Some yes, some no...
In the booklet on the site, you'll see a chart on machine horsepower, number of wheels you can put on a spindle, and the diameter of those wheels.
The average benchtop buffer or grinder has a 1/2" shaft, hence you'll see a lot of buffing wheels with 1/2" holes in the center.
Other wheels will have very small center holes. These you can use on a drill, along with a mandrel. A mandrel looks like a large screw with the lower half smooth. You put the smaller center holed wheels on the mandrel, tighten it down with a nut and washer, then insert the rig into your drill.
Or, you can use these on a bench buffer with a threaded spindle adapter (see below). These slide over the shaft and are tightened down with two small hex-head screws. You then twist the pad on until it is tight.
Something you might consider to get you started. At Lowe's or Home Depot, you can get a small kit that has three buffing wheels, a mandrel, and three bars of compound. Emery (black), which is the hardest and does the deepest cutting. Tripoli (brown), which is midrange, does cutting and begins to bring out the luster, and white -- very little cutting, and higher luster.
Before you even glance at your vacs with the idea of doing this operation, I suggest you practice on some type of scrap metals. Find some old pots and pans, both aluminum and steel.
Before any polish work, you'll want to sand the scratches and flaws out until they are GONE. Otherwise, you'll just end up with a very well polished, lustrous, shiny scratch in your end product. Start with 400 grit sandpaper. Use soapy water and wet sand. If this isn't getting the scratches out, drop back to 320 grit sandpaper, or 200. At Wal-Mart automotive section, you can get a packet of 200, 320, and 400 grit papers for about $4.00.
Once you have a smooth satin-like surface sanded to 400 grit, you can move onto the buffing wheels. Start with the emery, and cut until you have a uniform surface with an almost brushed-steel type of look. Then go to emery. Cut until it starts shining, but yet has car-wash like lines in it. Use the white to really bring out the gloss.
Use a different wheel for each compound. Also, easy does it on the compound. Just a short jab, not even 1 second, is enough to load the wheel. As you work, about every few minutes, give the wheel another jab of compound. Also, "rake" the wheel with a wire brush from time to time to remove metal particles.
Didn't expect a book on it did you?
Ok...now I have to add...I read something scary in this thread. Parts flipping. That is very scary. There are safe and unsafe areas on a bench buffer. ALWAYS be aware of the direction of spin. On a bench buffer, the wheels spin towards you. You want to use the BOTTOM half of the wheel. DO NOT USE the top half, as if the part catches, it's going to head straight for you. That buffer is turning anywhere from 1500 to 3500 rpm, and if the wheel gets a good grip on the part, like in a hole for a vet or belt lifter. Offer the work to the wheel in the same direction the wheel is going where there are holes and areas where it could catch.
This ends my lecture. Class dismissed.
John
