Few ?s on buffing, mirco mesh, pen press

[angboy]

I have a few questions from a newbie, that I'm hoping to get some feedback on so I can be most economical in placing an order. First, it looks like there are options for using your lathe for doing buffing, and that's the only equipment I have so I want to use that. I found a buffing set from CSUSA for $31, I had seen on the AZ Silhouettes site where you could get a MT assembly set up with buying 2 muslin wheels for about $37, or I saw where you can buy the Boone titanium rings and use paint rollers. Can anyone explain which of these setups might be best? Would I need to addd anything to any fo these, beyond the parts I mentioned, that would add to the expense? I have the Jet JWL-1236 lathe if that makes a difference.

On the micromesh, it looked to me like, as a beginner, that the best option might be the small micromesh sanding kit from Woodcraft, but does anyone know of any better deal? I'm quite open to ordering any of these things from AZ Silhouettes or Woodturningz, if they have the same things.

Finally, I have one of the pen presses from Woodcraft, my dad has an older one that has sort of a twist mechanism on one end. The one I have just has the lever you pull down. The problem I am running in to is that on the slimline pens I have done, I get to the point where I need to push the mechanism in only a very slight amount and maybe I'm just not smooth enough to do it on my lever one, without feeling like the next one I make, I'm going to end up pushing it in too far. So I'm thinking I might like to have on of the manual twist type too, but can't find that anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks
very much in advance!

 

[Thumbs]

Boy! Are you gonna get an ear full! LOL![}][]

 

[jwoodwright]

Money no problem... Get the Beall buffing system.
Otherwise, the Boone adaptors and a nice NEW paint roller work really great.

Many posts on MM. Do a search. Many good deals.

Make a "v" block so that you can only press the tranny in so far. The block of wood will act as a stop...

 

[Czarcastic]

Well, call me crazy (you might as well, everyone else does)... But sometimes, I like to do stuff myself (call me cheap, too.) []
The buffing wheels are from Harbor Freight. $3.99 each. Set on a 1/2" treaded rod from Home Depot ($2.99) and some washers and nuts (another $2.00). VOILA! A buffing system! The threaded rod mounts in my Jacob's chuck. I picked up the Tripoli and White Diamond at Woodcraft.

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For the final buff, I use a Labmswool Paint roller.

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I ripped some scrap wood to the exact size (i.d.) of the roller and turned a MT2 taper on one end...

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The other end fits perfectly into my tailstock.

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1/2 of the roller gets Carnuba wax, the other 1/2 is unwaxed.

For the pen press, it sits on my drill press. 1/4" threaded rod fits 7mm tubes like a glove. Its smooth, easy to control and cost exactly $3.00 to make.

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Hope that helps.

 

[woodscavenger]

Steven your are the man! Nice write up. I had an old HF lathe that I used to make the same setup you show for your wheels but I haven't done the paint roller yet. Soon.....

As far as MM....if money is an issue I really think that can wait. Get automotive grit up to 1200 and you will be good for most things. These days I rarely use my MM. I sand to 1200 and then do my CA/BLO finish, no buffing or MM required.

 

[ctEaglesc]

YOu can normally get the MM from woodturningz for arou11-12 bucks.
Be careful. some set up only give you 5 grits.
I use 9.
the full set starts at 1500(400( grit.
You may have problems with automotive papers at times it seems like the color of the grit transfers to the wood,not the case with mm.
In the long run mm is far more economical.
It can be reused almost forever after washing it out.
The finest I have seen automotive paper is 2000.
For slimlines, cut a v-block to act as a stop when pressing in the tranny.

 

[wayneis]

I use micro mesh on all of my wood projects from pens to jewerly boxs. I would not be with out it and I have been using it for several yesrs now, in fact long before I started turning. If you take care of it and not heat it up and wash it occasionally micro mesh will last for a good long time. I even have and use the 5" hook and loop disks for my sander. The best deal that I have come accross is Imternational Violin Company but you do have to buy large sheets, 6" X 12" sheets cost $4.00 each and I also like that you can buy just the grits that you want in case you happen to mess up a grit. www.internationalviolin.com

Wayne

 

[CPDesigns]

The cheapest method I found for using a paint roller as a buffer is to just buy the extra plastic end-caps for the rollers at Home Depot (or wherever you can find them). They're dirt cheap. I just cut a shallow "X" in one of the caps to use with the drive center and turned a small wood plug to fit in the other end for the live center. I think it cost me a total of about a dollar for the whole set-up. I also drilled out two of the caps so they'll fit over the mandrel, but I found that is cumbersome and not really necessary. I have both 3/4" nap and 1 1/4" nap rollers for doing different size pens (the 3/4" for slimlines and other thin pens, the 1 1/4" for the big 'uns like the Gentleman's and cigar)

 

[airrat]

with MM dont do what I did my first time and burn it up. Use a light touch and slow speed.

I MM all the way and then if I need to buff I do white diamond. Have the Tripoli but says if you sand to certain grit its not needed.

 

[angboy]

Thanks so much to everyone for all the helpful info. I sent an e-mail to the person who was recommended as having made tool rests for people, Lamarr I think it was, but haven't heard back yet. I am hoping I can get him to do it for me. It looks like many people on here are quite creative in developing inexpensive solutions to these problems, such as developing your own tool rests or buffing set-ups. My problem is, I'm a real girly-girl, who doesn't own any of these tools that are required to do some of this stuff, and who doesn't even know what some of the things are that people are using! So hopefully Lamarr can save me!