Who make a good quality BENCH Polishing/Buffing Machine

[Faisal]

hi

please advise me about good quality BENCH Polishing/Buffing Machine for home use and what is the best buffing and polishing compound and wheel ? i going to restore some hand tools chrome finish

thanks

 

[Zrexxer]

Baldor. And the thickness of chrome plating is in the 0.002" range. You're more likely to buff through it than "restore" it.

 

[Tronyadorable]

hi

please advise me about good quality BENCH Polishing/Buffing Machine for home use and what is the best buffing and polishing compound and wheel ? i going to restore some hand tools chrome finish

thanks

You're better off to take it to an industrial plating company than to locate all the stuff necessary to try yourself. If you're stubborn(like me). Go to Brownells and look around. The best buffing work is done by good gunsmiths.They have everything you could ever want.
To try that job you want a one inch face loose muslin wheel(8-10") and their 555 compound.If you do go through the chrome it will be so shiny you wont see it and I imagine rust in Arabia is as rare as cactus in Canada.

 

[zkling]

hi

please advise me about good quality BENCH Polishing/Buffing Machine for home use and what is the best buffing and polishing compound and wheel ? i going to restore some hand tools chrome finish

thanks

A pack of fine steel wool and some light oil. If the chome is already flaking, you are at a loss.

 

[PCO6]

... I imagine rust in Arabia is as rare as cactus in Canada.

We actually have native cacti from Ontario west to BC. I don't think it grows from here to the east coast though.

 

[Scimonetti]

A pack of fine steel wool and some light oil. If the chome is already flaking, you are at a loss.

Yep, do you use 000 or 0000? I've always use 0000

 

[Carla]

hi

please advise me about good quality BENCH Polishing/Buffing Machine for home use and what is the best buffing and polishing compound and wheel ? i going to restore some hand tools chrome finish

thanks

I'll concur with Trony's recommendation of Brownells as a supplier of polishing wheels and compounds......I've used their stuff for years and years, and found it to work well.

As to a buffing motor, you could, indeed, order a new Baldor unit from any of several internet-based suppliers, but your obvious convenient choice would be to simply get a common bench grinder, and remove the wheel guards/tool rests.

'Buffing motors', as such, are simply bench grinders with a longer shaft extension, getting the wheels farther from the motor frame. This is necessary for some types of work, but shouldn't be needed for polishing small tools.

You'll also need a small, high speed 'die grinder', 'Dremel grinder' or 'flexible-shaft' grinder to use with 'polishing bobs' of various shapes and sizes, to polish small radius configurations which a larger wheel can't reach. Brownells offer quite a variety of polishing 'bobs' and 'miniature' polishing wheels.

I've not the vaguest idea as to what makes/models of that class of equipment might be regularly imported to your country, but it would seem reasonable that any good machinists or mechanics supply house in your country should have 'best quality' units in stock, selected for the available power in your area (220V single phase AC?)

Again, I've no first-hand knowledge, but it would seem reasonable that high quality German or Swiss made bench grinders should be an 'off-the-shelf' item in your area, which might be a more convenient purchase than would be having a new Baldor unit shipped from the USA.

The common sizes used here are 1/3 or 1/2hp motors, carrying 6" diameter wheels, and 3/4hp motors, carrying 8" wheels. German or Swiss equipment will be in metric sizes, or course, but the same general size range.

You'll have a choice of 'high speed' or 'low speed' motors. Here, where the mains power is 60 cycle AC, those speeds are 3450 and 1750. If your power is 50 cycle, the speed is a little slower, which makes no practical difference.

As a generality, a 'low speed' buffing motor will be easier to use, when working parts to a high finish.

cheers

Carla

 

[zkling]

Yep, do you use 000 or 0000? I've always use 0000

Always start with 0000. Some chromes are harder, thicker and more tolerant than others.

 

[wild cowboy]

Faisal: your 1940's SK Craftsman 3/4" set is already in fantastic condition, if you start polishing it with anything beyond a soft rag or chamois, you are likely going to lower the value.

you can get a toothbrush and some gentle solvent like MAF cleaner and clean any grease out of the knurling & crevices - beyond that you are gonna make it worse, not better!

restoration of antiques is an art and should be left to professionals!