Was: Properly Polishing with a flex shaft
Rick,
Can anyone point me to about how to use one? I know from reading they're the best way to lap flat metal surfaces but I've never seen one used and can't find any instructions in all my great quantity of "how-to" books and articles.
I’ve never had any formal or book training. Just watching and a few
questions to folks who did it 30 hours a week. My split lap started
as a dish washer motor, wood box constructed from memory and
catalogue photos. Nothing supper critical other than a 3460 rpm
motor.
I purchased a rather expensive rock hard lap (very important) and
some medium aggressive compound (grey star is made for laps) A luxo
lite (60 watt or so) really close to the top of the lap but far
enough away so that you don’t burn your hair (lots of light is good).
Work is held under the lap and you look through the slots… you can
see exactly where it is cutting.
Very efficient but the machine does have teeth, makes an 8" buff
look like a kids toy when it comes down to throwing work into an
alternative time line. No gloves allowed but a flat piece of leather
as a backing will save you from toasted fingers.
Not nearly as messy as a regular buff, I have a suction port on mine
but rarely bother (and I can’t find the silly hose) I have also seen
them used with hard brown grinding disks modified into split laps.
Gate removal and overall file type finish in under 30 seconds per
ring. Granted the guy was good and had minimal fear of death, he
needed to be quick because he also spent a couple of hours a day
cyanide bombing.
Jeff
Demand Designs
Analog/Digital Modelling & Goldsmithing
http://www.gmavt.net/~jdemand