polishing granite

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I aquired this info from a man on ebay selling grinding products. He was very helpful and gave me all this info when I have been having a hard time finding such elsewhere. All the following is info he sent.

Although I am not a professional granite polisher I can advise you on a few topics.
The differtence between wet a dry pads is in the resin formulation. Dry pads are made of a stronger different resin compound. Dry pads are most often used on t6he job site to "touch up" a bit of damage that may have been accidentally caused.
Lately however some shops began to use dry pads, mostly because some jurisdictions are very strict about returning untreated water into the sanitary sewer systems. The various sedimentation tanks are very costly to install, so it is less costly to use dry pads than install all the sophisticated filtration equipment.
The wet pads I sell can be used dry. Their life expectancy will be reduced substantially, however, you should be able to finish an average size kitchen with one pad.
From grits 50 to 3000 you can use dry, but for the final buff, you should use watrer. By using water for the final buff, you will get a scratch free surface with a deep shine/lustre.
For dry aplication you can use an ordinary 4 1/2 inch angle grinder. However, for the wet polishing it is essential to use a wet polisher. It is dangerous to use water with a grinder not specifically made for that purpose.
Please also review the attachment.
It contains very specific advice about polishing the edges of countertops.
Hope the advice provided will assist you.

Polishing using wet discs:

Discs must only be used wet.
This is necessary to reduce wear, and make
polishing easier. Also, the water will help reduce
harmful dust levels. Use plenty of water and after
each grit change, rinse off your work piece to
remove slurry. It is important to make sure you are
using the discs in proper order without skipping
grits. Rushing a job and skipping grits will almost
surely give you unsatisfactory results. *If a disc
seems to wear faster than the others, generally it is
doing too much work. In most cases, you did not
spend enough time on the prior grit.
Choose one type of Velcro® Backer Pad that fits
your type of application. For bullnoses and curved
work, choose the Rubber Backer Pad. This pad
will bend and make contour polishing easy. For
straight edges use our Rigid Backer Pad. This
pad helps to prevent rounding over
GRIT 50 – 200 They are long lasting and very
aggressive. Used for light shaping, smoothing
and beginning the polishing process.

(200 - 400 - 800 - 1500 - 3000 grits)
Final Polisher - these super fine discs
let you put that deep mirror finish on granite.
Choose Black Buff for darker granites like
Absolute Black and Dakota Mahogany. Choose
White Buff for lighter granites like white, rose, tan
and light gray. The Final Polisher is not needed
for materials other than granite. Eliminates
messy chemicals.

How to Use:
1. Cut the work piece to size and position it for comfortable, safe polishing. Clamp and secure your
work piece properly.
2. Shape edges to the desired pattern using either Grinding Wheels or a router. Take time
to remove all rough spots. Smooth the piece as much as possible.
3. Use 50 Grit with care to eliminate all
grinding scratches and saw marks. Very light contouring and blending, as well as preliminary
polishing can now be done. Rubbing a yellow lumber crayon or grease pencil will aid in finding
scratches, even while the stone is wet. You should dry the area after each step and look for
scratches and imperfections. Make sure the area is smooth and there are no grinding marks
or saw marks left.
4. Move on to 100 200 - 400 - 800 - 1500 - 3000 Grits. Do not skip
any grits.
5. For granite use the Final Polisher Pad. Choose Black for dark colored stone and White for light
colored stone. Wet the work piece. Run this disc semi wet with very low water for lubrication to
generate heat. When the water is consumed, the process is complete. Repeat as necessary to
improve luster.
6. Clean and dry all discs for storage.


Common Questions:
Why do I need to use the 50 Grit?
The 50 grit is necessary to remove saw marks and grinding marks.

EX Pads. Please do not try to run on high speed machines that run above 4000 RPM.

Do we really need a center water-feed or can we sponge on water when needed ?
To be used on a center water-feed tool. This tool distributes water evenly on
the disc. Trying to get the job done any other way will only guarantee you frustration, lack of polish, waste
of time and money.
How long do disks last ?
Due to the many types of materials these discs are capable of polishing, it is very hard to say exactly how
long pad will last. However, if used properly your pads will last a long time.
3. Avoid the sharp corners of stone to prevent tearing.
4. It is a very good idea to permanently mount your Final Polishing pad , Black or White , to its own Backer Pad. Doing this will greatly extend the life and durability of the disc. Pad is
weakened by the bending and tearing while taking a Final Polishing disc off a Velcro®
Backer Pad.