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Re: Grinders vs Buffers

To: shop-talk@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Grinders vs Buffers
From: walter@omni.sps.mot.com (Thomas Walter)
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 97 09:26:03 CST
>From: GGORMAN@dsava.com (Gorman, George)
>
>I've been interchanging grinding wheels, wire wheels and buffers on my bench 
>grinder for years now.  The biggest problem that I've run into with using the 
>buffing wheels on a grinder is the motor speed.  Most grinders run about twice 
>as fast as you'd like for buffing.  This means you have to be really careful 
>while you're buffing so that you don't burn through the finish of whatever 
>your're buffing.  Other than that, the long spindle on the buffers can be 
>really nice for large (or contorted) parts, as you mentioned.

For most of us working in a garage, space is a concern.

I have my grinding wheel over on one side of the garage.
An old motor (1725 rpm) on the other side of the garage. 
I use my bench vise to clamp a plate bolted on the bottom 
of the buffing motor, to save space. 

Since grinding produces a lot of grit, I try to keep that
away from the buffing wheels (usually kept covered when not
in use on the back of the work bench. Extra buffs are kept
in a drawer).

Nothing worse than having something near a mirror finish...
and discovering some loose grit on the fine buffing wheel!

For home shops, the slower 1800 rpm speed is better.  For
larger, commercial, shops the 3600 rpm means the person at
the wheel can do a quicker job. Then again they are doing
that daily, and have a much better feel for the work.
(I love finding deals at auctions, but have passed on a
3600 rpm buffer... then again the price wasn't right, either).

Cheers,

Tom Walter
Austin, TX.

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