need quick advice

[Brandon25]

My friend and I are ordering an order from PSI tonight. They have a 3-on buffing system that is only $50 and looks similar to the Beall. I know a 3-on buffer might not get me enough clearance between wheels for most bowls, but it will work for pens, stoppers, etc. and I'm thinking I can maybe remove the other wheels and just use spacers when doing bowls? Will it fit my Rikon with its 16" bed?



Alternatively, I was thinking of just buying the regular Beall system, not the 3-on, from Woodcraft. It's more, like $65, and I would also have to buy a 2MT adaptor.



Third option, is I could get this 2MT collet from littlemachineshop http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1751&category=874479994

and the collet uses friction to hold a 1/2" all-thread rod from lowes with fender washers and bolts, a hole drilled at the end of the thread-all rod for the live center if I want to do 3-on, or just make it more like the single Beall? I wanted to get a dead center anyway soon, so that could go on my order at the littlemachineshop for combined shipping.



What do you think about these options? I am ordering from PSI tonight, maybe soon, so if you have any thoughts before I order that would be really helpful.

 

[Brewmeister35]

I have the PSI 3-wheel buffing system and use it with my rikon. I'm not sure what the end of the beall buffer is but the PSI one is a threaded rod with the end ground to a #2 MT. There's still threads on the taper and I suspect they could damage the headstock if the tailstock isn't tight enough. I would check out the taper on the beall before buying the PSI version. This system is great for pens, stoppers and other spindle type turnings but I don't see how it could work for the inside of a bowl.

 

[Brandon25]

Thanks Brewmeister, I didn't actually plan to use it on the inside of a bowl, just the outside, by removing the other wheels to allow clearance. I would get bowl buffs for the inside that are cheap and can fit in my Jacobs chuck.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

I have it - and hate it!

Andrew

 

[Brandon25]

no mincing words there! thanks for the honest opinion. can you say why you hate it?

 

[DurocShark]

I would suggest you buy some quality buffing wheels, but make your own shaft from allthread. I've read a few times that the wheel quality on those PSI buffers is iffy.

That's a project for this weekend for me.

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

I have the Beall (for the slow speed grinder) and love it. I have tried a knock off; it did not give the same results as the Beall.

 

[Brandon25]

Thanks, all. I think I'm going to try and get the Don Pencil set. It's only a couple bucks off the Beall once you buy Bealls 2MT adaptor, but the Don Pencil one comes with an 8" adaptor, so it should help with larger pieces.

Sharky, I thought about that, but by the time I buy wheels, even cheap ones, then all the compounds I'd be halfway there already pricewise. Hopefully the real thing will prove worth it.