Drill Press as a Buffer?

[Mike OMelia]

My main hobby is guitar building. I need a buffer and will most likely build what I need in the end. But, I was talking to a fellow on another forum about using a drill press as a buffer. I have one of those 18" powermatic drill presses. Speed goes from 600 rpm all the way up to 3000 rpm.

Oher then the fact that the buffer is 90 degrees from a normal buffer, what are the drawbacks? Bearing wear? I would like to use 12" Wheels.

Has anybody ever done this?

Mike

[Doug Shepard]

I've got an 8" wheel that I occasionally use in the DP but if I were going to be doing more of it I think I'd start looking for a horizontal buffer. I've occasionally made my own brass hardware and used it to polish the brass after sanding so I'm only using it for small stuff. I would think that anything of any size would be awkward on the DP as far as clearance to the DP itself. Plus the bearing wear that you mentioned. I also noticed a very feint line on the wall where polishing compound got zinged off the wheel the last time I used it. I think it might be easier to make a shield for the horz. type to catch that.

[John Keeton]

Mike, I used to do a lot of polishing on a drill press I owned some years ago, and it destroyed the bearings. The machine was not a quality tool, but I just don't think they are made for that type of horizontal stress. Could have just been my junk drillpress, but it was enough that I won't do that on my present machine.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I use my drill press for polishing plastic, brass and aluminum. I also perform spindle sanding with it. The drill press is over 20 years old and is a cheap Harbor Freight house brand. It still works well and I don't notice any slop in the bearings.

Having said that, there really isn't much lateral loading from polishing. I'm guessing the lateral force is within the range of almost any ball bearing's deminimus rating.

If need be, replacing a ball bearing on a drill press is likley not a big deal to do. Bearings are cheap and readily available from internet sources.

-Jeff :)

[Jeff Willard]

Got a lathe? Even a cheap one could be pressed into service as a buffer.

[Al Willits]

Used to polish motorcycle parts and I ended up using a 1/3hp motor out of a belt drive furnace, the 6 or 8" polishing wheels work well and they make a adaptor to go from the motor shaft to a spindle for the buffing wheel....either that or I made one..can't remember.

Mounted this on a 12" square piece of 1/4 plate and added legs out of 3/4" pipe.

Nice thing about it, was the buffer wheel hung about 6-8" off the table so you could get to almost any polishing position you needed.

Just pick it up and stick in a corner when not using.

Al

[Mike OMelia]

I want a wide arbor... 30-36". I have looked at go-kart axles. But by the time you purchase all the parts, you might as well as have bought one of those low rpm buffers from caswell plating (1100 rpm).

Parts needed: go-kart axle ~$100
motor (1/3, 1/2 hp) $80
pulleys ($20-30)
pillow block bearings ($20-30)
flanges, bolts, wheels, wood for stand...

And casewell plating sells the kit for $239. It is a chinese made thing, but I have never heard of anyone complaining about the motor. They carry baldor buffers, but no low rpm version.

Mike

[Brian Kent]

$39 Harbor Freight drill press and Bealls Buffing System works just fine and has for several years. I use it for wood only.

[Pete Bradley]

The bearings in your drill press are the same radial bearings that go into a buffer, so there's no issue there. Check the chuck though -- you want one of the ones with a screw collar or other threaded connection. Otherwise the side load of buffing will have a tendency to pop the chuck out and may result in wear of the taper over time.

Pete

[David G Baker]

I keep a polishing wheel on one end of one of my bench grinders. Works great. I do polish items that I can chuck up in my drill press but have never tried using a polishing wheel in it or on it.

[Mike OMelia]

I do have one of those threaded collars.

Seriously, all I want is something I can chuck up in the press that has threaded ends and flanges to hold 12"-14" cotton wheels (three of them).

Maybe I need to head over to McMaster Carr. I have used a barrel sander on the drill press, and I know there was more axial loading there. In fact, If you press too hard on these guitar finishes (non-acrylics) they are going to burn. One advantage for me if this works is I won't need another tool hanging around taking up space...

[Dave Lehnert]

I use a Shopsmith. The variable speed come in handy. You can find them used at a good price and it can be used for other things.

http://www.shopsmith.com/markvsite/images/AnvMarkVGlamour6.gif

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Seriously, all I want is something I can chuck up in the press that has threaded ends and flanges to hold 12"-14" cotton wheels (three of them).

My buffing wheels are about as low tech as one could get.

I just use a long bolt or threaded rod of the appropiate diameter to fit the buffing wheel's hole. I snug the wheel up with some double nuts backed to each other on each side of the wheel with some washers. My drill press accomodates up to a 5/8" dia bit...so I just insert the end of the bolt or threaded rod into the chuck and tighten.

-Jeff :)