How-I Do-A-Wire-Brush-Polish-Finish

How-I Do-A-Wire-Brush-Polish-Finish

In the course of time I've been creating High-End-Custom Steel Furniture - it's amazing how many people (Designers, Customers and End-Users) LOVE the "look-of-Steel".

A softer, more pewter-like-silvery-gray-color is one that I like too, but- is not-so-easy-to-create.

The process I use, after all my fabrication is complete (weld-splatter's removed + welds are smoothed) is to have the object Sandblasted-1st.
Then, using a Cup-Shaped-Knotted + Twisted Wire Brush (attached to my variable-speed right-angle-Milwaukee grinder) I go over the sandblasted surface and create a cloud-like-atmospheric effect on the Steel Parts.
After wiping the dirt off the the Steel using Mineral Spirits (or Xylol) I then either wet spray the piece- or lately have been coating with a Matt Clear Powder Coat.

Today- I noticed my trusty Steel Wire Cup Brush (I use a separate one for Type 304 Stainless and NEVER cross-contaminate them) was wearing down and I should get a new one. 

Part Number 12306 Weiler Knotted + Twisted Wire Brush Cup Brush @4" diameter

That led to a very frustrating round of Phone Calls- 
1st to my local Welding Supply House- WISCO who did not have the brand, or the size of Cup that I wanted-. 
Next - I went to The Manufacturer's WEILER's website, BAMMM! and found what I was looking for.
Now....where to buy it?
On WEILER's website is a page that directs you to retail sellers of their Industrial Product 
(I do not "get" that segregation of Industrial v.Retail Customers personally- but that's for another Blog Post!)
So- I type in my ZIPCODE to that box on that page - and 
lo-&-behold-are familiar (Grainger, FastenAll, etc.) 
names, that I don't usually buy from (poor Customer Service being the main reason)- 
so I hold my nose😬- and call.
And Call.
And call some-more. 
Either they have me on hold, can't find there part number I give them from Weiler's website, or- they have none in their Inventory.😫
I know - look at Amazon😎. Not available to ship until 2 weeks from today.😡

 

4" Single-Row-Knotted-Wire-Cup-Brush

 💡So..........I go back to The Manufacturer, and call Customer Service. I explain to The WFH-staffer in Customer Service my woes. He listens. And- he provides me with a phone number to The Regional Sales Rep. David Blaine. David answers - listens to my dilemma and time spent trying to buy a part, from a Company that he Reps, that no one wants to 

or is able to sell to me - and does something that is quite amazing.

He (David) offers to send me one- FREE-Of-Charge, for my being a tenacious Customer.

That- Ladies and Gentleman- is great Customer Service. 

And, a- Thursday afternoon bit of "drama"- that a "Normal-Customer"- normally- would have navigated another route, found a comparable item, or- just made do with the short-haired-Wire-Brush-they already owned.
Not me.

If you are ever in the need to POLISH Steel- in a non-linear-fashion, and to get that effect need to buy a WEILER brand Cup brush........think of how grateful you are, 
in now knowing- How-A-Pro-Does-it! 😉

Marble & Stone Fabricator (and Installation ) Stone Edge Marble & Granite LLC

I needed to source some White Marble for a series of Dessert Carts I was fabricating.
The Vendor I'd planned to use - f#cked-me-over in mis-Quoting
the 8 (eight) Ovals I needed Water-Jet cut; leaving me with no one to cut my parts (at the price I'd put-into-my-Price-Estimate) ....
until I met Derek (for those who speak Polish- Dariusz ).😇

Composite showing The Development of The Custom Carts we created

There's a variety of White Marble types available in Chicago - from Calcutta to Carrera;
but for this project- the idea of "too much" veining would only detract from 
the sheer beauty of what was to be displayed on these shelves; beautiful-executed,
and luxuriously decadent Desserts from the Head-Pastry Chef of RPM Restaurants- a part of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises in Chicago.

RPM's Pastry Chef arranging her rolling display of Pastries and Sweets

Jose- adjusting the Marble's shape to fit The Stainless Steel Frame

Working closely with Derek @ Stone Edge to ensure the CNC-cut parts fit- perfectly was a key part of this project. If there were gaps- between the Stainless Steel frame and the stone shelf- it's likely food crumbs would accumulate there and that wouldn't be good now- would it?

In making these it appears that due to the heat generated by polishing the Stainless Steel to a Mirror Finish- there was some shifting of the frames shape- meaning the marble would slide in place.

That meant I had to have the Marble slightly sanded to conform-to the Stainless Frame. 

Beautiful White Carrera Marble Shelf

Derek and Jose were quite professional and great to collaborate with to allow me to achieve a perfect product.

a few of the elegant Desserts that are offered from my Dessert Carts

One of the other parts of making these was coordinating with Ben-The-Wood-Guru so that the wooden elements of our design would fit nicely together.

Wood Shelves prior to Staining to test Attachment of Stainless Parts

If and when- you need Marble for High-End Custom Furniture- call Derek.

When and if you need to recommend a guy for Showers, Vanities or kitchen Counters- 
call Derek.

When and if you need to ask for any-thing- related to Synthetic Stone- like "Corian" or "Silestone"- call Derek.

Here are the Carts before they left the shop- all assemble and ready to roll. 

Stone Edge Marble and Granite LLC

2020 W. Hubbard

Chicago, IL. 60612

312.243.4143 office

773.492.9103 m.