Thread: Buffer recommendations?

Originally Posted by scag315

Would the 4" wheels be safer to use with it at such a high rpm?

When I was building my variable speed buffer the man who was of so much help provided me with this information. I hope it helps you; I've put the important part in bold;

Roy, take this little formula to figure your speed:
rpm of motor divided by the diameter of the pulley.

Use this as an example.
1750 rpm divided by 6" pulley=291
291rpm divided by 3" pulley = 97 rpm

A 10 inch wheel will run 97 rpm. So will a 6 inch wheel.

The surface speed is a different matter though. You might want to drop down to a smaller wheel:

A 10" wheel at 97 rpm is running 3,048 inches per minute.
A 6" wheel at 97 rpm is running 1,828 inches per minute

Formula to figure surface speeds of wheels:

10" x 3.1416 x 97 = surface inches per minute.
6" x 3.1416 x 97 = surface inches per minute.

I ended up using 4" wheels and love them!

I usually use 4", but I have some 2" wheels that are really nice for using greaseless on hollow grounds.

Originally Posted by BeJay

I usually use 4", but I have some 2" wheels that are really nice for using greaseless on hollow grounds.

The smallest wheels I have found that fit on my Baldor are 3", very handy for very hollow blades. Even they can be too big sometimes, then I use my Dremel.