Post by bobby1 on Jan 26, 2014 1:17:06 GMT -5
As many of you are aware I use a 12" carpet covered wheel for polishing nearly all my cabs from the smallest (1/8") to the largest (6"). After about 5 years of significant use the carpet cover wears out.
Example of the wear.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/Rocksbob010/RecoverWheel5_zps71d2b2be.jpg)
The wheel has a 3/16" foam rubber cover.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel21_zpsa0aa9914.jpg)
Over which there is a left over leather cover from when I used to use leather for the polishing.
I cover the leather with my carpet. It is a standard office carpet that is 1/4" thick.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel7_zps9f2adb43.jpg)
A view of the back of the carpet.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel8_zpsef00da1a.jpg)
I soak the carpet in water for a couple hours so it will be more pliant to shape over the wheel. I then place the wheel on the carpet and start making "V" shaped gussets around the edge so I can shape it over the edge without it puckering from the excess material.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel10_zpscc4cf51f.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel9_zps679018b9.jpg)
After I make the "V" shaped cuts I use a hole punch in the tip of the "V" to again remove material to prevent the pucker.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel11_zpsc227ea0e.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel12_zps1954cb90.jpg)
Then I start wrapping the material over the edge and anchoring the section with truss head 1" self drilling screws
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel13_zpsa8ee33f1.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel14_zpsd4dc9741.jpg)
I do two tabs and then go to the opposite side so that the wheel doesn't slip over when I'm working on it.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel15_zpsb8e6de54.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel16_zpsff003768.jpg)
Front view of the completed wheel
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel17_zps3a0a3417.jpg)
Side views.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel18_zps19896934.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel19_zps926a87de.jpg)
As you may have noticed the wheel has a significant dome in the middle and rounded outer edges. I made it this way so I can readily reach the center of the large cabs (or slabs) and the rounded outer edge allows me to polish the inner curves on a concave sided freeform cab. Here is a photo of it mounted on my (messy) machine.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel20_zps9b7601a1.jpg)
The wheel turns at about 275 rpm and I use cerium oxide for a polish. By using carpet for the cover I can get a significant amount of polish embedded in the knap as well as it holding considerable moisture. This allows me to polish a lot longer before needing to add water or polishing compound.
Sorry if I bored you with so much detail.
Bob
Example of the wear.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/Rocksbob010/RecoverWheel5_zps71d2b2be.jpg)
The wheel has a 3/16" foam rubber cover.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel21_zpsa0aa9914.jpg)
Over which there is a left over leather cover from when I used to use leather for the polishing.
I cover the leather with my carpet. It is a standard office carpet that is 1/4" thick.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel7_zps9f2adb43.jpg)
A view of the back of the carpet.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel8_zpsef00da1a.jpg)
I soak the carpet in water for a couple hours so it will be more pliant to shape over the wheel. I then place the wheel on the carpet and start making "V" shaped gussets around the edge so I can shape it over the edge without it puckering from the excess material.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel10_zpscc4cf51f.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel9_zps679018b9.jpg)
After I make the "V" shaped cuts I use a hole punch in the tip of the "V" to again remove material to prevent the pucker.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel11_zpsc227ea0e.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel12_zps1954cb90.jpg)
Then I start wrapping the material over the edge and anchoring the section with truss head 1" self drilling screws
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel13_zpsa8ee33f1.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel14_zpsd4dc9741.jpg)
I do two tabs and then go to the opposite side so that the wheel doesn't slip over when I'm working on it.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel15_zpsb8e6de54.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel16_zpsff003768.jpg)
Front view of the completed wheel
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel17_zps3a0a3417.jpg)
Side views.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel18_zps19896934.jpg)
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel19_zps926a87de.jpg)
As you may have noticed the wheel has a significant dome in the middle and rounded outer edges. I made it this way so I can readily reach the center of the large cabs (or slabs) and the rounded outer edge allows me to polish the inner curves on a concave sided freeform cab. Here is a photo of it mounted on my (messy) machine.
![](http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s160/Rocksbob/New%20Photos/RecoverWheel20_zps9b7601a1.jpg)
The wheel turns at about 275 rpm and I use cerium oxide for a polish. By using carpet for the cover I can get a significant amount of polish embedded in the knap as well as it holding considerable moisture. This allows me to polish a lot longer before needing to add water or polishing compound.
Sorry if I bored you with so much detail.
Bob