I Need Some Help With A Burnisher

[slipangle]

You can get set up for way less, if you're willing to make your own heads using arbor adapters. Woodworking catalogs usually have a good selection. And a surplus dryer motor for cheap. But I wouldn't go anywhere near 4 or eight inches if it were me. You can make some useful one to two inch diameter burnishers using those adapters and the wool felt discs mentioned above and even some laminated discs of veg tanned if you like, which can be spun on your motor and shaped with round files and sandpaper. Or even wood. I made my burnishers out of lignum vitae on my lathe. Very nice dense and waxy wood for the application.

[KalL]

So why go smaller like 1" or 2"? I thought the smaller it is the faster, and won't that burn the edge being faster instead of polishing?

[billybopp]

The smaller the wheel, the slower the contact area with the leather for any given motor speed. Looking at what the folks that are selling these use (Weaver, Tippmann, and ebay, etc) they all look to be about 2" or so. I'd think that's where I'd start. ( I only chose 4" & 8" in the above post to show the numbers ... Just an example).

Bill

[slipangle]

What Bill says, Kail. The larger the diameter the wheel, the higher the SFM, or surface feet per minute.

With a 1725 rpm motor, a one or two inch diameter burnisher is spinning plenty fast.

[KalL]

Ah, gotcha man. Thanks!

Incidentally the electric burnisher I originally posted about got relisted with a starting bid of $100 and free shipping. The thought crossed my mind since mine is questionable.... I took another look at mine and some of the windings are coming apart.

[slipangle]

Well, KalL, free shipping is pretty good. Probably cost her about 16 bucks to sent it to you, if not 20. But, I still hate to see someone spend that much, even though that motor looks pretty new.

Tell you what. Think you can find an old motor locally? Like msdelucca says, the motors can usually be found cheap. At flea markets or an appliance repair place. I can't imagine an old, surplus but running motor should cost you more than 20 bucks, max. If that. Do you have the skills to add a wire with inline switch to it?

I've got some of those arbor adapters around here. I've got tons of stuff like that. If you want, I'll make you up a burnishing head and you'll just have to find a motor. I can put either 8/9 ounce veg tanned discs on it and turn it on my lathe, make some grooves for you. Or, I have some pure wool felt here in 1/2 inch thickness and could try to cut 3 or 4 discs of that and shape it. Not sure how I'd do that but I'm often not sure how to do stuff and manage to pull it off. Would prefer to make it out of leather, I guess.

I don't know, maybe 25 bucks for a made up burnisher head. Shipped. Off the top of my head. I'm kind of new to this forum so not sure how to send private messages but, you can send me one if you like…if you're interested.

Scott

[KalL]

I'm not sure either actually. I've never sent a pm here before, but I might be interested though. I'm not sure on finding the motor locally at garage sales, etc... It would actually be easier for me just to buy that motor, but I want to see if the price drops on it any further.

[camano ridge]

To send a PM click on the persons screen name their profile will come up. The top right hand screen you will see send me a message click and follow the prompt.

[slipangle]

Got it. Figured it out right after I wrote that, Camano Ridge. Thank you.

[Mack869]

Actually I use a dremel for burnishing edges as well as other applications beyond edging. You can create your own ' attachment' with the generic threaded shaft attachment bit that comes with the dremel. Seems to work fine for me. (Also use sanding sleeves to dress down leather edges). For large projects or burnishing multiple layer items you would want something more "industrial". As an example, I probably would use my dremel for dressing a belt or strap edge, but wouldn't on anything larger ( lack of patience ; - ))