Buffer questions

J

Jared P

Joined
Jan 18, 2000
Messages
220
So I NEED a buffer in my "shop" and thanks to Mr.Higgins I see that Enco is having a sale on Baldor buffers. My question is, for knife making is the 1/3 hp baldor enough horse power for general things? I'm not particularly interested in mirror polishing, but I would like to buff my edges and for handle work. Is that good enough? 147 plus free shipping is kind of hard to beat in my mind, is that really as good of a deal as I think it is?


Thanks for the help,

Jared
 
1/3 horse is plenty. What's the rpm? You don't want anything much faster than 1800 or it gets real dangerous. Especially when you buy 10" buffs. The motor is already zooming and then you add 10" to the circumference, that increases the speed big time.
 
I may get slammed for this but to be honest, I prefer a lower HP buffer. That way when it catches an edge (Note that I said when) it will likely stall if you have a good grip on the piece. A heftier motor will throw the knife, sometimes at you!
 
Hey guys, thanks so much for the quick replies. The rpm listed is 3600 idle, to fast? Do I need to get a variable speed controller? CAN I get a variable speed control that will work with it? In case you DIDN'T know, I'm a complete newbie. :D


So, does that sound like a decent deal? Am I stupid for buying it new? Am I just stupid?

Thanks again,
Jared
 
If I were you I would buy a buffer, but I wouldn't buy one that is 3600rpm. That is way too dangerous in my opinion. Even my 1750rpm baldor buffer with 10" buffing disks can rip a knife right out of your hands.

I had a knife I was working on a few months ago catch an edge get ripped out of hands and hit the floor luckily between my feet (not in a foot) before I even knew what happened.

A buffer is a useful tool but very dangerous.

I don't know about the variable speed controller, I would imagine you could wire one up just fine. Just don't buy it intending to use it at 3600rpm.

Keeping all of your appendages is a good thing! :D

Sean
 
I agree with Sean. That's way too fast. A controller would be very difficult to do on that motor!
 
I agree that 3450 rmp is way too fast and could be very dangerous in the shop. I have a 1/4 hp with 1800 that I like for buffing edges and doing handle polishing.
 
I have the 1hp/1750 rpm Baldor. Its a fine machine, but I use it with the utmost of caution and respect. Usually all I ever use it for is buffing my sharpened blades up to scary-sharp status. Once in a great while I will look at an antler-handled knife and think how nice it would be to have a pretty glaze on it, but not often. Could I live without it? Sure. Can you live without your microwave oven? Hmmm...
 
Hey guys, here's a suggestion for those looking to get a buffer. Remember Dan's post a while back about setting up a KMG on a shoestring budget? Well, he could equally well write a tutorial on setting up a variable speed buffer on a shoestring budget! :) Those two h.p. treadmill motors are dual shaft motors. By putting an arbor extension on each shaft (available from Sheffield's and other places I'm sure), you can make yourself a variable speed buffer. That's what I did....

:)

-Darren
 
Thanks Darren! Great idea, that is actually what I had been leaning toward but this seemed like a pretty good price.

I think that I'll stick with trying to make my own...if you don't hear from me again then you'll know that's what I've done! :D
 
You could also use a washing machine motor and pully arbor set-up. I've got an old 1/3 horse motor with a set of one to one pullies and a double ended arbor set up with 10" buffs. The belt is set loose enough that I can stall the buffs down without slinging a blade. Though I did bounce a silver sheath tip off the wall not to long back!
 
I have had few near miss situations as well and when I started to think about it more, I came to a solution that my hands should be holding the buffer not the blade. Sound funny doesnt it? :D

So what did I do? I fixed the blade in a plank of plywood with c- clamps on the tang. Then fixed my buffer wheel in hand held drill that turns ~3600 rpm and added some tooth paste for buffing agent. (I was out the usual stuff :rolleyes: )
After that it was all gravy, I just went along the blade taking good care that the direction of the buffer was in good line with the blade, this way buffer cant get stucked and I have no flying blades in my shop.

With this method I can buff also the sometimes difficult seam of bolster and blade. I just fix the blade, well protected ofcourse, and use the "drill buffer".
Works every time.

Juha
 
Actually, any cheapo $29 grinder that spins at 1750 or lower will make an excellent buffer for what we do. All you add is a couple mendrels and the buffs and you are in business. In fact, some of the finest knifemakers in the country use buffers like this.
 
Really good advice. A local welder and friend told me to leave the belts on my drill press loose so that if the worse happened the belt would slip. One of the few safty measures in my shop.
Sadly Jim, the welder friend, was diagnosed with cancer in the advanced stages and left the area. Why do we lose the good ones?
Lynn

Will52100 said:
You could also use a washing machine motor and pully arbor set-up. I've got an old 1/3 horse motor with a set of one to one pullies and a double ended arbor set up with 10" buffs. The belt is set loose enough that I can stall the buffs down without slinging a blade. Though I did bounce a silver sheath tip off the wall not to long back!
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