help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

[grommit]

hello all,
please can anyone give me advice on a bench grinder/biffer i have my eyes on, the spec is:
350w 240V Speed 2850 RPM Wheel diamater 200mm
with a 3 year warranty.
8'' grinding wheel
it is on Ebay (UK) Item number: 7601251160 if anyone can help havin a quick look and advise, if it isnt up to you guys standards could anyone direct me in the right direction,however its all about money,will a less expensive one do til i save up??
i think mike you have mentioned about sanding prep, what arethe grinding wheels provided good for (an obvious question i thought at first,but asking anyway )
i have a dremel already, but i will also looking for palm sanders n the like as recommended, OHHH NOOO i hear you say, it would be great if i could be steared in the right direction then.
where i work there are a hell of a lot of silver trophies and plaques etc, and the boss had a spy on my pc.... he thinks its a good idea that i polish things........told him to come and see me in a few years..
i will catch you all later i'm off to take off the timing cover, which i forgot all about.

[mpierich]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

grommit,

I can't comment on the price but if you can afford it, that looks like a pretty good machine to me.

Go to the Caswell home page, look along the left side and click on "Free How to Buff and Polish" Manual". This will give you some basic knowledge.

[fly]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

If you can afford it, I would find a buffer with 1hp-3600, I have a grizzly and I have a 3/4 3400 and I like the 3600 better. The more you get into the polishing the more you will understand that speed and power is everything to getting the job done.....
Look at caswell they have buffers, and if you plan on doing a lot of polishing then think about (you get what you pay for) cause now days thats the way it is.....Im not going to advertise but their are a lot of companies out their that have good buffers....and make sure you get a long shaft also......

[pickleboy]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

grommit i could be wrong but by my calculations that machine is only 1/3 hp. that will disappoint you in the long run. let me do some research and i can recommend a inexpensive alternative to the 400 dollar baldor that i have.

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

hello all,
thanks so much for the instant help, i'm pleased you guys can understand the HP etc and you are so right about the bigger picture, in the long run it will pay me to get a good buffer,appreciate your help in finding a buffer, to be honest money isnt a massive issue as my wife is behind me on buying the relevant tools etc,i dont want to buy '****' tools especially if they are under powered and learning will be a struggle if errors happen and the remedy becomes to buy a more powerful buffer...
one of the 1st things i done when i registered on this forum is to download and print the Free How to Buff and Polish Manual, and i have read it back to front countless times it is a great help.
my wife asked me why i havent bought the buffer off ebay yet, and i told her that hopefully you guys would stear me in the right direction,and once again you all have come up trumps! mind you she still isnt happy that the out-house has been emptied of all our daughters toys etc to make room for me to practice,let alone my Enfield's engine parts slowly appearing from the garage into the house,i have already sorted the ventilation out in the outhouse and up graded the power supply.
do you guys rate casswell for buying your compounds and wheels,as ebay is full of many makes, i have refrained from buying any till i buy the buffer and then work from there, i.e. size of wheel i am thinking 6-8'' but no doubt i will go through some wheels til i find my feet with pressure/compound application,you guys will of been there at some point.the one good thing is i have the Mikcarb Carburettor from my Enfield to do as it is getting replaced by a higher performance carb,so i could polish it and then sell?? i am lucky the frame is tubular steel painted,even though i aim to get it powder coated in the future, so no guessing where i will seek advice from
ok guys i have bumped my gums long enough,i suppose i should do some work,many thanks again.

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

hello once again,
cheers mikekozura for your pager message and directing me to harborfreight.com, i was like a kid looking in a toy catalogue.
can anyone give me advice on 2 items:
92623-4VGA
Chicago Electric Power Tools & 90820-1VGA
Chicago Electric.
as i am looking at buying one for my sanding jobs as i have a palm sander and a vibrating sander.
i just havent a clue with grinders/buffers from there can anyone help??
many thanks
brian

[fly]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

I like the 90 die grinder and the straight shaft die grinder.
On the 90 grinder I like the 3M disk (coarse, and med.) they work great, you can get 2" or 3" disk. These and what you already have should do just about any job......

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

RE:I like the 90 die grinder and the straight shaft die grinder.
On the 90 grinder I like the 3M disk (coarse, and med.) they work great, you can get 2" or 3" disk. These and what you already have should do just about any job......
hello m8 really sorry for my ignorance, but please can you explain what a 90 die grinder is as i have a guess what it is but not sure,is 3M a company where my mate works??
many thanks
brian.

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

i've narrowed my buffer choice down to this one http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=40668
please it would be helpful if anyone uses one or can confirm my choice.
many thanks again
brian

[jrow]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

grommit,

I use the same buffer and like it fine. I use 10" X 3/4" wheels on mine.

John

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

cheers john much appreciated,i will order it after my dinner.cant wait to get it.
catchya lata
brian

[mikekozura]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

Ya I was going to get the same one. But for all the polishing I do I got the grinder/buffer combo. I also needed a bench grinder. I tell you what the polishing big boys told me, be careful with that bad boy it will hurt you. LOL I lost my respecfull fear one day, I have it against a wall and it took the tube bumper from my sons quad right out of my hands and was banging against the wall before I could get to the switch. With 10" wheels your going to be rockin and rollin. Get a shop-vac ready for when you fire up those new wheels and try to get compound on them hahaha. Wear a clear shield but the compound is still going too glue your eyelids together. Have fun. I fired up my course wheel with no safety glasses or shield wow I'm lucky I din't loose a eye those pieces of rope where flying every where all you here is whap whap whap bawing. With 10" wheels your going to be @ 9000sfpm. Thats hi test dude. You'll be fine, just tying to let you know what I went through at first. Just drink more and laugh. I'm no pro, the big boys will help ya.

Dude Harbor Freight is a tool guys heaven. I know Caswell frowns on us talking about it on here but come on all of us don't do this for a living and those tools work fine. You should be over here they have stores you can go to, I got one a half hour from my house, today I Bought $50.00 worth of stuff even at there regular price it would have been only $90.00. [email protected] I saved $40.00. My wife gave them my picture and said if they ever see me in there again to throw me out. ha ha ha I love it there.

Hey I love Caswell for all there great products and this fantastic forum. But us poor causal dudes need somewhere to buy tools. But I thing even the pros have to buy something there.

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

helo m8,
well talk about crapping myself after readin ya reply...ha ha it is great reading the experiences all you guys have been through during ya time,it hits home the safety factor,thanks to work i have all my safety kit stashed away,and as luck has it 2 of our metalsmiths can assist in getting me 8'' wheels all through the sytem of course,which is a big help and of course his buffer bearings are going to go and he can get a new one and i have the old one.sweet!
i have sent harbarfreight an email to see if they can ship the buffer i want but bein in the UK it will takes some time,but its worth the wait.
well its off to my garage to strip something else of the Enfield,
catchya all soon
brian

[grommit]

Re: help choosing a bench grinder/buffer

hello all, well the buffer i was after on ebay,i let go and was outbid,the main reason was the distance to travel, overr 200 mile and he said the bearings need replaced etc,i just didnt want the dissapointment.so until i save up for the one from caswell,i have bought a buffer for the small items only 350w Motor 2850 RPM. the one thing i am taking notice of is the advice you guys give us and that is in the long run a better buffer is needed,that is why i am not going to burn the motor out on harder items.
in due course i will have polishing advice on silver wear....ha ha got alot of it at work the boss keeps asking,so i tell him untill i get experienced its a NO GO AREA.
regards,
brian