# A tool for polishing on the lathe



## pdentrem (Dec 3, 2013)

There was some comments on another topic about polishing on the lathe, and the possible issues with getting sucked in if the cloth grabs and wraps around the object while you are holding the paper/cloth.

In the shop we polish small work rolls for our rolling mills in the lathe. This is to remove the oxide buildup from the oils that basically burns away on the metal as it passes through the mill as it is reduced in thickness over multiple passes. The lowest we go to is .0005", just so you know.

Here is a couple pictures of the working end. As you can see it is a set of used crucible tongs that I have installed a leather strap and two wood blocks to pinch the leather and hold the screw that passes through the tong ends. You can not see it too well but the leather has the sand paper fully support all around the roll except at the opening. The tong handles are about 3 ft long, I just used what was at hand. They do not have to be so long. The sanding paper/cloth is simply placed inside the leather strap and the operator slids it over the roll and squeezes the handles together to apply force. If the sanding paper/cloth grabs all that happens is it either wraps around the roll or is spit out the back and falls to the floor behind the lathe. If you really get freaked out just let go and the tongs fall to the ground and that is it, other than maybe your foot gets hit. Tension is released just by opening the handles and even with just a 1" wide strap you can slow the lathe down a fair bit, not that you want to. 
We drip the sanding paper/cloth in cutting coolant as a lube and simply move it back and forth along the roll until either the roll is done or reload new paper and coolant and continue.
I used to do it by hand but the tongs give me a better finish as the force required is lower and better control as well. No stress, no muss.
Pierre


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## BKtoys (Dec 3, 2013)

that is one heck of an idea ,all i have to do is sort of shrink it down to work on my small lathe. I really do like the idea , especially the safety side of it all

thanks Brian):allgood:


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## rangerman (Dec 4, 2013)

Nice practical tool that's very easy to make!)

I've seen it done in a different way too but with a tool post belt sander where the sanding belt is replaced with a soft belt charged with polishing compound.


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## Ibedayank (Dec 9, 2013)

http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/s/s...1b4db65f5e99818badf904b47d9d4dafd&ec_rate=230


and when it happens to snag and gets caught then what... see link for possible outcome


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## astjp2 (Dec 9, 2013)

Ibedayank said:


> http://edge.liveleak.com/80281E/s/s...1b4db65f5e99818badf904b47d9d4dafd&ec_rate=230
> 
> 
> and when it happens to snag and gets caught then what... see link for possible outcome


all i got was a bad hashtag for the link


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## pdentrem (Dec 9, 2013)

Let see. I can 4 mistakes on first viewing. There is likely more.

Wearing gloves
Wearing a long sleeve sweater
Over torquing the chuck
Working over the carriage - it moves out of the way you know!

I found another problem. The other worker was not pointing out the mistakes.
Pierre


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## rangerman (Dec 10, 2013)

I don't think he was using a polishing tool set up just like the one in the pictures.
He was likely operating the machine under the influence of some drugs and forgot to follow some basic safety common sense.
More like getting too close to a large powerful rotating chuck that caught and pulled him under it. 

That's why I'm among those in the minority who believes that having a good chuck guard makes sense.
It would at least reduce the likelihood of one from getting too close from it while its running because its a physical barrier that do not depend on one's mental alertness.

But of course, the stupidest of human beings would always be in danger no matter what when working with machines.


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## Ibedayank (Dec 10, 2013)

pdentrem said:


> Let see. I can 4 mistakes on first viewing. There is likely more.
> 
> Wearing gloves
> Wearing a long sleeve sweater
> ...



he is not wearing gloves and was wearing a tshirt


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## Jimw (Dec 10, 2013)

astjp2 said:


> all i got was a bad hashtag for the link



here is the link 

http://www.liveleak.com/ll_embed?f=935bfcd33bba


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## pdentrem (Dec 10, 2013)

Ibedayank said:


> he is not wearing gloves and was wearing a tshirt



The video in the link, he is wearing gloves and long sleeve sweater. Maybe you saw a different one. There are lots of videos out there.
Pierre


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