Recommend a Bench Grinder for Polishing Aluminum - Thinking About Baldor

[havinnoj]

Thanks for all the advice.  What speed is best for polishing - 1800rpm or 3600rpm - and any reason to get a dual speed?

[GO OVRIT]

I don't know about your area, but around here there are plenty of old industrial quality tools in local flea markets and craigslist.  I buy far more used tools than new. Id rather spend the same for quality used tools than cheapo new ones.  As far as new, Josh mentioned Dayton.  For the money, I've had good luck with their motors on my air compressors.  I get longer service life out of the 1800rpm motors than the 3600.  I don't know how that relates to polishing though.

[Pumashine]

Thanks for all the advice.  What speed is best for polishing - 1800rpm or 3600rpm - and any reason to get a dual speed?

That has to do with how much HP you have. If your using 4-6 inch wheels you will need 3600rpm to get  any work accomplished. If your using 10" wheels at 3600 with 1/2 HP you won't do anything without bogging down. Remember the surface speed is the speed at the wheel edge. Which is Circumference (Diameter times Pi) multiplied by the RPM. Polishing efficiently is having the surface speed as great as possible (doing the most work) without slowing the motor down. So the only advantage to having multiple speeds is if you want to run efficiently with which ever wheel diameter you are using. Here we stack the wheels together. 4 wheels will give you a 2" flat to work with, this gives a much better overall finish on flat parts.

[Higgy87trx425]

Yeah I've been heating up my Larger parts in the oven first!! Ask Puma, about 3600 verus 1800 rpm? I'm not sure which is better?? I do like the larger wheels though, however I can get my machine to bog down pretty easily. Thats what u want more power! I like that extension idea I'll be buying some of those real soon!!!
 Thanks Higgy

[rsss396]

The 1 hp motor is fine for a hobby polisher same with the extensions but if you are serious then go with a real Baldor polisher at the higher Hp you can afford and work with the electric power available to you.
i have polished allot of metal with my cheap menards buffer but have wished for more power most any time I did any thing large.
Just remember also I have a pretty light setup that can be moved around very easy and even outside move the mess with it instead of my garage.