Empire Abrasives Sisal Wheels
What are Sisal Buffing Wheels?
Sisal buff wheels are a stiff polishing wheel used mainly to buff metal surfaces. The buffing material used to make these discs is coarser than most other buffing wheels and has natural grease absorbing properties. Because they are much stiffer and more abrasive than most other buffing wheel types, they can be used for more aggressive work by allowing greater pressure to be used against the surface being polished.
These strong polishing wheels can be used at speeds up to 3,200 RPMs. The 8” buffing wheels have a higher maximum speed of 3,200 RPMs whereas the 6” sisal buffs are recommended up to 2,700 RPMs.
Sisal buffs are designed to work with bench grinders, bench polishers, and lathes. Before purchasing any Empire Abrasive sisal polishing wheel, first, make sure that the arbor size matches the tool you plan to use.
What is Sisal?
Sisal is a slender cellular fiber traditionally made from the agave plant. Sisal fibers have been used for a wide variety of purposes, dating back to the times of the ancient Mayans and Aztecs. These strong fibers have been and still are commonly used to create products such as paper, textiles, rope, baler twine, binder twine, and sisal wheels like the ones listed above.
What are Sisal Buffing Wheels Used For?
Because these types of buffing wheels are stiffer and more abrasive, they are not meant for polishing softer metals and generally not used for final stages of color buffing. They are some of the best buffing wheels for aggressive action to cut buff harder metals like stainless steel or iron when used with the recommended Black Emery buffing compound.
What is a Stitched Buff?
Stitched buffing wheels are a type of buffing wheel that implants circular stitching around the center of the wheel in a spiral-like pattern. This stitching holds the wheel together while also creating a stiffer construction to allow for more aggressive polishing. Closer the stitching is to each parallel line of stitches makes for a stiffer and sturdier buffing wheel.
A stitched sisal buff is not to be confused with the cloth buffing wheel of a similar name. Cloth spiral sewn buffing wheel have a similar design as the sisal ones, but are made of a much softer material that isn’t as strong up against harder metals and can be used for later-stage polishing and some color buffing.