Home made buffer

Scott Hanson

Scott Hanson

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
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I seen this on a face book group and though it looked like a pretty dangerous piece of equipment, what are you thoughts.44471221_10215454637950828_7195906207649890304_n.jpg
 
Threaded rods do not make good shafts for any kind of side load at all. The setup seems fine but they need to get a piece of material intended for a shaft. All thread is gonna get somebody hurt.
 
I agree with JM, the threaded shaft seems a bit dangerous. Would make more sense to have round stock and tread the ends if needed. If the shaft is spinning and the user were to bump against it they might get sliced. And after some time those threads might fill up with dust and gunk. And maybe it’s just me but the shaft seems a bit long.

Seems nice and simple though.
 
Lets hope its low horsepower... Less dangerous when it flys apart.
But in fairness, maybe its builder uses it double duty as a vibrator source for a vibratory polisher or paint can shaker.

Allthread is not good for shafts. (Especially so shafts that long and slender) Its slightly undersize fitting into standard size pulleys & bearings. That thing ’gotta be a shaker.
 
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Why do the shaft at all? The pulleys are the same size. Why not just get an arbor? It would have been cheaper than the 2 bearings.
 
In the old days when you went to the supermarket they had grinders to grind the coffee beans. I took the grinder part off one and stuck on a buffing wheel ! Works fine !
 
I don't know if the buffer is as interesting as the (what looks like) meth lab under the table. I dislike BX cable run to motors, the lag bolts for the pillow blocks concerns me.

I think they were trolling for attention maybe. Maybe.
 
I think some of the meth lab may be a vacuum pump set up for maybe stabilizing wood. Looks like the tubing is hook to a big cap.

Looks like there is a bottle jack on the bench with the proper use of All thread( I say proper but it looks to have a wooden baseplate) to convert it to some sort of press. Maybe for making Micarta.
 
Nearly everything about that build confuses me.

Why is the "shaft" so long?
Why is the belt so loose?
Why are the bearings and their bases mounted in such a way that they interfere with access to the front of the buffs?
Why is it there such a huge gap between the bearings?
Why is the "shaft" so long? (I know I already asked, but seriously... why is it so long?

There's several better ways to build a belt driven buffer, even if you don't have a lathe.
 
That buffer is a great example of everything you should NOT do in making a buffer.

Operating it will be dangerous, and I bet it will shake the screws out of the workbench. The good thing is it isn't likely to last more than a few minutes of use.
 
knife to a gunfight said:
Why is the "shaft" so long? (I know I already asked, but seriously... why is it so long? .
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Because hacksaw blades cost money :p

Luthiers use a long shaft to buff guitars but seeing as his pillow blocks are bigger than his wheels that's not what he's doing

I watched a video of one like this a couple years ago and the vibration was terrible. looked kind of cartoonish watching him b.b.b.bb.bbbb,bbounce -using it, I looked for it to show u but couldnt find it
 
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