Dremel polishing wheels - video

[WmRMeyers]

I'd think using sandpaper to eliminate the bumps would also load the felt with abrasive grains that are going to mess up the fine finish. Something like a Surform rasp or a clean/new file would be better as far as that goes, if it will work. Haven't tried it yet, but was planning on making some of my own since I have some 1" wide x1/2" thick felt that was left over from machine seals at my former employer's maintenance shop. The stuff was cut to fit from longer than necessary strips. I figure a piece of black iron pipe with a sharp edge ground on it, and a pipe cap to hammer on will get the circles cut just fine, and a little care in drilling will avoid much of the out-of-round problem. You could also make burlap or cotton canvas wheels, sewn or loose, with a circle-cutter punch and a stitch-awl.

Anyone who does serious buffing/polishing knows you need different wheels for each kind of compound you use. If you use a red rouge wheel with emery compound, it will never give you a fine polish again.

Those things said, it's a great idea to make your own. You can chose the type of material you want for the kind of work you're doing, and get a great finish. There are hundreds of kinds of felt, and many other materials that will work well for buffing and polishing if you don't mind a little bit of prep work before getting to the main event. You can even do it for large wheels.

Bill