Arbor Shaft for a DYI Benchtop Buffer/Polisher
I need a large benchtop buffer/polisher, and instead of spending ~$200.00 or more, I thought I’d build my own. I have almost everything I need except the arbor shaft, which would be about 24″ long and 3/4″ diameter. I plan on using up to 10″ wheels. These shafts normally have a left-handed thread on the left end of the shaft so the buffer wheel doesn’t unscrew during use. I’ve totally struck-out finding a supplier for this.
I know, this tool really has nothing to do with home building (although if I were having a new house built, I’d insist on the rebar being polished…), but given the wide range of experience of everyone here, Breaktime is always one of my first stops for information.
Thank you.
edit on 08/23/2010: finally getting around to proofing posts from a week ago…
Replies
Probably custom
The shaft will probably have to be custom made by a machine shop, but shouldn't cost too much. They just need to turn it in a lathe that has the thread cutting gear drive, which most do.
With regard to polished rebar: Don't, the little bit of nonflakey rust on the surface gives it better adhesion, both mechanically and chemically.
Probably custom...
Thank you. Custom-made was always an option, but if there's a supplier already out there for these, buying one from them would have to be cheaper than paying someone to start from scratch.
You live anywhere near Junkhound? He's got just what you need in one of his sheds.
(Check with an outfit that sells motor bearings and the like. They may have something on hand that would work, or have it in a catalog, or have a machine shop to knock it out.)
Check with...
Junkhound's in the PNW, I'm in central Joisey. Junkhound, if you have a spare in your shed(s) you'd like to sell, give me a holler.
Dan, the local bearing guy I go to didn't have anything such as this. Do you know of any on-line sources?
Thank you.
arbour shaft....
I'm thinkin that what you might want to be searching for is a rockhounds cabbig grinder as in the photo attached....
I dunno if it suits yer needs, but if you do find one on the Kijiji/craigslist, chances are it has stones finer than the usual grinders...
I'm in search of solutions for the same problem.....too much real estate used for motoros and dedicated machines....grining wheels, bufferes, rotary hones etc.
And you gotta be able to contain the sparks from each one of em.....
let me know if you have any further inspirations....
Eric in Calgary
Cabbing Grinder
Thanks, Eric. I'd never heard of lapidary (means "concerned with stones") or cabbing (cutting a stone to the desired shape, then sanding and polishing to form a smooth, rounded surface), but the grinders used for these are indeed impressive. Judging from the bearing supports in the picture you attached, it looks like a substantial piece of equipments, with I'd say 6" or 8" wheels. I wonder, though, if these are powerful enough for what I want to do. I'd said I wanted to build a buffer/polisher, but most of the time, what I need is a wire wheel. Wire wheels and buffers need quite a bit more power that grinders do. The ideal machine for me would be a 3/4 HP Balfour buffer/polisher, but they're way beyond both my needs and means.
I stopped in at a shoe repair place last weeks, and the equipment they use for grinding and polishing were also very impressive, albeit too big and (again) expensive for my needs.
Thanks again.
Dang, I've got a couple of pillow block bearings that have been sitting in storage for years. Wanna come get 'im?
Seriously, any decent tool supply retailer should have what you want. You need two of these (see picture), a shaft, and a pulley. Build up a base from lumber so that your wheels clear your work surface.
I've got the same dang ones...
Thanks, Scott. The ball-bearing pillow blocks were the first items I acquired for this project, probably over ten years ago. I'm finally getting around to restoring my '57 Chevy, and cleaning undercarriage and suspension parts with a 6" wire wheel in my 8" Delta grinder really demonstrates it's the wrong tool for the job (grossly underpowered). The motor and pulleys are easy to get, but the 24" long left and right-threaded shaft has me stuck.
Go onlint to ebay, craigslist, or even HF and buy yourself a lathe. You will thank yourself for many years. I bought my 13"x60" Clausing 40 years ago (about 3 weeks pay) and it has paid for itself 100X over in making diy parts. PS: same with dozer, backhoe, about any tool......etc
If this were the old BT, I'd just send you an old Craftsman arbor, complete with V belt......post paid. Shipping via the new BT would cost more than it's worth <G>..... post over on BT classic and I may send it to you pp anyway <G> (gotta rep to maintain ya know, told a guy over there I'd send him a switch for a saw if I had 2 when I get back in town and get 'a round tuit' to check)
Lathes, dozers and backhoes...
Thanks, Junkhound. Actually, I'll be getting my late father's 10" South Bend lathe, as soon as I can get my trailer finished to go over to get it (do I have too many projects going on at once???). My lathe skills have never included threading, but now there's something new for me to learn.
Dozers and backhoes, well, for my 0.44 acres, they'll be hard to convince SheWhoMustBeObeyed of their necessity. I do have a neighbor who loans me his Kubota B8200HST when there's heavy lifting or moving to do. SWMBO once threw a fit when I brought home a 1971 IH Cub Cadet 127 (another restoration project which'll need some wire-wheel time), but I kinda won this one when I pointed out that a lot of guys my age (54) go out and buy Corvettes; I bought a $400.00 garden tractor that I can plow and mow with. Furthermore, how much of a babe magnet am I going to be on a Cub Cadet???
I just signed on with BT Classic. I'll give ya a ring over there.
Thanks.
Yeah, but after you take the shaft out to use in your grinder, what do you do with the rest of the parts?
WTF...DIY
I don't know much about where to look for reverse threaded rods or what a machine shop charges per hour but I know that I would just buy a 3/4" left hand thread die and put the threads on it myself. Easy.
From McMaster Carr:
You're welcome
DC
I just got the new Woodcraft Catalogue and noticed there is an arbor for exactly what you're doing. I don't physically have the catalogue here but if I recall the unit was about $100. If that's too much I'd check the Grizzly catalog. That seems like the kind of thing they might have.
Beat me to the punch...
Check Grizzley's site....http://www.grizzly.com/products/1-2-Heavy-Duty-Portable-Shaft/H8024
Of if you want the whole assembly...http://www.grizzly.com/products/Buffing-Assembly/H3559