Question From An Amateur: Cordless Drill As Buffer?

[redsquid2]

I don't have a bench grinder/buffer, so I did some research a while back about alternative ways to buff. I thought I saw a thread about polishing kukris with a cordless drill? Anyhow, I was about to buy an arbor and a buffing wheel to attach to my cordless. I floated the idea to my brother, who generally has more experience with power tools. He says I won't get good results, because a cordless does not have the necessary speed and torque.

Anybody care to chime in?

Thanks.

Squiddy.

 

[chrisa62401]

I've used this setup with limited success. It works, just not that great. It's all I had at the time, I have the arbor on a corded drill now, still not great, but better than the cordless.

 

[watercrawl]

I had limited success with a corded drill and a buffing attachment for handle work as well.

I'd certainly recommend a HF buffer over this method 1,000 times over. You can get one for around $35 with their near constant 20% off coupons.

 

[Remyrw]

It's problem of RPM and torque. not enough of either. Buffing depends on SFPM, so it's a combination of RPM and wheel size. A standard dewalt 18v 1/2" drill maxes out at around 2k rpm with no load, but that's in the high rpm, low torque setting. Then you factor in that most wheels for the drill arbors 3-6" diameter and you get a much less efficient buffer than a standard bench mounted unit.

I use one, but I'm not into mirror finishes and even for me it's a pain. A real buffer is high on my list of tools to get just because at least SOME buffing is done on almost every knife I make. Whether it's just a light touch on the steel, a polished handle material, or going for a near mirror finish blade, it's more time and trouble with the drill method than the right tool.

It's a poor replacement, but cheap and easy to get started with as long as you don't expect too much. Of more importance is using the right compound for the job and not trying to buff out something that should really go back to the grinder.

 

[tryppyr]

One other thing... regardless of how you do buffing, BE CAREFUL. People who aren't experienced can hurt themselves badly before they even know what they did wrong. Imagine the bald being snatched from your fingers and propelled toward your torso... or worse.

 

[watercrawl]

I know it might not help much, but I have my buffer running away from my body and only work on the top and around the back some....never on the bottom and/or front as those allow for easier throwing of things into my body. Hopefully if the buffer grabs something as I use it now, it will throw it into the wall or bench.

Buffers scare the crap out of me.