Limited space, limited budget.

It looks like Harbor Freight has grinder stands, and if I can, I'll use one of theirs.

My idea is to have one motor, and a carding wheel on one side, and a hard felt pad on the other. Jim Baiar suggests you don't really need to have too many pads, so I guess I'd have one medium, and one hard.

Both to 450 grit.

As to the carding wheel, I think (a) it needs to run slower, and (b) it should be on a long shaft, to allow access to odd shapes.

Can motor speed be governed by a rheostat/potentiometer, instead of gears or pulleys?

Any ideas, Gentlemen?

(Rick also. LOL!)

flaco

Don't think so, unless you get into DC motors and VFD.

Easiest way is to go with a motor driving the mandrel via a belt and pulleys. Also lets the shaft be long enough to stick out so you can work around the wheel.

Did that make sense to anyone besides me?

I have carded everything I blue with the fine stainless wheel Brownell sells (about $75 if I recall but worth it) on an electric drill. I just screwed in the little button on the trigger to limit the rpm (don't know exactly how fast; just until I liked the result). That $14.00 drill is dedicated to carding. I do the tight spots with two different size stainless tooth brushes or occasionally degreased steel wool.

I also learned to polish by hand, mostly because I didn't know if I was going to do this once of for many years and didn't want to invest in a bunch of crap I only used once or twice. Now that I'm over the hump experience wise, I have no desire to try power polishing. Too much chance for error on my part.

I second the Brownell's wheel in a variable speed electric drill. Get the wider of the wheels. The extra money it costs is well worth it.

If the drill has a reverse on it, all the better.

Brent

Thanks, Gents-

I consider myself firmly in the "stoning receivers" camp, and a phrase that Jack Belk disparagingly used in one of his tutorials--"he must have really leaned into the buffer here"--reverberates painfully in my ears.

Up 'til now, I've used stones, and aluminum oxide cloth, appears to be about 1" wide, on spools I got from McMaster-Carr. I contact cemented strips to various felt pads, or tongue depressors.

Is this what you were writing about, SDH?

Still, on examining the final product, it seems that even though I bead blasted all parts before slow rust bluing, the more highly polished parts are more attractive.

Were it possible, I think I'd try finer beads in the future, too.

I was also influenced by the fact that Jim Baiar sells the felt wheels. This gives buffing, at least to me, more credibility.

From my basically inexperienced perspective, it looks like just another approach, or tool, in a variety of techniques.

I wasn't really looking for advice on where to find the carding wheels, as I have the Brownell's catalog, and Jim Baiar sells the wheels also.

Mainly just creative approaches to the possibility of mounting the two wheels on one inexpensive motor. And controlling speed.

I think I'll call the local motor re-winding outfit on Monday, and ask how speed on electric motors is controlled electronically.

I was worried about torque, but obviously, the amount of torque needed for a carding wheel is negligible.

And once again, it seems that a very light hand would be advised for this approach.

flaco

flaco,

Brownells also sells hand brushes for carding. I tried them out on some practice projects and they seem to work really well. We live pretty close and if you want to try them out you’re more than welcome to do so.

Flaco,

Your on the right track. Watch that hard felt wheel. They can make a mess of things in a hurry unless you are careful. Despite varying opinions around here, using a polishing wheel does not mean your finished product will be crap. I've watched Jim polish metal on his setup and believe me when I say when he is done - its right. But he also has about 30 years of experience on a wheel. Not something I would try. I stick to hand polishing because.....it takes a lot longer to screw up. Just take your time and dont get too heavy handed and you will be just fine.

quote:

Originally posted by flaco:
Limited space, limited budget.

It looks like Harbor Freight has grinder stands, and if I can, I'll use one of theirs.

My idea is to have one motor, and a carding wheel on one side, and a hard felt pad on the other. Jim Baiar suggests you don't really need to have too many pads, so I guess I'd have one medium, and one hard.

Both to 450 grit.

As to the carding wheel, I think (a) it needs to run slower, and (b) it should be on a long shaft, to allow access to odd shapes.

Can motor speed be governed by a rheostat/potentiometer, instead of gears or pulleys?

Any ideas, Gentlemen?

(Rick also. LOL!)

flaco

If you buy a 3 phased motor you can run it with high torque at revs from 5% up to 200% by using a frequence converter, i often use those for rev controles on many types of mashinery, eks. Lathes, reamingmashines drillingmashines.
A brand called "inverter" can deliver power for 2hp, and cost about 100$