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As for the hamburger buns, the things I can think of that would cause them to rise so slowly are
- insufficient yeast or old yeast (but you said it proofed well so eliminate the old yeast factor, and the qty of yeast in the recipe is quite high in proportion to the flour and water quantities, so I don't think it's either of these)
- insufficient water (too dry of a dough) (This recipe seems to have a high percentage of water in proportion to the amount of flour, so I don't imagine that it was too dry a dough)
- inadequate kneading resulting in inadequate gluten development (but you said they finally rose okay, so it probably wasn't this)
- too cold of a temp (generally, especially with a quick-rise like this recipe (I've never used a recipe that says the dough rises in 30 minutes before, so I'm winging it somewhat), a recipe would suggest that the dough be risen at about 85 degrees, which is standard rising temp for most bread baking (unless you are specifically doing a long slow cool rise). The recipe does, however, call for an unusually large quantity of yeast (based on the amount of flour and water), so perhaps the purpose of much yeast is to allow it to rise quickly.
Based on your saying that they turned out great just took about 40 times longer to rise than the recipe says, I'd have to put my money on the problem being too cool a temperature. 60 degrees is quite cool for bread dough, packaged yeasts tend to like about 85 degrees.
Next time you might try allowing the buns to rise is a warmer place - many people put them in a cold over but then turn the oven light on, which creates nicely warm place for rising, or in the microwave with a container of warm water, or in a closed cooler with a container of warm water, or something like that.
Whole wheat is a bit harder to work with than white flour for a couple of reasons. One is that it absorbs more water than white flour, so the dough needs a bit more. In terms of water, you always want a dough that is soft and moist, not sticky (although a little bit tacky is okay), and firm enough to hold its shape.
One of the theories about whole wheat loaves is that in the little pieces of bran have sharp edges created by the milling process, and that these sharp edges cut the gluten strands, resulting in a lower-risen loaf. Wheat gluten (also known as vital wheat gluten) is a good addition to whole wheat dough, it will help give you a higher-rising dough. Some people use a product called "dough conditioner" that helps make a soft higher-rising dough.
Whole wheat flour also just is heavier than white flour, so it can't rise as much.
You might need to be careful about what kind of whole wheat flour you use, too. Wheat comes in hard and soft varieties, as well as winter and summer varieties. You want to be sure that you use hard wheat, and winter is bit better for bread than summer. These qualities affect the amount of gluten-forming protein in the wheat, which is what allows the bread dough to rise. Soft wheat flour is pastry flour, suitable for cookies, biscuits and such but not for yeasted bread dough.
You also want to make sure that you've fully developed the gluten in the dough while kneading.
The best cookbook I know of for whole wheat bread baking is "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book." She takes readers through, step by step, how to successfully bake whole wheat loaves. All of her recipes are for whole wheat flour only, no white flour. Many, many bakers credit this book with them FINALLY making great whole wheat loaves.
Good luck, glad you finally got to enjoy your hamburger buns!
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