Polishing machine

I have been polishing my silver jewellery by hand or with the help of my Foredom motor with a polishing mop on the end. Recently a builder friend has lent me a bench grinder with a view to perhaps buy. What I want to know is a) is it worth buying or is the Foredom better and b) can I get the polishing mops to fit the end of the shafts, or can I buy new shafts that will fit.
As I use it in my spare bedroom it will have to go in a box of some sort to contain the dust but not sure if its worth the trouble.

You'll know Pat that I love my bench polisher and have never used anything else so if you can fit spindles on for mops I would buy it. These are what you would want http://www.cooksongold.com/Jewellery...prcode-999-AX4 there is a right and left. Do you know what horse power it is, I know my first one was 1/2 HP?
A booth of some kind is probably a must in the spare room but it's like night and day for polishing compared to a pendant

I agree with Caroline, Pat, the finish you get with a bench polisher is far quicker and superior to a pendant motor.

The bench polisher can seem a bit fierce and scary at first, but treat it with the necessary care and it is easy :)

Go for it Pat. I converted my OH's bench grinder to a polisher, by buying some spindles from The Polishing Shop. It only took a few minutes to convert and has been a fab addition to my tools. I'm sure you won't regret it.

I agree on the usefulness of a bench polisher, but I'd want to know what I was getting for my money before I shelled out for it. There are bench grinders from less than £20 new up to many hundreds of pounds. I'd also want to know what sort of life the one you're thinking of buying has had.

Well it belongs to a builder friend who loaned it to me several months ago to shave a piece of steel to fit something I was doing in the garden and I have asked him if he wants it back and he said if he needs it he knows where to come. Most of his work is painting and decorating so although it looks a bit bashed it probably hasn't had much use. Plus if he gives it to me - does it matter.. It won't get commercial use, I make jewellery as a hobby so polishing say once a week.