The Purpose of the Compression Washer
The compression washer performs multiple functions,
Crushable Interface
The compression washer provides a
crushable or
malleable interface between
two pieces of metal that are going to see a lot of
pressure from being tightened together with a wrench
and my guess is a lot of punishment from the operator. I punish all my tools... so it's not a reach to think others are going to punish their's too. Add to the above mix, the violent oscillating action of the tool on the highest speed setting and add to that
t-i-m-e...
By time, I mean putting your polisher to work buffing out a car
section-by-section,
panel-after-panel. As Pros know and
anyone that wants to get the job in a decent amount of time, when you start buffing out a car you have to keep the tool running and buffing on paint. There's no breaks. That's
time of
endured punishment.
Point being is you
want and need the crushable interface between
two pieces of metal on an electric tool capable of running at high OPM's.
Spacer
They also act as an actual
spacer between the arbor or stud seat where there are the raised heads of a type of rivet or brad that anchors the arbor base to the the backing plate and the threaded portion of the
Free Rotating Spindle Bearing Assembly.
Free Rotating Spindle Bearing Assembly
Here you can see a compression washer seated at the base or seat of the 5/16" arbor or stud where it's attached into the backing plate surrounded by the raised heads of the rivets or attachment anchors.
So keep track of both the compression washer and the rubber nut and don't use your DA Polisher, be it a Porter Cable, Meguiar's or Griot's without it.
:xyxthumbs:
