Synthetic Leather Squeegee Material vs Cow / Elk Hide

[Taogem]

I know lots of folks use cow and elk hide for polishing. I did for a long time.

Jon introduced me to using a synthetic leather squeegee material. I can not imagine ever returning to natural leather again.
  It takes just a little practice to figure out how to best use this. For myself ( maybe Jon will chime in too ), it varies from mineral to mineral.
  I stretch as tightly as possible the new material over a padded polishing disc. It is important to use padding under this material. If not, then the hard surface of the disc will wear this material quickly. I leave two layers of this material beneath a newely added one for my padding. Soft foam type padding should work just as well.
  Apply a generous amount of tin oxide ( my favorite ) to a new piece of this material.. Really let the material obsorb what it can, and expecially getting all the perforations filled as well.

It takes working different minerals with this material for a while to get the hang of how to use it with each.
  As a rule nice hard agates and jaspers are a piece of cake. 

Once I have added a generous amount of polish to the material, when I am ready to polish the next time, I turn on the polisher, add just a touch of polish. I leave it turning until the oxide is not quite dry, and begin polishing, giving just a couple of squirts of water every now and then keeping the oxide damp.
  Once I have polished the entire cab, I then apply a little more pressure ( not a lot ) in order to build up a little heat. This is when the polish really pops !

  I never do the girdle or edges of a cab on this material. It tends to cause it to wear a bit faster. I have been using a separate disc with leather.

Hard to explain.. With a little practice getting the right combination of oxide, water, and heat you will really enjoy using the synthetic leather squeegee material.
  Jon initially introduced me to a "perforated" brand called "Super Drying Cloth" and manufactured by a company called IClean. 

The pic below is of this perforated type.
  Since then, Jon has also used a UFO Brand All Purpose Cloth". He tells me that it seems to hold up a little longer.. I have yet to try it, but can share that the "perforated Super Drying Cloth" i have been using lasts me a long time.

The UFO brand is not perforated ( pic below ).
  At the time of this posting, can share some current links of sellers and companies that offer both types.

California Bazar Inc presently has the UFO brand. As does this eBay seller.
  I did find one eBay seller offering the UFO brand.
  As time passes, and these links are no longer current, you can Google both and hopefully find more from other sellers.

[thewrightthings]

Are we talking like "Sham Wow"?

[gregorgr8]

sounds interesting, George, especially slince I am almost ready to do my polishing wheel.

but the motor turns too fast - I need either a variable speed motor, or to put a step down axle on it.

When I get out to the hospital (tomorrow, I think            

[Taogem]

Not Sham Wow Paula..

As a matter a fact. Do not try using any other brands that what Jon has had success with. I have tried a couple of different brands of perforated materials, and they fall apart quickly.

So to date, these two brands listed above are the only ones that hold up.

Greggor.. Should be running at 1750... So a two inch pully on both the motor and arbor for you polishing disc if your using a 1750 motor.

[gregorgr8]

Greggor.. Should be running at 1750... So a two inch pully on both the motor and arbor for you polishing disc if your using a 1750 motor.      [/quote]

it is (I believe) a 1750 motor and it is hooked up directly to wheel so it's turning the same   -   but  -  that is way too fast & it slings polish mixture  off before it has a chance to do any good.  so i thought i read   (Bobby1 ?) that polishing wheel should be  3 or 400 rpm.

so I am thinking I have 2 choices:  i: less expensive = build pulley system  with variable pulley.

                                                     2:  better  =  find variable speed electronic motor.  If I do this, I am not sure what power I need.

[mirkaba]

Gregor my polishing pads and belt are turning at about 1750 and I have had no problems. I do however mix the polish into a paste and dip the cabs into it and then apply the polish to the leather with the cab while the pad/belt is spinning. George I have kept an eye out for the synthetic shammy but haven't snagged one yet.......

[rocknroll]

   the shamwow worked for me, but fell apart quickly...the ufo is close to the shamwow in feel but tougher. Carpet worked well too!!

[gregorgr8]

Gregor my polishing pads and belt are turning at about 1750 and I have had no problems. I do however mix the polish into a paste and dip the cabs into it and then apply the polish to the leather with the cab while the pad/belt is spinning. George I have kept an eye out for the synthetic shammy but haven't snagged one yet.......

I will try that but i have some questions. first, I assume that you mix up a very thick paste.  A pic would be nice.  Secondly, how do you let it dry; and how far do you let it dry before you wet it. and when you wet it do you use more paste, or do you spray it with water.

It has been so long since I have done that, but I still have several kinds of polish.  I will try to do it at 1750.  Thanks for your assistance; and thanks in advance for your further assistance.

Gregor

[mirkaba]

Gregor.........I am using Tin Oxide. I mix it in a very thick paste with water. So it is tacky and sticks to the cab. I use a spray bottle to wet down the leather while it is spinning, dip the cab in the paste and polish away. I don't wet the leather again until the next cab. It is usually pretty dry by the time I am done polishing the cab. I tried polishing a cab without dipping it in paste a while back, just spraying the leather it worked so I assume there is quite a bit of polish impregnated into the leather. This works really well for me and I hope it works for you too

[Taogem]

 I apply my "whip cream" textured polish heavily onto the pad, and do the same with this synthetic leather/squeegee material.

Then depending on the mineral will determine how moist or dry I will run it. Sometimes I start off dry, then give a squirt of water. Sometimes, I start off a bit wetter, then let it get just about dry. Pressing a little harder at different times so as to creat heat for the tin oxide to really work it's magic.

[RoyKims]

so I am thinking I have 2 choices:  i: less expensive = build pulley system  with variable pulley.

                                                     2:  better  =  find variable speed electronic motor.  If I do this, I am not sure what power I need.

i just ebayed two new motors, 1-4speed and 1-2speed for 9.99 each. fortunately they are around the corner so i saved a small mint in shipping..

[RoyKims]

oh, by the time you buy pulleys, a shaft, and a motor,etc. to build it a vari speed motor might be cheap. ck your local HVAC supply..

[gunsil]

 Gregor, you can purchase a variable speed pulley from any good electric motor supply company. You then will need to mount your motor on a moveable base and you will be able to get your polish wheel speeds way down if so desired. The old Raytech cab machines and some Covington machines came with the variable speed pulleys and they work great. My Raytech 18" saw also uses a variable speed pulley on the power feed and it seems to be a superior way to infinitely vary speeds. I have both the old Raytech machine in 8" and a Titan, and I really prefer the Raytech due to the variable speed capacity. Does anybody else prefer the variable speed machines to the Titans and Genies? I also prefer the constant water feed to the "spitters" of the Genie type machines. The artificial chamois cloths are available at most auto parts stores and if one wants commercial grade ones they can be found there or in stores that supply automotive body shops and dealerships.