Using a Buffing Wheel Rake

A buffing wheel rake is used to clean up the edge of an Airway Buffing Wheel while it’s running on a lathe or an angle grinder. Rakes last a very long time and you can replace just the metal filler if required instead of the whole handle. The buffing wheel should be spinning at it’s normal speed and the rake should be held securely when held up to a stationary bench grinder or lathe. On a grinder, please exercise caution when raking. We recommend using your feet to hold the rake to the ground and holding the angle-grinder to the rake to remove compound and soften the edges.

When to Rake a Buff

When too much Metal Polishing Compound is applied to the Airway Buffing Wheel it can harden and burn onto the edge of the buff. This reduces the efficacy of the buffing wheel and the rake is used to remove this compound build up. If you notice a significant decrease in the residual aluminum dust built up around the metal surface while building rake the buff and apply a small amount of compound.

Below is an example of the Buffing Wheel Rake being used on an Unbleached Muslin (UBM) Buffing Wheel.

Below is a video on some do's and don'ts when using a Buffing Wheel Rake: