Burnishing Problem Solved - Motorized on the Cheap

[cjartist]

I was looking for a motorized burnisher to save my hands.  Hand burnishing is okay for small things but when you move into working with long edges ... Uggh!

So I was looking around for options and I ended up with this setup.

I had the cheap Harbor Freight bench grinder that I got on barter a couple years ago.  The spindle was $13.10 from eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TAPERED-SPINDLE-1-2-HOLE-RIGHT-SIDE-OF-MOTOR-POLISHING-BUFFING-WHEEL-HOLDER/190689483141

And the wheel was $8.00 from Tandy.  

Yeah, I'm cheap ... broke is more like it.  But I highly recommend this setup for anyone that needs a little help doing edges and doesn't have a fortune to spend.  Enjoy!

[garypl]

Did you just jam the burnisher onto the spindle?

[Fire88]

Ive been thinking of doing something very similar, Good work

[AdamGadut]

you may want a burnishing wheel with more varieties in the thickness it can burnish - maybe 5 in one burnisher. Two is ok if that covers everything you do though.

[cjartist]

3 hours ago, garypl said:

Did you just jam the burnisher onto the spindle?

No, the spindle is threaded in the opposite direction of rotation.  The wheel is just hand turned on and the spindle essentially threads itself into the wood.  It becomes self tightening when it meets resistance.  This is typically used with polishing wheels by jewelers.

Edited August 5, 2017 by cjartist

[dikman]

That's actually quite a clever way to mount the burnisher! It never occurred to me when I was making my burnishers - so simple that I missed it.

[cjartist]

On 8/13/2017 at 1:29 AM, dikman said:

That's actually quite a clever way to mount the burnisher! It never occurred to me when I was making my burnishers - so simple that I missed it.

Thanks, I only found the solution out of necessity of not having the $$.  It works quite well too.  All that I need for now  

[alpha2]

Note that there are right hand spindles and left hand spindles. If you use the wrong one, instead of tightening under load, it runs off and shoots across the floor!!!

[cjartist]

15 hours ago, alpha2 said:

Note that there are right hand spindles and left hand spindles. If you use the wrong one, instead of tightening under load, it runs off and shoots across the floor!!!

Ha ha, yes very important to be sure to buy the right one.  That truly could be an expensive mistake ... "be careful kid, you could take an eye out with that thing"

[dikman]

Actually, unless you've got something completely different on your side of the pond, every grinder that I've come across has had a left-hand thread on one side and a right-hand thread on the other. It is impossible to fit the wrong spindle on the wrong side, so whichever side you use it will always tighten up (unless you some how manage to reverse the motor direction).

[alpha2]

That may be. The only motors I have experience with are Dental  equipment. Straight, smooth arbor, the cones tap on and have a left and a right. Nice thing is that they are two speed. The low is just about right for burnishing. Still trying to find one that some dentist is through with...I have 133 days to get it done, then I retire, and my dental connections are kaput. And I'm alright with that!

[dikman]

Ok, that explains your comment. Sounds like a nice motor if you can get hold of one, good luck with the retirement (I can highly recommend it ).

[DrmCa]

I've been thinking... Since burnishing wheel can be made on a wood lathe, is there a point in moving it off to another motor? A mini wood lathe can probably serve as a burnisher.

[alpha2]

Good idea! And, the speed is probably right where you want it.

[dikman]

Only negative I can see is that access may be an issue, as most motorised burnishers usually have the wheel hanging over the edge of a table which gives better access for long pieces (belts).

[bikermutt07]

I recently got my hands on a shopsmith. I think it could serve very well in playing with leather. I haven't gotten to get it all lined up yet, though. I bought it for work and it is at the shop. I am slowly making a space for it in our wood work area. But, I can only work towards that when we are really slow.

These things can be had for next to nothing if you look for them. If you wanted to try woodworking out I would suggest looking for the 510 or 520 models as they have the bigger better table systems. But I'm confident any model could be useful for leather.

[LumpenDoodle2]

On 18/08/2017 at 0:52 AM, dikman said:

Actually, unless you've got something completely different on your side of the pond, every grinder that I've come across has had a left-hand thread on one side and a right-hand thread on the other. It is impossible to fit the wrong spindle on the wrong side, so whichever side you use it will always tighten up (unless you some how manage to reverse the motor direction).

I have a cheap and chearful grinder, which came with the grinding wheels bolted onto the shafts.   I removed those, and bought a left, and a right hand threaded fittings for burnishing wheels to screw onto.    

As with most tools, the upgrading continued, and now I have a Nigel Armatage burnishing thing bolted onto one shaft, and a sanding drum bolted onto the other.  If I want to do a bit knife polishing, I can remove either side, fit the tapered screw, and then the polishing wheel.

[garypl]

12 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

I recently got my hands on a shopsmith. I think it could serve very well in playing with leather. I haven't gotten to get it all lined up yet, though. I bought it for work and it is at the shop. I am slowly making a space for it in our wood work area. But, I can only work towards that when we are really slow.

These things can be had for next to nothing if you look for them. If you wanted to try woodworking out I would suggest looking for the 510 or 520 models as they have the bigger better table systems. But I'm confident any model could be useful for leather.

I bought a new Shopsmith in 1976 that I still use regularly.  12" disk sander works great for smoothing edges and you can easily vary the speed.  I haven't priced them lately, but I paid around $1200 back in 1976!

[bikermutt07]

The newer ones are more. They don't make the mark 5 anymore, although all the parts are still available. The 510 ($3500) is the standard now. The 520 ($3800) is an upgrade from that. The power pro 520 ($4200) has a digitally controlled head. I bought a 1981 model with the 510 tables. It has the jointer, the 6" belt sander, the bandsaw. I got it for $700 on Craigslist.

[garypl]

9 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

The newer ones are more. They don't make the mark 5 anymore, although all the parts are still available. The 510 ($3500) is the standard now. The 520 ($3800) is an upgrade from that. The power pro 520 ($4200) has a digitally controlled head. I bought a 1981 model with the 510 tables. It has the jointer, the 6" belt sander, the bandsaw. I got it for $700 on Craigslist.

You got a sweet deal - the accessories cost me @$400 each when I bought them!

[bikermutt07]

That is the best way to buy them. It's like accessories don't really add any value when buying used. I have been watching them for a few months and people that are asking 2000 or more always wind up not selling. The trick I think is to find one with the 510 table. That is a really expensive upgrade from the factory ($1500). They usually bring 800 to 1000 with that upgrade. The mark V's can be had all day long for 3-500.00.

Anyone selling the power pro that knows what they have wants 3 or 4000.

I did see one that went on eBay for about 1500. Wish I could have bid on that one.

[dikman]

" It's like accessories don't really add any value when buying used" . Applies to other things too, when I traded in one of my motorbikes (on another one) the salesman said to strip off all the extras because they'll give me the same price, with or without them! If there are extras the buyer usually gets the benefits, but the seller doesn't.

I remember the Shopsmith's from many years ago (when I used to read Popular Mechanics). Always wanted one but 1) couldn't get them in Oz and 2) too expensive anyhow for me.