I am forever looking for a better way to finish small parts. I have
been looking at buffing machines and the first thing that struck me
was the price discrepancy between them and comparable size bench
grinders.

Whereas I can get a 1/3HP bench grinder for $40, a no-name buffing
machine of the same power is $105. If one goes up to, say, Baldor, one
is lucky to see any change from $300.

Why is that? Is it a bearing issue? Why would a $40 bench grinder not
be able to do the same job as a more expensive buffer?

Michael Koblic,
Campbell River, BC