Beall Buffing system?

[jimr]

I keep seeing references to the beall buffing system. I looked on some search engine sites and apparently it is three "sticks", each applied to a buffing wheel consectively and the item is buffed with each stick material. If this is the one, how is this used to finish pens? Is the pen removed from the lathe and buffed on the wheel, or am I really missing something.

 

[tipusnr]

The beall buffing system is basically what you say it is. The compounds are loaded onto seperate wheels and the turnings (bowls, pens, whatever) are buffed consecutively. It the combination of wheels, mounting rods, and compounds that makes it special. The system can be mounted on a lathe or onto the motor he carries. "Someday I'm gonna get me one." The "Beall" in the buffing system is in the Central Ohio Woodturners Club with me and I got a chance to see his shop. You should see his gadgets, jigs, and kaliedescopes (sp?). He's always tinkering with a new or better way to turn something!!

 

[YoYoSpin]

A Beall buffing kit is one of the prizes to be given away for our pen/display design contest...

 

[txbob]

The three compounds are tripoli, white diamond, and carnuba wax. I use 4" diameter Beall wheels, and chuck them in my drill press. Works great. I rarely use the tripoli, just white diamond lightly and then carnuba wax.

There's certainly nothing special about the compounds, you can buy them many places. What are different are the buffing wheels, each tailored for just one of the three compounds.

Happy turning,
Bob S. in Riverton WY