Making a Buffer - Questions

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leehljp

leehljp

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I have had a double ended mandrel seen here. intended for making a buffer for some time - but never made it into a buffer.

I have some questions about setting up a good buffer system.

1. What is the ideal speed for a 6 inch buffer size?
I am asking this to determine which pulley ratio to use. 1/1; 1/2; 1/3. I have a 3450? rpm motor and think that is too fast for sure.

2. What direction would be best?
a. Top turning toward the user?
b. Top turning away from the user?

Thanks
 
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Hank

I have my Delta midi set at 1800 rpm and it turn toward me, "counter clockwise, at least this way if it grabs something it goes down instead of up into your face.
 
leehljp said:
I have had a double ended mandrel seen here. intended for making a buffer for some time - but never made it into a buffer.

I have some questions about setting up a good buffer system.

1. What is the ideal speed for a 6 inch buffer size?
I am asking this to determine which pulley ratio to use. 1/1; 1/2; 1/3. I have a 3450? rpm motor and think that is too fast for sure.

2. What direction would be best?
a. Top turning toward the user?
b. Top turning away from the user?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Not sure I can answer your questions on pulley size and speed, but agree that towards you would be best.

That's a pretty need device... I've been thinking about a sharpening sander like David Reed Smith showed in his articles " Scary Sharp " I might could adapt that to work with the extra motor I have.
 
Thanks guys, for all the input. This has been great information.

Rick, that is a great site. I downloaded the PDF. I have 7 or 8 buffing wheels of different kinds that I have been collecting (as I found them on sale) for the past 10 years. Now I can use them two at a time - or 4 if I add extenders to the mandrel.
 
Hank, why not use your lathe and a system like the Beall? You then will not have to dedicate a space for the motor and mandrel, instead just mount on the lathe and go for it.

I simply took a 36" threaded 3/4" steel rod and put a #2 taper on one end of the bar. Mounted a nut, a spacer a washer, a buffing wheel, a washer, a spacer and repeated for the next two buffing wheels. A spacer and a nut placed on the end tightens down everything and I am off to the buffings races.

Simple to mount, use, and remove for the next adventure! :biggrin:

Be sure to dull the shiney fingernails to avoid comments from the other manly types you might see later. MM does a jam up good job! :eek:
 
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Fred said:
Hank, why not use your lathe and a system like the Beall? You then will not have to dedicate a space for the motor and mandrel, instead just mount on the lathe and go for it.
Click to expand...

Fred,

Actually I have one from PSI at my home back in the States. But I have had the mandrel for almost 10 years and decided to give it a try. My main reason for going this route is that I usually like separate/dedicated tools. While one CA'd blank is curing on the lathe, I can buff another. My work habits are strange :rolleyes: - I wish I had two or three lathes so that I could leave a blank on one to cure, start another to curing and then begin turning a third.

So a separate buffer would benefit me best. I will admit that my "dedicated tools" do take up a bunch of space that I desperately need. Living in Japan does have a way of teaching me to "deal" with crowded space. :eek: :biggrin:
 
I run 8" wheels at 3000 RPM on my old lathe. This set-up buffs fast. You could likely run the 6" wheels at 3450. You would take a little longer to buff, but it should work.
There are metal buffing formulas on the buffing supplier web sites. The formulas work well for pens too. That is how I determined the speed to run my set-up.
 
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