bench grinder for burnishing

[SonderingSusan]

Hey Everyone,

Im thinking of purchasing a bench grinder . Would anyone have any recommendations on the best RPM i should go for? 2850 Rpm is on the one I'm looking at.....https://www.iedepot.ie/sip-6-pro-bench-grinder/  ( but i really don't have a clue)

also does the circumference matter of the wheel, seems to be mostly 6" and 8'". does it need to be variable speed? I'm not going to be spending more than 100 euro.thanks for any / all advice!

best,

s

[Nuttish]

Grinders and buffers are wayyy too fast and use AC motors so aren't easily speed controlled. They're also more expensive than the DIY alternative.

You can come in under budget with a more useful machine by getting a DC treadmill motor and using bolt on arbors with soft buffs. You can often get treadmill motors for free if you haul a busted treadmill away for someone - the controllers die first, but the motors are usually good.

The merit of these motors is that they are easily speed controlled because they're DC and are designed to generate high torque at low voltages. We burnish and wax polish at hundreds of RPM vs thousands.

Parts list: (1) treadmill motor - free, (2) assortment of wire terminals - less than $10 and useful for tons of projects, (3) extra IEC cable or other computer component cable you have lying around, (4) cheap Amazon voltage regulator with potentiometer knob - around $15 shipped, (5) cheap full wave bridge rectifier - less than $5, (6) length of 14 gauge wire and wire nut - you probably already have

The horizontal burnishing setup cost less than $50 plus wheels. See pics. The edge burnisher got a custom work table so it fits in front of the sander and the wheel runs horizontally. The shaft is 5/8" threaded for a left handed 1/2-13 nut. This required a custom reducing bushing/flange in order to use the Italian polishing wheels from Campbell Randall. A non-threaded shaft would require an arbor for regular cotton buffing wheels or in the case of the vertical polisher I fabricated flannel polishing wheels with integral set screws that go in the shaft's keyway.

You should definitely electrically ground yours and cover your wires.

Not sure if you can post videos here or I'd post one proving that you get far superior results burnishing at very low speeds.

[Matt S]

I use a cheap bench grinder as my burnisher. Almost all run around 2900RPM, and that's quite fast for the job -- there's a fine line between burnishing and burning. Not the safest tool in the shed but then neither am I. It's only 150w so stops if anything gets caught.

1450ish RPM would be better, but harder to find, especially in induction (brushless) form. These are quieter than brushed motors but are very difficult to adjust their speed -- if you use a dimmer switch or one of those speed controllers designed for brushed motors it burns up.

[Mattsbagger]

I'd go with a small tabletop drill press. Most have adjustable speed and can use for other things too. It what I use for burnishing and sanding.

[SonderingSusan]

@mattsbagger, thats very interesting, would you have a picture of yours ? do you attach burnishers to where the drill press head is? thanks,

s

[billybopp]

Keep in mind that when burnishing, it's a matter of the speed of the burnisher against the edge of the leather.  So, the faster the motor the smaller diameter the burnisher should be.  That's why you see burnishers for use with a Dremel that are around 1/2" in diameter - Dremels low end speed is about 5000 RPM.  Slower speeds can let you get away with a larger diameter burnishing wheel.

- Bill

[benjaminrbrown]

In my research when I when through this process, this is what I found. Nigel Armitage's burnisher / bench motor is 3000rpm.https://www.justwood.com/buy/leather-burnisher-with-motor-drum-sander_35.htm 

The Cobra MP Burnisher (sorry no link, for some reason my work blocks the Cobra site) is a 2000-3400 rpm variable speed bench grinder with a sander and burnisher. 

So.....

I bought a burnisher spool from here: http://www.proedgeburnishers.com/burnisher-spools--sanding-drums.html  And put it on an variable bench grinder motor from Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/DELTA-Delta-6-in-Bench-Grinder/50150070 and sanding drums from Harbor Freight:  https://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-quick-change-sanding-drum-set-35455.html to make my own version. If I think of it I will post pictures later. 

Why variable speed? I have not only the ability to burnish at 3000rmp (or close to it) but sand at differing speeds depending on the aggressiveness that I desire. Plus I've used the grinding wheel one when I accidentally chipped one of my knives and I had to regrind it. In total all of this was about $150.

If I was in Europe I would just order one of Nigel's setups though justwood https://www.justwood.com/buy/leather-burnisher-with-motor-drum-sander_35.htm . If I was wealthier, I would buy the Cobra. But I am an idiot so I tried to do it myself. And for some reason, it turned out ok this time

[Mattsbagger]

https://www.harborfreight.com/8-in-5-speed-bench-drill-press-60238.html

 

This is the one I have. And a cocobolo burnisher off Etsy for $50.

[SonderingSusan]

Thanks for sharing @Mattsbagger, that looks like a good set up!

 

I have a dremel with coco bolo heads attached , but as i have to hold it on my hand and the leather work in the other i find it is a slow process, if there was some way i could use it freehand it would be great. would anyone know of any solutions?

 

Thanks!

[SonderingSusan]

@nuttish, your set up looks great ! id love to see some images of your work. Unfortunately I'm not electronically minded and would not know how to make something so cool!!

 

@benjaminrbrown thanks for sharing this! think this option might be worth going for! 

thanks @billybopp and @Matt S for sharing your knowledge, all of that is very useful and you have all saved me form wasting money on the wrong product so MASSIVE thanks!!!

[MikeM]

2 hours ago, SonderingSusan said:

Thanks for sharing @Mattsbagger, that looks like a good set up!

 

I have a dremel with coco bolo heads attached , but as i have to hold it on my hand and the leather work in the other i find it is a slow process, if there was some way i could use it freehand it would be great. would anyone know of any solutions?

 

Thanks!

I'm using a Dremel also. Clamp it in on top of this bench.... https://www.lowes.com/pd/WORX-Pegasus-31-in-W-x-32-in-H-Plastic-Work-Bench/1000034439?cm_mmc=SCE_PLA-_-ToolsAndHardware-_-WorkSupports-_-1000034439:WORX&CAWELAID=&kpid=1000034439&CAGPSPN=pla&store_code=597&k_clickID=c616c75f-fc8c-42ea-aa2d-c4e83253e536&gclid=Cj0KCQjwx43ZBRCeARIsANzpzb_L1NzepEDFlzStHQt8p7MvpAur7gcoyPaVYwvs7IyeOcLdSsZy-s0aAt9mEALw_wcB

 

[Scoutmom103]

They do make holders that essentially turn a Dremel into a small drill press.  The link below shows some pictures:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dremel+drill+press+table&qpvt=dremel+drill+press+table&FORM=IGRE

Here's an amazon link for one of the versions:

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-220-01-Rotary-Workstation-Station/dp/B00068P48O

 

[MikeM]

4 hours ago, Scoutmom103 said:

They do make holders that essentially turn a Dremel into a small drill press.  The link below shows some pictures:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=dremel+drill+press+table&qpvt=dremel+drill+press+table&FORM=IGRE

Here's an amazon link for one of the versions:

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-220-01-Rotary-Workstation-Station/dp/B00068P48O

 

I use one of those as well and can vouch...it's really useful! Just today I was sharpening some hole punches for some grommet work I'm doing for boat canvas tomorrow...

[Irishleather]

I know a few years have gone by. I am looking to sand and burnish leather, too. But because I work with industrial sewing machines, I wondered if the "servo" motor made for sewing machines would work? like this one? 

This is shipped by Amazon: 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XB9D1L6/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?_encoding=UTF8&aaxitk=36db6e8e52797bb897763410eaf47ae6&content-id=amzn1.sym.7e9cd8c2-888c-46c4-82d2-714b2b703021%3Aamzn1.sym.7e9cd8c2-888c-46c4-82d2-714b2b703021&hsa_cr_id=9755496630001&pd_rd_plhdr=t&pd_rd_r=4023fb89-9de5-44a7-8a53-11d5b5a140a7&pd_rd_w=maWQc&pd_rd_wg=CHy7u&qid=1675011135&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_lsi4d_asin_1_img&sr=1-2-9e67e56a-6f64-441f-a281-df67fc737124