another grit lap Q?

[Rosanna Gusler]

hi all, i am making some fused vessels and they have a sort of uneven, rounded look to the rim which i like. i use float (2 layers 3/8") so there is usually some 'float+heat ' issues on the rim that need to be polished out. i have been hand sanding and polishing these out. 70, 120, 220, 400, 600, 1200, cerium. tedious...................... do you think i could use some really dense, thick napped sheared carpet with various grits and then cerium on a lap to take the polish after 220 sanding? i am thinking that the carpet would sort of wrap around that rounded edge. sound like it is worth a try? would have to build a lap first, but...thanks, rosanna ps, if a lap would not be the tool, what about a potters wheel with the same set up of hunks of carpet with various grits

[Henry Halem]

Cerium from 220 will not polish. Cerium is only used to bring a dull polish up to bright polish. You might try pumice though and if that doesn't work then go to the next grit 320-400 and then pumice. There is some differing opinions on how cerium actually works. One school of thought profers the idea that it generates enough microscopic heat to actually "fire polish" the dull polish to a bright surface.

[Hugh Jenkins]

I use carpet for polishing but I have no idea how it would hold grit. Magnetic backing on carpet pieces that are dedicated to different grits just might work fine though. It would be an inexpensive experiment if you had the machine built.

Another way to deal with non-planer surfaces is the expansion drum and sanding belt systems. You can work around a lot of curved and rounded edges quite easily, after some practice of course. From a 320 belt you can go to pumice on felt and cerium on carpet.