Sorry, the post some pics later took a few days! Here are some...I used Buff [8" wheels] kit from Caswell..Little over hundred bucks but you get a good ***ortment..Mounted the wheels on a spare 5hp 3450 rpm compressor motor I had..I doubled the wheels up as all of what I buffed is half round SS..I mounted the motor to my Presto lift so I could get the right working height, still rough on my back..One pick shows the wheels mounted on a 7" electric right angle grinder used for buffing the 35' bumper outside which was easier [but not by much] on my back...I set up my big tri pod work lights for the additional lighting, HF floor matt and grey square object on wall in back round is Exhaust Fan [cover] so opening the door behind me and running the fan sent most junk out side..Pics should blow up some so you can survey what I haven't mentioned..
@ choptvan, since your a wyotec grad then you've seen the small 3'' da sanders, these have a small foam back up pad, hook and loop and 3M makes a large variety of grit sizes so you don't wear out your fingers doing all that sanding. I've restored a lot of dinged up trim so I've gouged up and metal filed and worked my way up to finer grits, when using the 600 to 1500 I've always wet sanded because the paper last longer. just be careful, those high speed wheels will take the trim right out of your hands and twist it into a pretzel and take some meat with it!!! Get a good spurring tool to clean the rouge out of the buffing wheels, a buffing apron because it is quite messy, wear a dust mask, grab a beer and practice on some junk trim, have fun, oh yeah, HEAVY LEATHER GLOVES
Caswell's is a good source, Dico has some good info on line, and yep - heed all the warnings about flying pieces. I'm doing some of the stainless on my 50 Pontiac right now and have had good results with 220, 320, 400, and 600 and then green compound on my Baldor buffer. Follow with white compound, then wipe it down with some corn starch to remove the film from the compounds.
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