Buffing suggestions ?
 

Never really had a good bench buffer so bought one but I think I also bought the wrong buffing wheels. The one I tried just covered me in threads from the wheel. I know there are better buffing wheels and would like to know what you guys use and the best place to buy a quality set.

A real industrial hardware store.
not Harbor Fright

if none near, McMaster or Grainger

Anything that goes round and round and that can have cloth wheels fitted to it will do just fine. I bought this grinder at a yard sale for next to nothing. Then, I bought two 6" cloth wheels at a local hardware store and a couple of grades of polishing compound. Then I got down to polishing just about everything in sight...
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c0814d7ded.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...e1ab370524.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f9f487458b.jpg

Flying threads in the air is normal when using a loose polishing wheel. For me, polishing aluminum takes two wheels. A tighter buffing wheel for use with a cutting compound and a looser polishing wheel for use with a polishing compound. I bought my machine from Eastwood and their website had a lot of good reference material on how it all worked.

I have some buffing wheels from Harbor Freight and I have one from a Hardware store. I cannot tell them apart at this point. I think when they are new they shed more. They still shed now but not as bad.

:)