Buffing Safety Flange 4" x 5/8"
Buffing Safety Flange 4" x 5/8"
Available in stock (49927)
The weak point of an airway buff at speed is the thin steel center plate. Clamped directly between a small grinder nut and the spindle shoulder, it can dish, wobble and eventually let the wheel run out of true. A 4" x 5/8" safety flange spreads that clamping load across a 4" face on each side of the plate, so the plate stays flat, the wheel stays square to the shaft, and it cannot work loose during edge buffing.
This is the flange for airway buffs that have a 5/8" center plate, which covers the 8" and 10" wheels most people run on 7" angle grinders and polishers, and the same wheels on a 5/8" bench buffer. Wheels ordered without a center plate use our insertable safety flanges instead.
- 4" face spreads clamping load so the buff's center plate does not warp at speed
- 5/8" bore matches the spindle on 7" grinders, polishers and most bench buffers
- Holds the wheel square and tight through edge buffing and raking
- One flange each side of the plate: the correct mounting for high-speed buffing
- For airway buffs with a 5/8" center plate; insertable flanges cover no-plate wheels
- Ships free on orders over $200; 30-day returns on unused product
Which safety flange do you need: this one or the insertable type?
Our airway buffs come two ways, and each has its own flange.
- Wheels with a 5/8" removable center plate (the 8" and 10" airway buffs ordered with the 5/8 Inch arbor option) mount on this 4" x 5/8" flange. The plate is already there; the flange sits outside it on both faces and protects it.
- Wheels ordered with no center plate use the insertable safety flanges, which fill the open clinch ring and become the plate.
- Wheels with a 1-1/4" arbor (12" and up on lathes and backstands) use the machine's own large flanges; this 5/8" flange does not fit them.
If you are not sure which wheel you have, look at the center: a steel disc with a 5/8" hole means this flange; an open ring with pleats visible to the middle means insertable flanges.
What machines and wheels does a 4" x 5/8" flange fit?
- 7" angle grinders and variable-speed polishers with a 5/8" spindle, the usual set-up for edge buffing truck tanks, wheels and trailer panels with an 8" or 10" airway buff.
- Bench buffers and pedestal polishers with a 5/8" shaft, where the flange replaces or supplements the small factory washers.
- Bench grinders converted to buffing on a 5/8" arbor.
The flange face is 4", so it fully covers the 3 Inch center plate used on our 8" and 10" airway buffs. Check that your grinder's spindle has enough thread to take flange, wheel, flange and the nut with full engagement; if the nut only catches a turn or two, use a shorter wheel stack or a different machine.
How do you mount an airway buff with safety flanges?
- Unplug the grinder or lock out the buffer.
- Slide the first flange onto the spindle, flat face toward the wheel.
- Put the airway buff on the spindle with its 5/8" center plate seated against the flange.
- Add the second flange, flat face against the other side of the plate.
- Fit the nut and tighten it firmly so the plate is clamped between the two flanges. Do not rely on the wheel's rotation to tighten it.
- Spin the wheel by hand to check it runs true and clears the guard, then start the machine away from your body and let it come up to speed before touching a part.
Recheck the nut after the first minute of buffing and again whenever you change wheels. The flanges are steel and last indefinitely; if one is ever bent, dished or nicked on the face, replace it.
How to get the most out of it
- Use flanges in pairs. A flange on one side only lets the plate dish toward the unsupported face.
- Keep the faces clean. A crumb of compound between flange and plate is enough to make the wheel wobble. Wipe both before every mount.
- Leave the flanges on the spindle between wheel changes if the machine is dedicated to buffing; only the wheel needs to come off.
- Flange before you rake. Raking pushes sideways on the wheel; a flanged plate takes that load without flexing.
- Stay within the buff's rated speed. The flange protects the plate; it does not make an over-speed wheel safe.
- Wear a face shield and gloves and keep the guard fitted wherever the wheel allows it.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- 8" and 10" airway buffs with a 5/8" center plate on angle grinders and polishers
- Airway buffs on 5/8" bench buffers and pedestal polishers
- Any high-speed edge-buffing set-up where the center plate takes side load
- Knife makers running a 5/8" bench buffer for handles and bolsters
Don't use it for
- Airway buffs ordered with no center plate; those need insertable safety flanges
- Wheels with a 1-1/4" arbor on lathes and backstands
- Spindles other than 5/8"; do not bush or drill the flange
- Grinding wheels, cut-off wheels or flap discs
Specifications
| Size | 4" x 5/8" (flange face diameter x bore) |
|---|---|
| Material | Steel |
| For wheels | Airway buffs with a 5/8" center plate (8" and 10" airway buffs) |
| Machines | 7" angle grinders and polishers, 5/8" bench buffers |
| Mounting | One flange each side of the center plate, clamped by the spindle nut |
| Purpose | Prevents center plate warp; keeps the wheel secure at high speed |
| Sold by | Maverick Abrasives, Anaheim, California |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need one safety flange or two for an airway buff?
Two. A safety flange goes on each side of the wheel's center plate: flange, wheel, flange, then the nut. With a flange on only one side the plate can still dish toward the unsupported face. Check the quantity in your cart matches the number of wheels you will run flanged.
Will a 4" x 5/8" safety flange fit my angle grinder?
It fits 7" grinders and polishers with a 5/8" spindle, which is the standard machine for edge buffing with an 8" or 10" airway buff. Confirm the spindle has enough thread for two flanges, the wheel and the nut with full engagement. It does not fit 1-1/4" lathe spindles.
What does a safety flange actually prevent?
It prevents the thin steel center plate of the airway buff from warping under clamping load and side pressure at high speed. A warped plate lets the wheel wobble, loosen and run out of true. The 4" face spreads the load and keeps the wheel square and tight to the shaft.
I ordered my airway buff without a center plate. Is this the right flange?
No. A wheel with no center plate has an open clinch ring and needs our insertable safety flanges, which fill the ring and act as the plate. This 4" x 5/8" flange is for wheels that already have a 5/8" center plate and sits outside that plate on each side.
Can I use this flange on a bench buffer instead of a grinder?
Yes, if the buffer has a 5/8" shaft. It replaces or backs up the small factory washers and gives the airway buff's center plate the same support it gets on a grinder. Mount one on each side of the plate and tighten the nut firmly before starting the motor.
How long do safety flanges last?
Indefinitely under normal use; they are solid steel and do not wear like the wheel does. Replace a flange only if it has been bent, dished or nicked on the clamping face, since any damage there transfers to the plate. Keep the faces clean of compound for a true-running wheel.
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