Airway Buffing Wheels For Metal Polishing Our Airway Buffing Wheels are made using different mill treatments to create wheels of various stiffness levels to be used on different metals.  How are the closeout wheels different from the other Airway Buffing Wheels? Simply put, there are some wheels that do not meet the quality standards we set forth for our product. This is not to say that the buffing wheels are unusable, but are slightly "off-spec" and better suited for other uses depending the the individual user and the condition of the working material. Take into consideration our Yellow Airway Buffing Wheels: The Extra Stiff Yellow Airways are stiffer and more aggressive than our traditional Orange and Red cutting/first stage wheel. They take on more of the chemical treat than our traditional yellows and are made at the beginning of the treat process. The Soft Yellow Airways are softer than our traditional Yellow Airways because they take on less of the chemical treat and come from the end of the run. They are softer than a traditional yellow, but are still stiffer than a finishing wheel so they may be advisable for use on metals that only need a slight machine polish.  Below are the characteristics of each of the Closeout Airway Buffing Wheels: Yellow- Extra Stiff: Stiffer than our normal traditional Orange Airways, ideal as a first-stage, aggressive "cutting" wheel. Yellow - Soft: Softer than our traditional Yellow Airways, ideal for a re-polish of metal that is in need of light maintenance. Orange - Soft: Gentler cut, appropriate for metals that don't need a "full" cut. Red - Soft: Similar to but softer than traditional Orange, ideal for first-stage cut. Green: Similar to traditional Yellow, ideal for second-stage color. Lavender: Similar to traditional Orange, good first cut. Black: Similar to traditional Red Airway, with a faster cut and coarser fabric. Blue: Softer than our traditional Yellow Airways, ideal for a re-polish of metal that is in need of light maintenance. White - SSS: Very fine untreated Airway, ideal for final finishing. **DUE TO THE CLOSEOUT NATURE OF THESE PRODUCTS, NO RETURNS/EXCHANGES WILL BE ACCEPTED.** You use the edge of the buffing wheel to polish? Yes! This is called edge buffing and the method is often used when polishing metal with an angle grinder, a buffing wheel, and compound. See below: Below is a table showing the maximum safe operating speed for each size of buffing wheel: Pro tip: Always rake your buffing wheels. How do I use a buffing wheel rake? 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 it. Why should I use a buffing wheel rake?  Raking your buff removes hardened and burned on polishing and buffing compound from the edges of your buffing wheel. Compound build up can reduce the efficiency of the buffing wheel while also creating a rougher surface. If you notice a significant decrease in the residual metal dust produced when buffing, rake the buffing wheel and reapply a small amount of metal polishing compound. What Polisher/Grinder Goes best with these buffing wheels?  MAKITA 9237C- The best 3,500 RPM polishing machine (PROS & BEGINNERS)  MAKITA GA7021 - The best 6,000 RPM polishing machine (PROS)