Homebuilt Carom Ball Polisher

billiardshot · Sep 18, 2007

Almost finished with my Homebuilt Carom Ball Polisher. Cost : Nothing!!
All material were on hand. Neighbor gave me a used Sear Craftman Buffer/Polisher. Polisher will clean one set of carom balls. See Webcam Pictures below. Other information can be found here: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=71033

3kushn · Sep 19, 2007

Looks great!
Have some questions.
Did you have to dampen the motor with springs or anything?
Is the polisher a random orbital type or just orbital? Mod. # ?

I've been playing around (before building something) with a $12 random orbital style, cleaning one ball at a time, holding the ball in my hand while the polisher is simply laying in a cardboard box. This particular motor seems to be more random than orbit so it mostly vibrates rather than turning the ball over. It sometimes works but have to find the exact point on the pad before the ball turns.

How's yours working?

billiardshot · Sep 19, 2007

3kushn, I mounted motor on rubber bushing to dampen vibration.

Sears/Craftman Buffer Polisher Model 646.106990, 120 vac, 50/60hz, .65amp, 2400 osc/min. See post above for other Buffer used. I did buy a Buffer from Kmart, Before neighbor gave me his [ I will use that one to built a polisher for my pocket billiard balls]. This buffer have a 8 1/2" / 9" Dia. Buffer head [Disc]

Rods: are threaded lamp rods, used for spacers. [Will change to 3/8" thread stock rod, as I found 3 feet lying in a corner] lenght should be either 4 1/2" to 6" lenght [all depend on setup]

The red area X - is five 1/2" vent holes two per side. [ might add to the back also]

Electrical cord 3', [ might shorten to 6" or 12"]

The box measure 11 1/2" x 11 1/2" width x 12" height [could be maybe 10 1/2" height vice 12"]
x 3/4" birch plywood [old book case/shelf].

Three holes for balls: 3" diameter line with deerskin [I also do a little leathercrafting].

Switch a push button [ might change to a toggle style].

Will add information as polisher is tweeten.

Here another picture. [Shown with Pool Ball for better picture]
Some other pictures.

3kushn · Sep 19, 2007

Thanks billiardshot. Looks like it's well thought out.

Buy the way I can see there's some imperfections in your table even through the cover. Looks like the corners don't match up very well. Seems to be an extraordinarily large gap. Care to explain this???? Hmmm

billiardshot · Sep 19, 2007

3kushn said:
Thanks billiardshot. Looks like it's well thought out.

Buy the way I can see there's some imperfections in your table even through the cover. Looks like the corners don't match up very well. Seems to be an extraordinarily large gap. Care to explain this???? Hmmm

The table, is a 7' pocket billiard/pool table, not a carom/3 cushion table. So you problem seeing the pockets.

I'm still tweeten the polisher. Reread #3 post, as I have add more information. Thank you for your comments.

Polisher design or idea was found here :
http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tToStoreCat&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
or http://search.ebay.de/_W0QQsassZbillard-tommi

billiardshot · Sep 22, 2007

Update on Carom Ball Polisher

The following changes have been made to the Polisher.

1. Remove lamp rods and installed/ mounted wooden blocks for top to rest on. Secure with screws.

2. Replace worn buffer wheel/disk, with 3/4" x 8 3/4" birch plywood wheel/disk.

3.Mounted carpet with glue to disk,cut 5/8" holes in carpet to bolt disk to motor, with carpet attached.

4. add handles.

5. Will made a lib/top with carpet on bottom

6.Still No [Materials] Cost . Labor Cost; the joy of building.

Will show pictures when done.

billiardshot · Sep 25, 2007

Here finished pictures from webcam.

The only change I will be making is cutting new ball holes with a 2 3/8" or
2 1/2" hole saw vice 3" [ this is determined by the thicken of material use around cutout to protect balls],
since I use deerskin vice carpet, the 3" holes is an overcut.

I kept 3' electrical cord [ can easily wrap around handle].

Top cover size 12" x 12" x 3/4" square, top bottom size 9 7/8" x 9 7/8" x 3/4" square, carpet same as bottom.

Weight: 25 lbs

After finishing this project I believed the $300 to $600 is a fair price for commercial ball polisher.

This why:With pattern: one day to cut and paint box, another for assembly: Total: 2days. Material Cost: close to $100 [depend what and how much you buy]

Again Total of my project $0.00 [labor of love not counted, only material]