Want to build pool ball polisher

Barry Shaw

Member
Messages
6
Hi,

I want to build a pool ball polisher.

I want to use this cheap angled grinder.

I am planning on cutting a circle with holes for pool balls, inside walls of holes covered in felt.

Probably make a box to hold the grinder. My biggest problem is how to mount the wooden circular disk on the grinder.

I am afraid that at a high speed of that grinder, the wooden disk will fall apart. The spindle on the grinder is not long enough for mounting the wheel in a secured way.

Appreciate any help. I am a novice builder with not so great tools.
Thanks.
 

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Hi Barry, and welcome to the forum. :wave:

If I understand your description correctly, it sounds like you want the wooden disk to spin with the pool balls sitting in the felt-lined holes in the disk. Is that correct? If so, my primary concern - more than the wood coming apart - would be that the balls would come loose and be flung at high speed, seconds after you hit the start switch on the grinder.

Instead, I'd recommend mounting a buffing pad on the grinder and placing it underneath the wood with the holes in it. Something along the lines of the one shown at 6:25 in this video:

http://youtu.be/UtbvoXqi7x8?t=6m25s

(This will start in the middle of the video at 6:25, but he shows a couple other interesting designs earlier in the video.)
 
This particular project I'm going to recommend a visit to AZBilliards main forum and do a search on homemade ball polisher. That was a popular project a few years ago and they worked the bugs out.

I'm going to agree with Bob too, probably have to slow the grinder down a bit. Not very long ago router speed controls could be had at our favorite imported junk store for under ten bucks. A plastic bucket and a little scrap carpet along with your wood completes the homemade project if I remember correctly. Never needed one myself but people that did seemed happy with the outcome. Even if you want something prettier you can probably get the basic design from AZB and work from there.

Hu
 
Hi,

I already have made the bucket polisher, but I need something faster because the orbital buffer is proving to be a bit slow for my pool balls.

I have actively been looking at AZ billiards, and I came here to seek help in reusing and making correct jig to mount a spinning wheel on my grinder.

Is there some kind of extender for the grinding wheel spindle that can help in securing a padded wooden wheel. I can go with a design based on that video.. but I still need to secure a wheel..any large ( 10" ) wheel on to the grinder.

Thanks,
Barry
 
Hi,

...I came here to seek help in reusing and making correct jig to mount a spinning wheel on my grinder.

Is there some kind of extender for the grinding wheel spindle that can help in securing a padded wooden wheel. I can go with a design based on that video.. but I still need to secure a wheel..any large ( 10" ) wheel on to the grinder.

Thanks,
Barry

Barry, those grinders spin at about 10,000 rpm, and any wooden wheel you could mount on one would certainly disintegrate within seconds - and probably send wood shrapnel flying all over the room. You'd need some way to cut the speed down to around a thousand rpm, or less. I'd look into gear reduction motor - maybe in the 500 rpm range. Someplace like Surplus Center might have something you could use. Northern Equipment is another possible source.

If you insist on mounting a disc on a grinder, you'll likely have to have an adapter - similar to a lathe faceplate - machined for it. With anything that spins - and especially spins that fast - balance will be critical. You'll need the whole assembly balances within pretty high tolerances - like something less than a gram.

Were it me, I'd look for an alternative power source, like the slow speed motors I mentioned above. Your (grinder) idea sound dangerous to me!
 
Thank you everyone with your valuable feedback.

I am going to mount a 6" buffer polisher on the grinder and use a speed control and a ball stabilizer plank with ball sized holes [ walls lined with felt ] and finally enclose it in a box.

Keeping fingers crossed.
 
Wow! Those things really get spinning!!!!

Hi Barry, and welcome to the forum. :wave:

If I understand your description correctly, it sounds like you want the wooden disk to spin with the pool balls sitting in the felt-lined holes in the disk. Is that correct? If so, my primary concern - more than the wood coming apart - would be that the balls would come loose and be flung at high speed, seconds after you hit the start switch on the grinder.

Instead, I'd recommend mounting a buffing pad on the grinder and placing it underneath the wood with the holes in it. Something along the lines of the one shown at 6:25 in this video:

http://youtu.be/UtbvoXqi7x8?t=6m25s

(This will start in the middle of the video at 6:25, but he shows a couple other interesting designs earlier in the video.)
 
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