I saw this ball polisher the other day, the person who had it didn't recall where he purchased it from but thought it originated here at AZ. Anybody recognize this polisher and where it can be purchased from?
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Help Identifying This Ball Polisher
- Thread starter nobcitypool
- Start date
Would this be the one -- from Joe Waldron (JoeW)?
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1352858#post1352858
-Sean
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1352858#post1352858
-Sean
Yep that is mine. I will send the plans to any one on AZ for free.
It uses a barstool chair swivel that costs about $10.00 (internet link is in the manual). The rest of the stuff costs about $20 - 30. I made and sold a bunch, then a fellow from PA started making them commercially and had them for sale on the net. You can make the whole thing with a portable jig saw, few simple tools and a circular saw but a radial arm saw is is easiest way to go.
I do not make them any longer and think that if I did I would revise in a few ways.
1. The balls need to be rotated in some way that changes the axis every few turns. Probably needs a bump in each hole.
2. The cleaning pads need to be removable and washable if you are using it for more than one table.
In general I like it very much. It cleans the balls with about 10 - 20 turns of the handle. My grandson who is five years old can turn the handle and clean all 16 balls. I like not having a motor because it is much cheaper
and a motor isn't really needed with a reasonable crank.
Using the polisher with the lambs skin and dried Aramith ball cleaner takes a teenager's strength.
I take the lids off to clean the balls and then place the lids with the lambs wool on top to polish.
Here is a better photo
It uses a barstool chair swivel that costs about $10.00 (internet link is in the manual). The rest of the stuff costs about $20 - 30. I made and sold a bunch, then a fellow from PA started making them commercially and had them for sale on the net. You can make the whole thing with a portable jig saw, few simple tools and a circular saw but a radial arm saw is is easiest way to go.
I do not make them any longer and think that if I did I would revise in a few ways.
1. The balls need to be rotated in some way that changes the axis every few turns. Probably needs a bump in each hole.
2. The cleaning pads need to be removable and washable if you are using it for more than one table.
In general I like it very much. It cleans the balls with about 10 - 20 turns of the handle. My grandson who is five years old can turn the handle and clean all 16 balls. I like not having a motor because it is much cheaper
and a motor isn't really needed with a reasonable crank.
Using the polisher with the lambs skin and dried Aramith ball cleaner takes a teenager's strength.
I take the lids off to clean the balls and then place the lids with the lambs wool on top to polish.
Here is a better photo
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Yep that is mine. I will send the plans to any one on AZ for free.
It uses a barstool chair swivel that costs about $10.00 (internet link is in the manual). The rest of the stuff costs about $20 - 30. I made and sold a bunch, then a fellow from PA started making them commercially and had them for sale on the net. You can make the whole thing with a few simple tools and a circular saw but a radial arm saw is is easiest way to go.
I do not make them any longer and think that if I did I would revise in a few ways.
1. The balls need to be rotated in some way that changes the axis every few turns. Probably needs a bump in each hole.
2. The cleaning pads need to be removable and washable if you are using it for more than one table.
In general I like it very much. It cleans the balls with about 10 - 20 turns of the handle. My grandson who is five years old can turn the handle and clean all 16 balls. I like not having a motor because it is much cheaper
and a motor isn't really needed with a reasonable crank.
Using the polisher with the lambs skin and dried Aramith ball cleaner takes a teenager's strength.
I take the lids off to clean the balls and then place the lids with the lambs wool on top to polish.
Here is a better photo
Hey Joe, great job! I would love to get a copy of your plans. I will PM you my email address. Let me know if I owe you anything.
Just received three requests for plans. Be sure to give me your email address and that you can receive a 3 MB file. I have it stored in MS Word and as an MHT file. I will mail the MHT file because it can be read and printed with IE. If you prefer the other file let me know.
Sending files now
EasyEJL, I need an email address to send to you. The file is too big for AZ to handel.
Sending files now
EasyEJL, I need an email address to send to you. The file is too big for AZ to handel.
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cool...I wonder if a crafty mofo could incorporate a geared bicycle drivetrain to allow some hi-speed revolutions? I guess the spinning parts would then need bearings, but what do I know?
I can take almost anything apart.
I can take almost anything apart.
cool...I wonder if a crafty mofo could incorporate a geared bicycle drivetrain to allow some hi-speed revolutions? I guess the spinning parts would then need bearings, but what do I know?
I can take almost anything apart.
Mine seems to spin fast enough to clean the balls in less than two minutes (one minute is probably sufficient for most cleanings).
The first ones I made included a pin that would let you use a battery operated drill to spin the platen. However, I quickly learned that the drill was too fast and tended to spin the balls right out of the box.
The bar stool swivel contains a set of bearings that allow the platen to spin easily.
Just got three more requests. I have to leave right now for a prior appointment and will send the instructions out first thing tomorrow.
BTW for those who are interested, it takes about 4 hours to make this thing once you have the stuff together.
BTW for those who are interested, it takes about 4 hours to make this thing once you have the stuff together.
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Thanks Joe!
How do the commercial machines spin the ball on multiple axes? (or do they?)
I don't know how they do it. I put a crimp in the cloth on the platen but the damn Aramith balls just run true once the spinning starts.
I suspect that an oval hole might be better with a jerk on the crank every few turns. Haven't tried that.
The first photo on here shows how someone modified my design and made it easier to build. Originally I liked the idea of lifting the lids to easily remove the balls. However, I later found that isn't really needed. Just slant the box and they fall out of the holes.
I have another five requests for plans and will try to send out tonight or tomorrow. If there were a way to store the plans here on AZ or someplace where anyone could download I would upload to a file sharing place.
I know the diamond washer does. They do a few different things to get them to spin randomly.
I was able to get a random enough spin by placing aggressive treaded carpet in 2 different directions. I ran the carpet in a direction to mimic a riffle barrel around the outer perimeter(not pictured here since I did that later) but you get the idea.
Then the bottom tread made the ball see 2 different directions twice on each rotation.
Then get the right RPM dialed in. Come out spotless every time.
Then the bottom tread made the ball see 2 different directions twice on each rotation.
Then get the right RPM dialed in. Come out spotless every time.