I’m not sure if I’m glad Im not this anal or wish I was
"Antique" Diamond Ball Polisher
- Thread starter RobM
- Start date
Changing the pulley size will change the RPM at which the platters spin which may also affect the spiraling effect. If you have an Ace Hardware close to you, they sell V belts in varying lengths. They may have what you need so you do not have to wait for a shipment to arrive.
Without details, there's nothing.I’m not sure if I’m glad Im not this anal or wish I was
Im not putting you down.. I just dont care enough about one moving a little slower then the other. Lol but he does and it makes him happy so thats cool. Have fun
I didn't take it as such.
It's not a simple matter of the speeds being different. The RPM of the platters impacts the Coriolis Effect, i.e. the spiraling of the balls so they do not spin on one axis. This matters because he wanted to build a polisher that functioned like a Diamond (spirals the balls) with different aesthetics.
sudocrushms
Well-known member
This looks fantastic. Are you planning on weathering it at all?
No. With age it will slowly darken and get that nice dark golden color. Hopefully the pool table and polisher will continue to be passed down through the generations. 110+years and counting so far.
Did you consider installation of a spring loaded idler pulley or roller for the belt between the two platters? Look at the serpentine belt system on a modern automobile. The nature of V-belts is they wear and stretch over time.
For the belt tension between the motor and the first platter shaft, you can adjust the physical position of the motor base to keep the tension appropriate.
Another consideration would be to use larger pulleys on the two platter shafts. That would give you more circumference for the belt to grip.
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Yes, I thought about a tensioner but would be difficult to do as the belt is in the middle of the case with no walls close by to mount to. Also getting a slightly smaller belt is easier. As for stretching, this isn't going to be a heavy use item so I'm not too worried about that.
I positioned the motor mount to be able to snug up the belt b loosening the bolts and sliding it one way or the other. That belt doesn't seem to slip at all.
I measured out the distance between the motor and the closer shaft and I do have just enough room to be able to fit a 3" pulley. If the slightly shorter belt still allows for slippage then I will upsize both pulleys to the 3" size to increase the contact area.
You have done a great job of sharing this project along the way, thank you!
All done?
Not quite yet. I just have to swap out the pulleys and belt.
On another note, I’ve noticed that the balls have a hard plastic like film in small spots after polishing. I have to use my fingernail to scrape them off. You can see a couple of them in the photo. I use the Aramith ball cleaner with 70%isopropyl alcohol in a 1 to 8 ratio. Could it be carpet fibers or bonnet melting? Any ideas?
Thanks
On another note, I’ve noticed that the balls have a hard plastic like film in small spots after polishing. I have to use my fingernail to scrape them off. You can see a couple of them in the photo. I use the Aramith ball cleaner with 70%isopropyl alcohol in a 1 to 8 ratio. Could it be carpet fibers or bonnet melting? Any ideas?
Thanks
Not sure but I use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.
What carpet are you using on the wall and sprocket?
It almost looks like the ball is coming in contact with something other than a cleaning surface.
If the balls are getting warm at all, they are running too fast.
Mine has a varable speed, and when I first started using it, I had it running too fast and when taking balls out they were warm. Not only warm, but not slippery. Almost had an orange peel look to them. While the balls looked shiny, they didn't look like new ones, I also was putting a drop on every other ball.
When playing with those after a few days, they had tons of little collision spots on them
After that I slowed the speed down to where they dont get warm at all, they randomly rotate better at the slower speed also. I now only put 2 drops for 8 balls, sometimes one drop, and sometimes I just spin them. After a couple cleanings like that, the balls after cleaning are always like new balls out of a box.
If you are getting anything that looks like it is melted on the balls, they are spinning too fast and long. Also they should not feel tacky at all coming out of the polisher. Less is almost always better when it comes to cleaning solution.
Mine has a varable speed, and when I first started using it, I had it running too fast and when taking balls out they were warm. Not only warm, but not slippery. Almost had an orange peel look to them. While the balls looked shiny, they didn't look like new ones, I also was putting a drop on every other ball.
When playing with those after a few days, they had tons of little collision spots on them
After that I slowed the speed down to where they dont get warm at all, they randomly rotate better at the slower speed also. I now only put 2 drops for 8 balls, sometimes one drop, and sometimes I just spin them. After a couple cleanings like that, the balls after cleaning are always like new balls out of a box.
If you are getting anything that looks like it is melted on the balls, they are spinning too fast and long. Also they should not feel tacky at all coming out of the polisher. Less is almost always better when it comes to cleaning solution.
While I generally agree with you, I'm not is sure this applies to a cleaning solution of 1 oz. Aramith Ball Cleaner mixed with 8 oz. of Isopropyl Alcohol due to the evaporative properties of the alcohol and the very small amount of ABC actually being applied. Speed could be a factor unless Rob has deviated from the original setup. If he still retains a 4:1 gear ratio, his platters should be spinning at 431 rpm which is what my polisher and the Diamond polisher spins at. It's deal for cleaning and also allows the Coriolis Effect to take.
If he was using as you do, I would agree. Heck, most with Diamond polishers still use the full strength solution without problems. If he feels something is melting into the finish something isn't right. I do know that when I ran mine faster when first built, the balls got somewhat warm and a little tacky to the touch when taking out of the polisher. Soon as I slowed the speed down a bit it has worked flawless with like new balls every time. Who knows what speed he was running as he said he had to swap out the pulleys yet. He'll figure it out, sooner or later.
I am running at the “Diamond speed” of 431 rpm (or possibly slightly slower if there is any belt slippage between the drive pulley and first spindle but would be minimal). The pulleys I’m swapping are 2 at 1 1/2” to 2 at 3”. So a 1:1 ratio either way. I do use a lot more than a few drops. I start the polisher and squirt a short stream on the spinning balls. Probably 1/2 teaspoon or so. I’ll try cutting way back and see if it helps. Also, I’m getting a lot of lint coming off of the bonnets. Is this normal?