Shop tip: lube your belts...

rfrink

rfrink

Joined
Aug 1, 2000
Messages
863
I was making some acrylic (plexiglass) retail display fixtures for the Bladeshow and was terribly frustrated with the finish on the cut edges. I used my horizontal grinder to clean up the edges after bandsawing them....but the sanded finished looked like smeared melted plastic...which is was. I tried different grits and slower speeds but just couldn't get the finish that I wanted without scrapping the edges with a tool. Out of desperation, I grabbed a wax stick of tapping compound and shoved it into the spinning belt to charge it with lubricant. Then ground the plastic with amazing results!!!! The plastic no longer melted on the belt. The edges came out beautiful right off the machine!!!


So if you are having troubles with the finish on a unique material due to heat, gummy-ness or burning. Try lube on your belts. The stuff that I used is from MSC I believe. It is sold as a tapping/sawing lubricant in a waxy like bar. Just shove the bar into the belt or saw blade to charge it. I use it mostly on the band saw for sawing aluminum...and for tapping. But now I will use it more on the belt grinders. I also tried it on a buffer with plastic .... with improved results also!!

I'm so pleased I had to share this with someone!

Hope it helps.

Sincerely,
Rob
 
Thanks Rob!
See you at Blade...Are the KMG1 too heavy to claim as baggage on the plane??? Will be buying one soon:D
 
See you at Blade...Are the KMG1 too heavy to claim as baggage on the plane??? Will be buying one soon
Click to expand...

Naw!! Carry it on, then throw it in the overhead....but watch as "items may shift during flight" KonK!! (ouch!) :D :D
 
Rob; are you coming down to the Hammer-In at Old Washington on the 30th? have to talk to you about a grinder. mike
 
Rob and all,
The smeared - melted was just that, melted. It's almost imposable to keep that from happening with power equipment (for me, anyway). When I'm making boxes and such, I clean up the edges with 120 paper glued to glass, then the edges still need buffing to return to that clear look. You still have to be careful because the plastic will burn on a buffer.
Just what I do, Lynn
 
Thanks for the tip Rob, see you at Blade.
Scott
 
Don't think this applies to plexiglass and plastic, necessarily, but when I ordered belts from Pop the first time he suggested I use lard on them. He said "It makes a mess." I'll bet!
 
Mike, Thanks for the post! I regret to say that I'm too busy to come down to Ol' Washington this spring. That is one of my favorite hammer-ins but the 12-15hr drive one-way keeps me out of the shop longer than I can afford this spring. The Blade show is coming up so fast!!!

gotta make more parts!...gotta make more parts!...

Sincerely,
Rob
 
Got got the money just burning a hole in my pocket for a new grinder. I cringe when I think of frieght companies and shipping. what about this fall? the drive is the same though. mike
 
rfrink said:
I was making some acrylic (plexiglass) retail display fixtures for the Bladeshow and was terribly frustrated with the finish on the cut edges. I used my horizontal grinder to clean up the edges after bandsawing them....but the sanded finished looked like smeared melted plastic...which is was. I tried different grits and slower speeds but just couldn't get the finish that I wanted without scrapping the edges with a tool. Out of desperation, I grabbed a wax stick of tapping compound and shoved it into the spinning belt to charge it with lubricant. Then ground the plastic with amazing results!!!! The plastic no longer melted on the belt. The edges came out beautiful right off the machine!!!
Click to expand...

Next tiem you are cutting acrylic for a case like that, instead of trying to smooth the edges with the grinder, break out the torch. You can flame polish that edge, and it will look like a shiny smooth edge in seconds. I suggest you try a practice piece or two before you go to your display case pieces, but it is easy to do. You can wipe the flame across the narrow edge, and it smooths right out. Too long in one spot and it blisters, too short and it leaves remnants of the cutting/grinding behind (too short is easily fixed with another pass).

Give that a shot on your plastic.....

Lubing belts makes sense though.

Doc
 
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