Buffing compound questions

I do not usually buff AFTER sharpening!

BUT - even a non-sharpened profiled blade can do serious damage if hung with a 1hp buffer. Nasty things can happen. Be sure to stand to one side, NEVER directly in front of buffing wheel. That way if wheel does grab the blade, it "normally" don't get you. Be sure when buffing to only buff the bottom half of the blade, then turn blade over to get other half. That way the wheel has less change of grabbing the edge of blade - still no guarantees.

Ken
 
2.5 inch wheel. others are smaller so i do not know if they will work. i do not know the exact speed of the press. its an old one. hand drill was pretty slow. from what iv viewed on youtube the press should be spinning at about the right speed.
 
bladsmth said:
Please, do not try and buff a blade with a buff clamped in a hand drill or even a drill press. That is a bad cut just waiting to happen.
Buffers are stationary, stand alone tools that require solid mounting and horizontal use. They also require an unobstructed use area. There should be nothing within 3-6 feet of a buffer if possible....... especially walls, or workbench tops.
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Please read this again. Buffing machines are the most dangerous machines in the shop.
 
Goldsmithy said:
Please read this again. Buffing machines are the most dangerous machines in the shop.
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Please explain, iv worked with tools that can chop your arm clean off with no "effort" on the part of the machine; others that could rip it to pieces without stopping.. a buffing wheel seems kind of mild.
 
I don't have a ton of experience with buffers. I mean I HAVE one, and I've used it for a few hours, but nothing like some here.

My fear started in high school metal shop. We used a lot of dangerous machines, band saws, sawzall's, chop saws, lathes, most of the regular small hand held power tools, etc. The buffers had dust covers on them. We asked the shop teacher (one of those awesome old grizzled guys that seemed to know everything) and he said, "nope, the school shouldn't have bought those".

A bit cryptic, sure, but I've always been wary of them, while using everything else with confidence.

I realize that doesn't help, just my experience.
 
grindemup said:
Please explain, iv worked with tools that can chop your arm clean off with no "effort" on the part of the machine; others that could rip it to pieces without stopping.. a buffing wheel seems kind of mild.
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A buffing machine spins at either 1725 or 3450 rpm. Many buffing machines are over 1/2 hp. You are working directly on a spinning buff, putting a lot of pressure on blade. There are no safety provisions on most buffers,so that if the buff grabs your blade it will be torn from your hands and go flying. If you're lucky, it will hit the floor or some inanimate object. If you're not lucky, the blade will hit YOU and cause an injury. Ask Gil Hibben, he ended up with a knife stuck in his leg. You can also have your hand dragged into the buff.

Concentration is the key to safe buffer operation along with knowing safe buffing procedures. Turn your brain on before you turn on the machine.

Forty years ago, I had a pendant I was polishing grabbed by the buff and it hit me in the eye. After an eye operation for traumatic glaucoma everything seemed normal. Fast forward to 1 1/2 years ago. That same injury resulted in a 'dent' in my optic nerve requiring macular surgery and a significant loss of depth perception, especially at close distances. Makes it really hard to grind a blade.

I have all of my machinery (except my grinder) controlled by foot switches. It is much simpler to lift your foot in case of an accident than searching for the on/off switch.
 
If the drill press is only turning at 500 rpm, (could be 3,000 RPM) with a 2.5" wheel, there would be little danger with care taken. BUT, if the drill press is turning 3,000 RPM, and the motor is 1/2 to 1 hp, and the cloth wheel grabs the blade, it WILL tear the blade from your hands throwing it with great force in some direction. Will you be standing in one of those possible directions?

The trick to safely (some would tell you there is no such thing) buffing is using a buffer with horizontal shaft so you can stand to one side of the wheel. This keeps from being in direct line with the wheel if the blade is suddenly grabbed by the cloth wheel.

Envision the blade - say it's 2 inches wide. Keep the buffing wheel working on the bottom half of blade, then turn blade to put the unbuffed side to bottom. When the wheel moves to top of blade, it's so easy for that cloth wheel to "grab" the blade edge. You just can't hold the blade when a 1 hp buffing wheel grabs the blade. Use of smaller diameter wheels like 6" to 8" tend to be a tad safer than those large 10" wheels.

I think the idea buffing setup would be a 1/2 hp turning at 1750 rpm and using an 8 inch wheel? I don't have that setup, my buffer is 1 hp turning at 3450 rpm - just pulled motor from junk pile so it was free. I've been thinking about this Harbor Freight setup: http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-buffer-94393.html

$40 with a 25% coupon and $7 shipping - that's only $37 shipped. I've not ordered it because 1.6 amps is not even close to 1/2 hp, more like 1/4hp or less.

As a "rules of thumb" amps horsepower rating can be estimated as

115 Volts motor - single-phase : 14 amps/hp
230 Volts motor - single-phase : 7 amps/hp
230 Volts motor - 3-phase : 2.5 amps/hp

Good luck and have "safe" fun:)

Ken H>
 
When it grabs you don't feel it grab you don't see it grab, it's instantaneously gone. Usually with a load bang hopefully as it hits something other than you. You are left startled and maybe uninjured.

It's a real scary wake up call.
 
Mark Behnke said:
When it grabs you don't feel it grab you don't see it grab, it's instantaneously gone. Usually with a load bang hopefully as it hits something other than you. You are left startled and maybe uninjured.
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That is the best description I've read on a buffer grabbing.... just "Blam - it's gone". That's why I try to stand to one side while buffing.

Ken H>
 
I agree. It is so sudden that you are left with nothing but the cold and numb feeling of a super-sized adrenalin rush. You slowly look at your fingers, and then get the shakes, and then get cold.
It scares the he!! out of me when a knife is there in your hands...and then it is gone ...along with a gun shot loud noise. I just freeze and slowly look down. After all fingers and boddy parts are accounted for, I look for the blade.

NEVER hold the knife in such a way that it will run through or across your fingers if it gets snatched. In other words, no over the blade grip. I don't care if you are Schwarzenegger, you aren't strong enough to hold on to a blade that gets snatched....and I don't care if you are Chuck Norris, you aren't fast enough to let go or get out of the way once it does get snatched.
 
My 2c: if you see the top of the wheel as 12 o'clock hold the object between 4- and 5 o'clock.
 
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