How-to Make A Large Abrasive Polishing Buff Tutorial | ½ Inch Hammer Drill

Watch me make a large abrasive polishing buff using kitchen scouring pads and few pieces of hardware. This buff is made from very inexpensive components which are readily available in many stores. This buff appears to do a good job of quickly and efficiently polishing weathered wood. The wood starts out weathered and is quickly polished to a smooth finish. These buffs can also be used to polish metal. There may be some other applications as well. This idea worked for me. Maybe it will work for you as well. Just watch the video to see how my project turned out.

Some additional points to consider…

Drill Settings
The hammer function is turned off. The drill is set to forward.

Safety Gear:

Safety is very important. Using proper safety gear is a great idea. This abrasive polishing buff throws a lot of dust and little bits of the scouring pad into the air, because it is spinning so quickly. As a result, you need a really good dust mask, to avoid breathing in all these little airborne particles, which could be bad for the lungs. Eye protection is also really important. I wear both safety glasses and a face shield, because lots of dust and particles are flying through the air. I also wear hearing protection, such as safety ear plugs or ear muffs. In terms of hand protection, I wear leather safety gloves, just in case my hands touch the abrasive polishing buff when it is spinning. Avoid touching the buff when it is spinning, because this can cause injury. Make sure that your drill is able to accommodate the abrasive polishing buff.

Clean Up:
I take a shop vac and vacuum up all the dust after I’m done polishing. This keeps the area nice and clean.

Hardware and Components
3 Washers
1 Carriage Bolt (1/2 inch diameter, 4 inches long)
1 Nut
(These components can often be bought in a hardware store)

16 Scouring Pads
(These pads are often used to scrub dishes)

½ inch Variable Speed Hammer Drill
120v-60Hz 0-3300 RPM
Chuck capacity 1/16 to ½ inch
The drill must be strong enough to accommodate this buff.

Tool Vice

Rotary Tool and Cut-off Disc

Work Shirt:
I sometimes use a recycled army surplus shirt as a work shirt. If you are on a tight budget, army surplus clothing sometimes provides good value in terms of a work shirt. The army surplus shirts are often inexpensive, well made, functional and hard wearing. Just make sure that the cloth you wear cannot snag in the drill. Don’t wear necklaces, scarfs or really loose clothing when using the drill. You don’t want the clothing to catch in the drill and twist tight, causing injury. Use appropriate caution and common sense.

Drill Handle
Make sure the drill handle is properly tightened.

Chuck Key
I tape the chuck key onto the electrical cord using electrical tape to avoid losing the chuck key. However, I make sure that the drill is unplugged when I am tightening the drill. I also make sure that the covering of the cord does not get worn and shows the exposed metal.

Enjoy your project. Stay safe and have a GREAT day!