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buffing wheels

Started by hayton1960, December 05, 2005, 05:13:27 PM

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hayton1960

If you never considered using a buffing wheel and compound to finish hone your edges, I'd recomend it definately. I'd always wrote it off as a old wives tale, or unecessary fussing, but I am astounded what a difference it makes smiley_thumbsup
Quite a few of my old familiar tools have undergone makeovers in recent days. One adze in particular has become an absolute joy to use it leaves a smoothing plane finish with no effort it does it all by itself ::) Scorp, inshave, various axes have "matured" and become much easier to use, and give much cleaner results. Opinel steel buffs well, my pocket knife was sharp already, now it is very very sharp. Its a good system indoors at least, less grinding, tool lasts longer.

srjones

Makes a noticible difference when sharpening chisels and a lot faster than a leather strop!  :)
Everyone has hobbies...I hope to live in mine someday.

ohsoloco

You mean a buffing wheel you'd use on a bench type grinder  ???

hayton1960

Thats right. I'd got good results with chrome polish on a leather belt to do a final stroppy finish, but the wheel is much faster to do.
Off of ebay I got a coarse sisal wheel matched with grey (coarse) compound to do a pre polish-it is amazing how it will remove file and grind marks. Then a calico cotton wheel with white compound to do a final polish. I once worked in a chrome plating shop and remember the lads in the polishing shop using similar set ups except the wheels were about 5 foot diameter not 6 inch like the ones I got to suit my grinder. (by the way, the secret of a good chrome finish = expert polishing ;))
I've not used the grinding wheel much for some time now, preferring to use a file to maintain an edge as its more tactile, easier to see where your at, less chance of burning the steel etc (plus cant afford tormek!!) and I dislike excessive noise (and I dont have many HSS tools) :). As I had an empty spindle at one side I thought I'd try the buffing system. It is cheap, safe, fast and efficient. I got a spiral adapter to fit the 1/2" spindle so you just twist the wheels on and off. I found you dont need to overdo it as you could "round over" your edge. But a gentle touch every now and then maintains a razor+ edge.

JimBuis

I use a buffing wheel and compound on everything that I need a sharp edge on from cold chisels to wood chisels.  Besides doing a nice job on sharpening you can do a wonderful job of polishing the surface of a ratty old tool and make it into something that you are proud to have around.  They are not only nicer to look at they clean up a whole lot easier after that.
Jim Buis                             Peterson 10" WPF swingmill

ohsoloco

Excellent idea.  I also like the idea of using a file instead of a grinder....but, how exactly do you hold your chisels to use a file on them  ???  I mean, do you clamp it in a vise somehow and do it that way, or do you use the file like you would an oil stone? 

Now if I only had a bench grinder at my house to install a buffing wheel on...so many things on my "want" list  :-\

hayton1960

Quote from: ohsoloco on December 06, 2005, 11:45:56 AM
Excellent idea.  I also like the idea of using a file instead of a grinder....but, how exactly do you hold your chisels to use a file on them  ???  I mean, do you clamp it in a vise somehow and do it that way, or do you use the file like you would an oil stone? 

Now if I only had a bench grinder at my house to install a buffing wheel on...so many things on my "want" list  :-\

When I do chisels I still use the grinder, but I would just rst on a bench or hold in a vise. I use the axes/adzes/scorps/drawknife etc much more often. I find it easier to plant the tool on a saw horse or the bench (I like to kneel or sit beside a saw horse-the lower height helps me to see better) and file, positioning carefully so the light shows me the edge (reflection) I also have a little pocket lens to take a close up view now and again. I hold the drawknife in the vise at one handle.

hayton1960

Just a thought ohsoloco :)
Why not build a wheel if you can get hold of an old washing machine motor, shaft, a pair of pillow bearings, pulleys etc.
I once read about someone who finished their carving gouge edges on a leather pad (shoe sole leather I think??) mounted on a slow revovling disc which went horizontally like a record player rather than vertically like a regular grinder. He used jewellers rouge or similar as his compound. You could set up a slow revolving horizontal disc with emery for shaping as well I reckon. Even on the tormek top of the range wet grinder they have a leather buffing wheel to finish there edges. All sorts of possibilities :) I never tried it yet but at a pinch I think toothpaste might work as a buffing compound (not the gel sort, the old fashioned sort even the powder one for smokers??)
Cheers, Jonathan ;)

ohsoloco

That's probably all it will be, just a thought...I'm not much of a fabricator  :(  However, I may have a spare washing machine motor in the near future.  At least it has been pumping the water out of the tub every wash for the past few months (it used to decide to just not pump), but if it leaks any more there won't be any water in there to wash the clothes  ::) :D

etat

I've heard that some wood wood workers use a really fine piece of sandpaper laying on a piece of glass to finish hone their chisels.  I've tried it once or twice and it works pretty dang good. 
Old Age and Treachery will outperform Youth and Inexperence. The thing is, getting older is starting to be painful.

ohsoloco

CK, that works really well for sharpening chisels, plane irons, etc.  I use some of that aerosol adhesive to stick the sandpaper to a piece of granite...if you want you can polish up to 2000 grit.  When the sandpaper is worn out just pull or scrape the paper off and clean up the surface with some mineral spirits  :)

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