Those who buff ...

[Marc Phillips]

What grit do you stop sanding before removing the blanks and going to the Beall buff?

I have been sanding through MM 12000 but am thinking maybe just wasting time...

 

[Texatdurango]

Very seldom over 3000mm, usually only to 1500 grit sandpaper then buff.

 

[ed4copies]

1000-1500 grit (Check for visible scratches before taking off mandrel)

 

[Tanner]

I'm an overkill guy, so I do what you do Marc. I have one of those big lighted magnifiers that I swing over and look for scratches. Kind of finicky that way I guess.

 

[Marc Phillips]

Originally posted by Tanner

I'm an overkill guy, so I do what you do Marc. I have one of those big lighted magnifiers that I swing over and look for scratches. Kind of finicky that way I guess.

Yea... at least I know it'll be a smooth finish and all that... but I also don't want to waste a bunch of time either... I guess I will just try a couple and see how it does stopping at a coarser grit...

 

[btboone]

When polishing, go at crossed 45 degree angles to the sanding marks, and they all go away.

 

[ed4copies]

Originally posted by btboone

When polishing, go at crossed 45 degree angles to the sanding marks, and they all go away.

Thanks, Bruce - that is absolutely correct.

Also take off of metal mandrel with metal bushings and put on plastic or wood rod - removing bushings -- so you won't make your buffing wheels black from the metal parts.

Just because it's faster doesn't mean it can't be equally effective,

 

[DocStram]

Geeezee I'm sorry. I thought the title of this thread was "Those in the Buff". Gonna get some clothes on and will be right back .....

Okay .. here goes .... for some reason, I find a lot of pleasure in sanding and buffing all the way through to the max. To me, there's just something about knowing that I could stop at a lower grit ... but I like taking my time and enjoying the personal satisfaction of knowing that I'm going the extra mile. Know what I mean?

 

[ed4copies]

Originally posted by DocStram

Geeezee I'm sorry. I thought the title of this thread was "Those in the Buff". Gonna get some clothes on and will be right back .....

Okay .. here goes .... for some reason, I find a lot of pleasure in sanding and buffing all the way through to the max. To me, there's just something about knowing that I could stop at a lower grit ... but I like taking my time and enjoying the personal satisfaction of knowing that I'm going the extra mile. Know what I mean?

Sure I do, Doc. You mean you are SLOWER THAN SIN!!!!

But, then you have spent a lifetime trying to do it, so others CAN understand - that is a hindrance to speed!!

 

[spitfire]

Sorry to hijack a little here but I just got a buffer and was curious if it matters what compound goes on what kind of wheel? I have a soft cotton wheel and a regulard wheel.

 

[ed4copies]

Usually, I figure the softer the buffing wheel, the closer to the end it goes.

The tripoli is still taking off some scratches, so the wheel can be a little more abrasive than the final buff wheel.

Seemed logical to me - but I will yield to a more informed opinion!!!

 

[PenPal]

Marc,
In reading your post I figure another variable in this equation is the type of buffing pad you use. I know that a lot of users simply buy a system however I am completing a two wheel that is a double ended buff right now. Help please in choosing the number one and two buffing cloths. Number one for triple E, number two for polish block.I have a variable speed buff besides already to use for finishing buff of wax or?

Thanks Peter.

 

[Marc Phillips]

Originally posted by DocStram

Gonna get some clothes on and will be right back .....

Now THERE's a mental image I coulda done without!

I don't mind the sanding at all... but really, if ya think about, over sanding means potentially overheating and also sanding too far... with the finer grits I guess that really wouldn't happen though... I guess I just don't want to do something that really is just a waste of time..

 

[Blind_Squirrel]

With PR I go to 320. With wood I go to 400.

 

[Marc Phillips]

This pen - I stopped at MM 3200 and went to the buffer... worked great, no problem at all.

It was nice to skip a few unnecessary steps...

I think a lot of this is going to depend on the wood I am turning too.. osage orange is so hard it sands real smooth anyway... on some of the softer woods I may sand to a more finer grit...

http://www.penturners.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35779

 

[jedgerton]

I sand to 2400MM and then buff. I use tripoli followed by white diamond using the Beall buff system. If there are remaining scratches, I can't see them.

Also, when I buff, I hold the piece at ~45 degrees to the former sanding direction.

John

 

[LEAP]

While it's a little off subject but not to fat I hope. How long ro you wait after applying your CA finish before you buff? When I first started using the buffer I had a few pens that while perfectly shiny and no scratches but were left with an uneven surface when I finished buffing. I attributed this to the Ca not being totaly cured. Now I tend to wait a couple hours before I buff the pen to give the CA time to totally harden. I especially noticed this on wood that were extremely dry and sucked up a lot of CA during finishing.

 

[Marc Phillips]

Originally posted by LEAP

While it's a little off subject but not to fat I hope. How long ro you wait after applying your CA finish before you buff? When I first started using the buffer I had a few pens that while perfectly shiny and no scratches but were left with an uneven surface when I finished buffing. I attributed this to the Ca not being totaly cured. Now I tend to wait a couple hours before I buff the pen to give the CA time to totally harden. I especially noticed this on wood that were extremely dry and sucked up a lot of CA during finishing.

I don't seem to follow the "norm" when applying CA, so it's probably best not to listen to me...

I don't apply the CA out of the bottle onto a spinning blank... rather I apply the CA to paper towel and then spread a very thin coat to the blank... I feel that this makes for a harder and less "troublesome" finish for me... I don't get the dents under the clip, never any white spots, and I don't wait but a few seconds between coats for sanding or buffing...

.... but that's just me... there are almost as many ways to apply CA as there are turners here...

 

[rherrell]

I stop sanding at 600. I love the way 600 grit wet/ dry (used dry) removes just the right amount of CA. I wait overnight to begin buffing. Tripoli, White Diamond and final buff with TSW.