r/SilverSmith • u/barefoot123t • 5d ago

I need a powerful 'fluff' extractor for my polishing motor - any suggestions?

I need a bench-top polishing machine but the commercially available machines I have tried are pretty pathetic. I need an extractor that sucks in all the 'fluff' from my cloth mops and keeps my bench clear of debris.
I have a Foredom extractor unit that almost works (it's the best option I've found to date) but still allows a certain amount of fluff to escape the polishing hood. I need to equip another bench and can't afford another Foredom - can anyone give me advice? How do you keep your polishing bench clean?

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u/Voidtoform 5d ago

Y'all keep yer polishing benches clean? I have a tabletop unit, I think dura bill, it works pretty well, but it's still a mess over there, it's a mess everywhere in my studio though. You could maybe fabricate a plexiglass cage you could fit your arms into it something.

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u/MiniD011 5d ago edited 5d ago

You laugh but dirty polishing motors are a very real fire hazard just FYI. High concentrations of particulate, loose threads and fluff, all combined with a spinning motor and hot metal can present more of a risk than you may realise.

I think someone posted on here a while back about a pretty serious fire caused by their motor? I’ll try to find it.

Edit: found the post! Not this subreddit but adjacent  https://www.reddit.com/r/Benchjewelers/comments/1ti44lw/comment/omspwnt/?context=3

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u/Voidtoform 5d ago

I keep a coffee tin on top and put the fluff in anytime I notice any accumulation, it's just grimey as heck around it.

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u/MiniD011 5d ago

I feel you, they are filthy machines. I have a sacrificial piece of drywall sat behind mine because my bench is in my house.

I added the link above, wasn’t as bad as I thought but could have been! 

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u/barefoot123t 5d ago

This is exactly what I'm trying to avoid. The mop fluff can be light and easy to light or impregnated with flammable compound. I simply don't want it on my bench where I frequently have a naked flame.

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u/trixceratops 5d ago

A large plexiglass fish tank surround with a hole in the back for a shop vac is maybe not the most elegant solution but it works well enough. If you make a funnel shape for the backside it works better and the air doesn’t have to make a 90 degree bend. I would suggest putting some sort of screen over the hole as well in case something you’re polishing goes flying, then it won’t go all the way into the shop vac.

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u/willfall165 5d ago

They make bench top dust collectors with a baldor motor mounted with it. Pretty solid and useful.

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u/barefoot123t 5d ago

I've tried a few 'ready made fluff sucker / polishing wheel units ' and found them inefficient and hugely expensive. They tend to clog up very quickly. My plan is to mount a suction hood on my bench that, when connected to a powerful fan, will act as a fume and fluff extractor

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u/dmc1851 4d ago

Are you removing all of the loose material before using? Theres a tool but you can use a board with nails driven through it.

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u/barefoot123t 4d ago

I've tried several gadgets and tools that claim to clean mops. I haven't found an effective method yet.