Thread: any opinion welcome on this buffer /grinder ..!

as with most things im super pressed for space in the garage , everything i use from drill press to , band saw , to whatever pretty much comes off a shelf to the bench then goes back on a shelf when done ..

i found this model Bench Grinder with Flex Shaft

while at harbor freight the other day , it is a variable speed with dials and the one in the store had a 3 1/2" buffing wheel on one side and grinder on the other with all the guards on it ... im thinking perhaps if i removed the guards i could run a 4" buffer wheel ( easier to find) on each side and do some blade work , i dont do enough restoration to justify a bigger machine (unless this isnt gonna cut it ) but would love to have something to buff out my scales when making new ones and the occasional blade ...
any thought or experiences on this product , please feel free to comment !!

i know the description is vague but i think it has a dial from 400 or 600 rpm-10,000

If it is a buffer you are looking for, spend a few dollars more and buy the HF buffer, many of us have used that buffer for years without issue.

It is not so much the size or variable speed, but for razor buffing, the access extended shafts allow.
Variable speed is really a non-issue. I have a 1800 rpm and two, 3600 rpm and they all deliver the same results. You will still have to quench both, with extended buffing.

I do not bolt my buffers down, no need and store them in a cabinet when not in use.

thanks , i was always under the assumption that the speeds was a big issue . i will look into the you mentioned ..

I agree that safety should be the paramount issue and a bona fide buffer with extended shafts is going to be much more safe for you. I'd recommend that you swap it for the right tool.

I have exactly what you are looking at but it came with buffing spindles attached. It will work, but to work at lower speeds it doesn't have enough torque. You have to run it at 50% reduction or less for enough torque to run normal buffing wax type compounds on 3.5-4" buffing wheels. You can't do any serious work on it, but minor clean ups on razors are just fine. You do have to watch the heat & keep a plastic tumbler of water around to cool the blades as you are working. The "brand" on mine is Rand, but I am sure it's made by the same company by looking at it in the pic provided.

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I have exactly what you are looking at but it came with buffing spindles attached. It will work, but to work at lower speeds it doesn't have enough torque. You have to run it at 50% reduction or less for enough torque to run normal buffing wax type compounds on 3.5-4" buffing wheels. You can't do any serious work on it, but minor clean ups on razors are just fine. You do have to watch the heat & keep a plastic tumbler of water around to cool the blades as you are working. The "brand" on mine is Rand, but I am sure it's made by the same company by looking at it in the pic provided.

the one they have in the store has the buffing wheel spindles , they have another model same price actually that is just a buffer , i just had thought in the past i read some place that a variable speed was the way to go ... thanks guys , i will have to look into this a little more !!

first, happy 20015 ..

i have cca the same buffer, grinder, as said it's not extremely powerfull but it works nice for me, when i do a razor restoration every now and than. I'd say it's a good value for the money...

Yes, variable speed is the cats meow...but this little buffer doesn't have the power you need to reduce the rpm's. This is why I went with a 2HP motor on my variable speed knife grinder so that it wouldn't bog down at low rpm's. Think about it this way, you notice that 4 cylinder motors are quite powerful and great for our smaller to mid sized cars & can make a lot of HP right? Then why don't you see them in big trucks ? YOu need torque to handle a load, same with a buffer or grinder in our sport. The slower you turn the motor, the more torque you will need. This little motor is rated in watts...normally if they are rated that way, they are small.