If you've used Bench Buffers before you know that they spew a black cotton waste downward off the Buffing wheels. This is pretty messy and gets all over anything and cotton fills any trays or crevise close to the path.
I like to keep my tools in good shape and clean. and after having purchased a new 6" and 8" Bench Buffer and a in-expensive 4 legged Bench Buffer/Grinder Stand; I saw a problem area i needed to come up with a solution for.
The problem area is that the sides were open in the stand directly below the polishing wheels and the stand tray would surely be filled and legs covered with the extra buffing waste from the wheels. This could contaminate other wheels with buffing product and make a mess of any finished pieces or tools i may have put there.
My soulution was to add an Apron to the stand protecting the sides area and center pan area and panliner since my stand came with one.
I thought of taping the Apron on but that would leave a residue of glue on the stand and make more of a mess in the future.
So this Apron is attached with out tape and there are several things you can do to accomplish this which i will list or suggest on the Parts and Tools needed page as i 've thought of several options for apron material and ways to attach it.
This probably willl serve more as a Tip or Tips for these type stands used with a Bench Buffer and is very simple to put together. And makes for a quick change when dirty.
Okay - That's enough intro.
Lets take a look at what you'll need to do this project and some material choice options.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials and Tools
Apron Materials:
Apron material to cover both sides widest at the bottom wrapped around the legs to the inside by at least a 1/2 inch.
Apron material can be pertty much anything for Buffers - Grinders you wmay want to go with Fire resistant materials due to sparks and hot embers.
The Material you see used for my Buffer apron is Fire Retardant - overkill but Free - as it was in the dumpster at work - clean enough for the apron.
Other materials i may use in the furture are Painters Masking Paper - It's green as i can recycle the paper once it is dirty.
Plastic or visqueen - you can use this or perhaps a garbage bag cut open. They are all easyly replaced once dirty as you will find out .
Apron Clips
What holds the Apron on.
On mine i used 6 - 27 inch plastic push on Car Door edge trim molding. 27" were long enough for my stand - and total cost was less than $10. It gives a good sleak finished look - holds well and there is an added bonus I'll mention later if using this type Apron material clip.
There are other types of Car Door edging i looked at - some 6" in length that could be used if cut into 4 equal sections.
Alternatives to Car dorr edging jsut to name a couple
- Table Cloth Clips - Clothes pins if you really want to.
Tools
Not a whole lot of tools needed .
Straight edge if you want for cutting the apron material though i didn't use one - i cut mine on the stand as i attached it.
A Razor knife for cutting the material and depending on which apron clip you go for. for cutting the Door Edging materail to length.
Scizzors to neatly trim up any excess apron material.
okay gota ll your materials and tools ?
lets put it togther... it's easy as pie.
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If we are talking about the buffer stand above -
A hood would prevent buffing large or long parts - hence the make up of Buffers - extended shafts unlike a grinders short shafts.
An exhaust system - may work for the cotton shreds off the wheels but from what i have tried they are sucked into the exhaust motor air intake and start fire easily.
Secondly the Buffing compounds are usually a grease and grit mix - once heated and slung off the wheel tend to stick to whatever they hit before solidifing again. so they won't get far in the extraction or exhaust system.
Lastly - most using a buffer or grinder even use a face mask and face sheild - i do - the buffing compound stings like heck when it gets in your eye adn only takes once to realize a face sheild is prefered.
Since posting this tip or instructable i have changed the blue plastic to painters paper - Works jsut as i expected it to and keeps everything int he trays nice and neat. Keeps the wheels from being cotaminated by buffing compound sling off from the wheels as i expected it would.
Your suggestion for a hood and exhaust system or extraction system as you mentioned it... may be good for a in garage or more permanent setting. Though as mentioned i see problems with it in some areas. I usually take this unit on location or put it outside to do buffing due to the cotton shreds and mess buffers can make. I add a plastic or paper runner underneath the buffing area to keep the ground or pavement or whatever clean so i don't track it inside my work area. And use shoe footies when needed.
A jewelers buffer which is smaller and the parts being buffed also smaller do use a hood. And i can see perhaps a small adapter being used for a vacum exhaust system on one. But i do believe if not mistaken the jewlers buffer uses flannel buffing wheels which do not shred like cotton ones. Again not sure on that as i don't have one for the moment - though would like to get one and probably will for use with rebuilding some of my cameras and buffing parts.
Do you have a sample pic of what you suggest?