Buffing Wheel Speed Chart

Buff wheel speed and buff pressure are two elements that must work together to produce best finish, safety and economy. The proper pressure must be applied to the work piece to produce the friction that allows the compound to buff.

Inadequate pressure gives NO buffing action.
Excess pressure will cause the buff wheel speed to be reduced and/or the buff to collapse and the operation to be LESS EFFICIENT or EVEN CAUSE A FIRE!

To assist you in determining the proper buffing speed you require, we have created a speed chart to help you determine the proper buff wheel speed. We have also provided How to determine the peripheral speed of a wheel by clicking here.

Recommended Speed In S.F.P.M. For Tangential Buffing

Operation	Carbon & Low Alloy Steels	Stainless Steel	Brass	Nickel	Aluminum & Zinc	Chromium Plate

Polishing	7-8000	8-9000	7000	8000	6000	--

Cutting Down	9000	9-10000	7-9000	7-9000	6-8000	--

Color Buffing	7-9000	8-9000	6-8000	6-8000	6-7000	7-8000

Speed Chart - Surface Feet Per Minute

RPM	Wheel Diameters
	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26	36	40
800	838	1,257	1,676	2,094	2,513	2,932	3,351	3,770	4,189	4,608	5,027	5,445	7,540	8,378
900	942	1,414	1,885	2,356	2,827	3,299	3,770	4,241	4,712	5,184	5,655	6,126	8,482	9,425
1000	1,047	1,571	2,094	2,618	3,142	3,665	4,189	4,712	5,236	5,760	6,283	6,807	9,425	10,472
1100	1,152	1,728	2,304	2,880	3,456	4,032	4,608	5,184	5,760	6,336	6,911	7,487	10,367	11,519
1200	1,257	1,885	2,513	3,142	3,770	4,398	5,027	5,655	6,283	6,911	7,540	8,168	11,310	12,566
1300	1,361	2,042	2,723	3,403	4,084	4,765	5,445	6,126	6,807	7,487	8,168	8,849	12,252	13,614
1400	1,466	2,199	2,932	3,665	4,398	5,131	5,864	6,597	7,330	8,063	8,796	9,529	13,195	14,661
1500	1,571	2,356	3,142	3,927	4,712	5,498	6,283	7,069	7,854	8,639	9,425	10,210	14,137	15,708
1600	1,676	2,513	3,351	4,189	5,027	5,864	6,702	7,540	8,378	9,215	10,053	10,891	15,080	16,755
1700	1,780	2,670	3,560	4,451	5,341	6,231	7,121	8,011	8,901	9,791	10,681	11,572	16,022	17,802
1800	1,885	2,827	3,770	4,712	5,655	6,597	7,540	8,482	9,425	10,367	11,310	12,252	16,965	18,850
1900	1,990	2,985	3,979	4,974	5,969	6,964	7,959	8,954	9,948	10,943	11,938	12,933	17,907	19,897
2000	2,094	3,142	4,189	5,236	6,283	7,330	8,378	9,425	10,472	11,519	12,566	13,614	18,850	20,944
2100	2,199	3,299	4,398	5,498	6,597	7,697	8,796	9,896	10,996	12,095	13,195	14,294	19,792	21,991
2200	2,304	3,456	4,608	5,760	6,911	8,063	9,215	10,367	11,519	12,671	13,823	14,975	20,734	23,038
2300	2,409	3,613	4,817	6,021	7,226	8,430	9,634	10,838	12,043	13,247	14,451	15,656	21,677	24,086
2400	2,513	3,770	5,027	6,283	7,540	8,796	10,053	11,310	12,566	13,823	15,080	16,336	22,619	25,133
2500	2,618	3,927	5,236	6,545	7,854	9,163	10,472	11,781	13,090	14,399	15,708	17,017	23,562	26,180
2600	2,723	4,084	5,445	6,807	8,168	9,529	10,891	12,252	13,614	14,975	16,336	17,698	24,504	27,227
2700	2,827	4,241	5,655	7,069	8,482	9,896	11,310	12,723	14,137	15,551	16,965	18,378	25,447	28,274
2800	2,932	4,398	5,864	7,330	8,796	10,263	11,729	13,195	14,661	16,127	17,593	19,059	26,389	29,322
2900	3,037	4,555	6,074	7,592	9,111	10,629	12,147	13,666	15,184	16,703	18,221	19,740	27,332	30,369
3000	3,142	4,712	6,283	7,854	9,425	10,996	12,566	14,137	15,708	17,279	18,850	20,420	28,274	31,416
3600	3,770	5,655	7,540	9,425	11,310	13,195	15,080	16,965	18,850	20,734	22,619	24,504	33,929	37,699