What is the basic difference between orbital buffer and a sorbital sander

[marksf1]

I was wondering what is the difference - Buffer says it can sand but Sander does not say it can be a buffer?

[charlie b]

Buiffer is usually bigger 6-8", OS (orbital sanders) & ROS (Random Orbital Sanders) 5 - 6".

OS & ROS sanders have holes in the base, paper does too, and the cooling fan sucks air through the base - collecting "some" of the generated sawdust in a cartridge or cloth filter. Buffers don't need that capability so don't have it.

Buffers often two handers, sanders other than belt sanders are mainly one handers.

Some ROS have variable speed. Not sure buffers do.

You can get buffing pads for OS and ROS.

charlie b

[Andy Dingley]

Orbital sanders are totally different beasts to buffers/polishers - and I've never seen an orbital polisher.

Polishers are a disk sander mechanism. They have a simple geared rotation that causes a 6" pad to rotate in circles at around 3000 rpm. With a rubber backing pad and abrasive they're a disk sander, with a lambswool bonnet and a polishing compound, they're a buffer. Typically they're manufactured with a lightweight 9" angle grinder mechanism geared down from 6000rpm to 3000rpm.

An orbital sander doesn't rotate, it oscillates in a small circle (coupel of mm across). The mechanism is a crank and oscillating bob weight, not a rotating shaft.

Although simple orbitals are regarded as crude and prone to making scratches, they're far easier to handle than a rotating disk sander. Rub the edge of a dsk sander and you burn a large gouge almost immedately. Polishing isn't too hazardous, as the compounds are soft and slower acting, but you still need to be careful to keep that polishing bonnet flat on the workpiece and not tilt all the load onto an edge.

[marksf1]

Thanks for the info

this is an orbital polisher

[CW]

Put a wool pad on the sander. It'll buff.

[George]

If it's a variable speed sander, should say it can buff. Single speed types would be fast enough to keep the wax liquid. Pretty small circles compared to dedicated buffers, though.

[Andy Dingley]

bundled with it.

Probably does something, but I can't say it fills me with joy at the prospect of using it.

[marksf1]

It is actually the one that is highly recommended to polish pinball machines. The 4" size is perfect for getting into tight spots and the orbital movement is important for playfields. I was just trying to understand why a sander would not work.

[Mike Marlow]

Compare the rotational speeds between a sander and a buffer. I don't know myself, but I would suspect there may be a difference - the sander being perhaps slower.