Didn't know if this was the right place to post but figured the topic relates to detailing..

Anyway, I have a nice 3/4HP bench grinder I've had for a couple years and I want to convert it over to a polisher. The shaft on the grinder is short and I would like them a little longer. Can this be done? If so, how would I go about doing it?? Wanted to see if anyone here knew before I start breaking this thing open..

 

Are you sure this is a good idea? An oscillating polisher rotates back and forth to prevent possible paint “burn.” The bench grinder motor simply rotates.

 

Are you talking about something like one of these?



Those things weight a ton. How are you going to be able to safely manipulate that around the surfaces of a car?

You could get a threaded coupler that would screw on the shaft and you could screw a longer threaded shaft into the other side. I just don't know if all the trouble would be worth it.

Just go to Lowes and spend the $109 and get the Porter-Cable 7336SP:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...6SP&lpage=none

 

DavesZ#3,
Yeah, I have one of those but I don't mean to polish the car with...LOL
I should've been a little more clear. I wanna start polishing aluminum, stainless, etc. The shaft is just so short compared to what they sell in the Eastwood catalog for $399. I thought I'd be able to convert my bench grinder over to a polisher since I hardly use it for anything else.

 

Whew! You had me worried there for a minute.

Then you definitely try the threaded coupler. I did something similar a couple of years ago. I bought this coupler at Home Depot. It was about 1½" long, hex sided piece with a hole drilled and tapped through it. It would screw onto a drive shaft then I could screw a longer threaded rod into the other size of the coupler.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about...
http://www.strongtie.com/products/ats/ats-couplers.html

 

Thanks Dave...Any ideas on a shaft to buy? I think the buffing wheels form Caswell require a 1/2" dia. shaft

 

I looked at the Caswell stuff when I was attempting to polish a plenum but never bought it:

http://www.caswellplating.com/buffs/alpolkit.htm

Their pieces come with what looks like 1/4" shafts so they would fit a drill or something similar. That won't work for the setup you're trying.

You might want to get a chuck that would fit the shaft of your grinder then you would be able to mount the Caswell tools in the chuck.

 

LOL. I was wondering how are you going to polish a car with a 30 pound grinder.

 

LOL... I'd be out there looking like Steve Martin in "The Jerk"

 

from what ive been told, an angle grinder (that looks like a sander/polisher) should not be used to polish your car. a grinder is too fast and will increase the likelihood of burning into the paint. get a porter cable. theyre fool proof and only about a $100 at Lowe's