Buffer safety

???????? That article is about using a wheel grinder? Few knifemakers use one of those.

However, the general safety instructions are good for any tool, and bear repeating:


General Precautions

•Keep a regular maintenance/inspection cycle and keep a log in your shop tool binder.
•Read the tool's manual carefully-spend a minimum of 1/2 hour on it. And review it once in a while. Follow its instructions carefully when changing parts or accessories.
•Wear adequate eye and hearing protection. Wear hair up and avoid loose clothing or jewelry.
•Do not talk to anyone while using this machine.
•Do not have any distractions while grinding.
•Keep powerful tools in their own small area, free of clutter, preferably with at least low walls around the area to isolate the tool and debris from it.
•Have good housekeeping and clean the area around the tool after every use.
•Make sure local ventilation is appropriate for the tool
•Have good lighting on the working area of the wheel, a mounted desk lamp or one on each side is good (illumination from two sides eliminates shadows)
•Always have the machine properly mounted and screwed securely in place onto a sturdy work surface.
•Turn off the machine when not in use.
•No children in the workshop.
 
I bolted an L-shaped metal rod to my workbench behind the buffer wheel, so that anything that the buffer catches should snag on the rod and at least slow way down.
I don't quite get why people use buffers that don't have some kind of guard or something to snag a spinning work piece...
 
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I saw a video somewhere where a guy had all his buffers turned around backwards, spinning the opposite direction. He seemed to think if anything got grabbed it would get flung into the wall and not him.. Anybody else do this?


I don't have a buffer, and try to make my knives and fittings in such a way that I don't ever need one, although I do use felt and cork belts, and occasionally borrow a friend's buffer....
 
I reverse the motors and mount them upside down under the bench. When the machine-O-death snaggs something it really has nowhere to go and it frees up bench space.

I think I saw the same video Loveless if I remember right.
 
I've seen that done as well Javan. Of course YOU know this, but the key factor would be working on the top of the wheel, just past center... a "standard position" would throw a blade right in your teeth. :eek: if it grabbed.

I agree that a buffer can be quite dangerous and MUST be respected... but I would have to get rid of quite a few tools for my buffer to take the spot as most dangerous.

But I also do not buff blades that are sharp, nor do I use my buffer as part of the sharpening process. Those two factors make a huge difference in how likely you are to get hurt with one, IMHO.
 
My son's high school wood shop got rid of their wood lathes, citing them as being too dangerous. I always figured a drill press as the most dangerous helicopter like mechanism.
 
wbeatty said:
I reverse the motors and mount them upside down under the bench. When the machine-O-death snaggs something it really has nowhere to go and it frees up bench space.

I think I saw the same video Loveless if I remember right.
Click to expand...

I just re watched the Loveless video last night and he was spinning in the usual downward direction

He buffed off the bottom of the wheel, say 5 o'clock so if it caught it flew back and away.
 
So...are buffers so dangerous simply because no one uses any kind of guard on them? Perhaps I'm lucky or just that careful, but I've never had one offer to grab a knife.
 
Don't use a buffer in close proximity to a wall or a backstop if possible. Bounce a rubber ball near the base of a wall to see the physics behind it. Could be a nasty injury having a knife boomerang back into you
 
IIRC, it was either Goddard or Fowler who puts his buffer on a rock solid pedestal stand about six feet from the wall. He throws all his used 2X72 belts on the floor behind it to make a soft landing spot for the knife WHEN it gets tossed by the buffer.
 
I made the dust collection shroud out of card board for the buffer. That way when the knife decides it wants to 'go' it will stick into the cardboard and damage it rather than bouncing off and flying back and damaging me.
As for buffing, do it only when you are in a good mood, alert and in no hurry. No rushing, impatience or anger, these will lead to knife, personal injury or both.
 
The reason that a guard or collector box is a bad idea is this:
If the knife gets tossed from the buffer it goes back. It is very unlikely that it will stick straight in the box and stop there. Most likely, it will bounce off the box/guard and strike the buffing wheel. This can bring the knife around and send it straight at you.

The best situation is to have nothing within several feet of the buffer. If you want to vacuum up the dust from the buffer, place a 3-4" PVC dust collector port about 6" below the backside of the buffer wheel.

Close fitting guards with dust collectors are used in industry, but they can ruin a knife in a flash without great care, and are used by trained professionals.
 
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