Buffing Machine

G'day.

This most likely belongs in the metalwork section but it is something I built out of bits to make a large buffing wheel for polishing guitars.

In a past life I installed, upgraded & decommissioned small Auto Teller Machines.
I have saved a few of the steel cabinets (the safe) to use for various projects.
This one has had the front door removed & a hole cut in the side to mount a 2HP electric motor taken from a a home made lathe.
I used a couple of pieces of 75mm box section for feet on the bottom & the bearing mounts on the top.
A friend with a big metalwork lathe cut threads on a length of 1" steel shaft.
The pillow block bearings, pulleys, A section belt, nuts & washers are bought new, everything else is recycled.
https://i.imgur.com/Peazm3h.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/avRl9Nx.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8Dm3ZE7.jpg


More pics to come when I mount the wheels on it.

Looking good Cliff. What size wheels are you going to run ?

I have three 14" mops from Stewmac, one for each compound.

There is room on the thread to stack more than one mop on at a time if I wanted to.

Looks good Cliff. I have a question about what sort of steel the spindle is made of? I realise you are polishing wood but unsupported ordinary steel 1" spindles that long would not normally be used by metal workers as it only takes a knock for the shaft to be thrown out of alignment which can rapidly self bend into a rotating unbalanced arm that can destroy the machine not to mention the operator dangers involved.

I have in mind a cheap long 1/8" bit that I was running at only 2000 rpm in my DP. After a couple of holes it accidentally developed a bend near the chuck jaws and without any notice turned into a one blade propellor.

I told the metalworker friend what I wanted to do with it.

It only runs at 722RPM.

I copied the Stewmac one, it is the same length, same shaft size, runs at the same speed & mine has less overhang from the outer edge of the bearing.

I do know what you mean, I saw it happen to a bloke boring a hole on a lathe with a spade bit in a taper chuck in the tail end, when he pulled back, the bit stayed in the wood & pulled the chuck out of the tail & bent.

Cliff

I love the concept of making something from virtually nothing. I am assuming the long shaft is to give enough room to manoeuver the instruments.

Regards
Paul