Box Fan Into Buffer

That would be something i would like to see.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I believe it would just burn out as you can stop the blades with your hands but ouch! It would probably overheat first.

-- SAEPE EXPERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATRES AETERNI - "Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever"

The motor in a fan is what they call a Synchronous Motor, it has to rotate at a constant speed determined by the frequency applied to it. The torque this type of motor develops is very limited.
If you need to reduce the speed of the buffer or sander you need a mechanical means to do it via a reduction gear arrangement. I believe you could use one for the purpose you describe but not directly, good luck.
And by the way the shaft on the motor is steel, in a fan they have a flat face to key the blade and have a plastic nut that locks the blade to the fan.

I would just buy a buffer if that is what I wanted.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

yeah you could probably get a buffer at harbor freight for around $20

The torque is so low on a box fan motor that just connecting it via a belt to a buffer wheel shaft would probably stop the motor. If not, the load placed on the motor from buffing would certainly halt the motor and burn it up. This motor just isn’t designed for more than turning the lightweight fan blades.

Jim

A box fan motor is not wound to develop the amount of torque required for a buffing operation. I would recommend buying a buffer and saving the time lost experimenting.

-- Terry Roswell, L.A. (Lower Alabama) "Life is what happens to you when you are making other plans."