Thread: Just some odds and sods

Just a few pics. I bought myself some power tools. For the past 5 years all of my resto work has been by hand, but I am having so much trouble with my wrists and fingers that I finally decided to buy a few tools that would save me some time in the early stages. Anyway, since I live in Red Deer, Alberta it is always difficult to find supplies so most everything I purchase is from the USA even though I also use Lee Valley Tools, Caswell Canada and a few others. However I have found that supplies are sporadic and you I have to order from several sources to get what I need which is a royal pain the ass so I say the heck with it and order from one place in the States where I can generally get everything with one order.
Here are a few pics that might help fellow Canucks source out supplies.

First up - My Maximum variable speed 6" grinder/polisher/buffer that I purchased from Canadian Tire. A few comments.
It has a rheostat switch to control the speed. There has been a lot of discussion and several threads about using a dimmer switch or Harbor Freight rheostat control to regulate the RPM. That will work, but a dimmer switch, harbor freight switch does not regulate the voltage; it resists the voltage. It is just a variable resistor. The by product of the resistor is heat. So it has to go somewhere to dissipate and that means with extended use the switch and the motor will heat up. I said all that simply say that I believe the Maximum grinder I purchased is in fact nothing but an internally built dimmer switch/resistor not the proper circuitry such as a voltage regulator control/loop (Variac) necessary to actually regulate the voltage, not resist it. I am going to take it apart one of these days and see what is actually inside. When I do I will post a few pictures. My machine has an rpm range of 2000 to 3400. I run it at the minimum setting while working on my resto projects. And no, I never let the blade or any portion thereof heat up. That is what the glass of ice water is for and I never use the wheels beyond 320 grit. Everything after that is by hand.
First Pic - 6" buffer with two 6" wheels loaded with 80 grit compound.


Next pic - the 6" polishing/buffing 1/2" wheel I purchased at Canadian Tire. I have 8 of them. Two for each grit.


Next - A picture of the Eastwood Greaseless compound I purchase 220 grit shown


Next - I don't have my wheel rake yet. It is enroute from Caswell Canada but I made myself a make-do rake out of a block of wood and some 80 grit paper stapled to it. Works fine until I get my rake.


Here is a picture of a wheel after using my adhoc rake


Finally 80 grit wheel I alway mark the grit and rotation with a felt marker just because I am me.


Again, no biggie. I know everyone already knows all this just my 0.02 cents.

Why does the rotation direction matter? I tend to put them on randomly and have not noticed any issue.

Originally Posted by Utopian

Why does the rotation direction matter? I tend to put them on randomly and have not noticed any issue.

It doesn't. It's just the way I mark my wheels.

Nice machine. It's a grinder not a buffer. I think you will find limited use for the 6 inch wheels unless you are doing near wedges say 7/8 and larger. 4 inch wheels will be the most frequently used for near wedge 5/8 and 6/8 blades. 2 and 3 inch wheels for the hollow ground blades. You'll struggle to work with the 4 inch because the wheels are so close to the motor housing. I doubt you'll be able to use smaller wheels at all. Buffers have longer shafts to keep the work away from the motor housing. They also do not have the grinding guards. There are shaft extensions you can buy but the ones I have tried do not run true and are held on to the shaft by allen head screws that will chew up the threads on your main shaft.
Anyway good luck and keep us posted on how things work out.
Regards,
Karl

Thank you! I appreciate your comments.

I think if you are going use this strictly as a buffer, go ahead and get the extension shafts for both sides or just use one side with an extension shaft. I've been looking at this particular grinder..... Always wanted to know if it would be worth to get or not.

Originally Posted by Willisf

I think if you are going use this strictly as a buffer, go ahead and get the extension shafts for both sides or just use one side with an extension shaft. I've been looking at this particular grinder..... Always wanted to know if it would be worth to get or not.

You may want to try the tapered shafts - it makes for easier changing of mops - the ones I bough run very true and come in left and right hand.

@Utopian - if you use tapered spindles it pays to always set the wheels in the same way - the taper cuts a groove into the leather and I found it better to always mount mops on the same side and facing the same direction.