durability, making them a preferred choice for many polishing applications.
Working with Felt wheels
When working with felt wheels you also need to accompany this with some diamond compound.
Diamond compound is commonly used for metal polishing. It is used regularly for mould tool and die polishing.
Diamond paste comes in a range of micron grades. 90 micron being the coarsest grade used for cutting back metal. right down to (1/10micron which is very very fine for mirror finishing. We would also recommend using some lapping fluid to help lubricate the diamond compound.
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More Information
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