A well-done, smooth metal surface has an appeal of its own. On some occasions, machining marks may be desired for aesthetic purposes (I intend to create a small software utility someday to pattern these marks!), but usually, a more polished or satin finish is preferred.
Given my predisposition to avoid unnecessary effort, I’m always scouting for efficient tools and techniques that ease the physical work involved in my shop duties. Labor-saving can come in many forms, from learning the right way to use a file to owning the correct power tools.
For instance, I utilize a 12″ disc sander that I assembled and use regularly, along with several miniature belt sanding air tools that function similarly to a file, with a belt width of approximately 1/4″. I always have a deburring tool secured in another air tool, and a couple of easily accessible angle grinders with both an abrasive wheel and a wire wheel.
My workshop also houses a blasting cabinet, a vibratory polisher (which is my personal favorite for labor-saving, although it doesn’t work for all parts or finishes), a potent 5 HP buffer, a large drawer filled with files of all shapes and sizes, numerous scotchbrite pads, flap wheels, and so on. I think you get the picture.
The machine is a hand held power tool aimed at strategically placing scratches on the material with an abrasive to create a satin finish. They make it easy to change the grits and offer a variety of styles.
I’ve used a random orbital palm sander to apply a satin finish, and they work pretty good, but this tool looks to me like it would be faster and easier, especially for welded/fabricated projects like the one shown in the video. Here’s a couple more pictures of this type of tool:
Metabo Burnishing Machine
Flex Burnishing Machine
These tools are German made and not exactly cheap, but they sure look handy.
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Bob is responsible for the development and implementation of the popular G-Wizard CNC Software. Bob is also the founder of CNCCookbook, the largest CNC-related blog on the Internet.
