How to Put a Buffing Wheel on a Bench Grinder (Helpful Guide)
Bench grinders are handy tools. They can help reshape a piece of metal, take off burrs and sharp edges and even polish the metal for you. It is all in the wheel yo use. Changing the wheels from a regular grinding wheel to a buffing wheel is not hard.
It may take some doing but it is possible to put a buffing wheel on a bench grinder. There are a few short and easy steps to take:
- 1. Use wrench to loosen the bolt and nut.
- 2. Remove the bolt and then take off the wheel.
- 3. Next you should remove the wheel covers.
- 4. Put the buffer wheel on and tighten the bolt or nut.
- 5. If the buffering wheel is still loose, you should add a couple of spacers to make the fit tight and safe enough to use.
That is how you put a buffering wheel on a bench grinder but that is not all there is to it. There are some aspects you need to know to make sure you can use the buffering wheel successfully. Just continue to read our article to get the whole picture.
Can You Put a Buffing Wheel On a Bench Grinder
As you can see, it is possible to put a buffering wheel on a bench grinder. The process is not that difficult and any handyman can do it in a few minutes. Yet there are some more things you need to know before you make the switch.
First, there may be a reverse thread on the side of the bench grinder you want to place the buffering wheel. If there is, you will want to watch how you thread the wheel and the bolt.
Second, after placing the buffering wheel on the bench grinder, you may find that you do not have the space needed to polish all the angles on your project. You can add a second wheel, an arbor extender or spacer to help you get that room.
Third, 8” wheels are better than 6” ones although the latter can work well. You just need to watch how hard you press.
Fourth, all motors are not the same and if you press too hard then your wheel will get slowed down and not do a great job. A variable speed bench press may give you the power to avoid this issue.
How to Convert Bench Grinder to Buffer
Converting a bench grinder to be a buffer is not as simple as changing the wheels. This takes a little time and a little ingenuity to make sure you get the parts to fit and work properly.
Here is one way to make the conversion in your own workshop:
- Bolt the grinder down to your work bench or a solid piece of wood. This helps provide you with stability you need as you work.
- Next, you remove the wheels, protective wheel guards and any other unnecessary part. You do this till you are down to the motor and the axles.
- You may need to cut the axle to size which means you take a hacksaw with a strong blade and cut down the axle. This is easy if you turn the grinder motor on and place the hacksaw blade on the moving axle. Let the axle do the work.
- After you let the axle cool, just slip the buffering wheels spindle over the axle and screw it on nice and tight.
- Now the other axle on the other side of the bench grinder may be too thick to quickly attach a spindle. In this case you take a hard tip for a lathe chisel and place it in a pair of vise grips.
- Turn on the motor and place the hard tip next to the spinning axle.
- Take your time and carefully use the hard tip to remove the extra thickness on the grinder’s axle. Just remember to remove just enough thickness to fit the spindle on securely.
- After the axle has cooled, add the spindle and screw it into place.
Now you have to buffering wheels to make your polishing life a lot easier
How to Use a Buffing Wheel On a Bench Grinder
The key to using a buffering wheel on a grinder is to make sure you are safe. Safety is always king. Wear good eye protection and make sure the grinder is securely bolted to your work bench.
Next you want to keep sharp edges away from the wheel as those will catch and cause you a lot of problems. Then you need to keep the piece you are polishing cool. Have a glass or bowl of water near by so you can dip the piece into and cool it down.
Some Answers to Your Questions
1. How safe is it to use a bench grinder as a buffering tool?
If you follow all the bench grinder safety rules, then using it as a bench grinder as a buffer is very safe.
2. What size of buffering wheel should I use?
Buffering wheels come in all sizes. It is best to try to learn how to buff on a 6 inch wheel. Then when you gain experience, move to other wheel sizes.
3. Will the buffer make the object hot to handle?
Yes it will. Like regular grinding wheels, the buffering wheel uses friction to achieve its goal. That friction will heat up your item and you may burn yourself if you are not careful
Some Final Comments
You can adapt your bench grinder to a buffering powerhouse with ease. The key is to make sure you get the buffering wheel tight enough that it is safe to use. Also, keep a glass, jar or bowl of water next to your work area.
This will allow you to cool down the item you are polishing and keep you from being burned. Just follow the basic safety tips for bench grinders and you will be able to polish a myriad of items safely.
