Buffing System??

[Randy_]

I would like to have a little buffing system like the Beall 3-wheel system. Thinking about building my own because $90 seems a bit pricey for the Beall sysem. Anyone know a good source for buffing wheels?? The places I have found, so far, have one or two of the wheels used in the 3 wheel system; but not all three. Thanks!!

 

[its_virgil]

Randy,
Have you read the thread about 5 or so folders dowm from this one? Take a look.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Randy.
<br />I would like to have a little buffing system like the Beall 3-wheel system. Thinking about building my own because $90 seems a bit pricey for the Beall sysem. Anyone know a good source for buffing wheels?? The places I have found, so far, have one or two of the wheels used in the 3 wheel system; but not all three. Thanks!!

 

[Randy_]

Yeah, Don, I saw it. I'm sure it will start some people to thinking. Once again, your ingenuity impresses me!!!

I've got the metal parts handled, just need some reasonably priced buffing wheels. I am hoping to put my unit together for about $25 if I can find some inexpensive wheels!!!

 

[YoYoSpin]

Hartville Tool has the Beall 3-on-a-lathe buffer setup on sale for $78.90: http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11835. I've been using this system for quite a while, and love it.

 

[its_virgil]

I use soft wheels I found at Home Depot. HF also has a nice selection of wheels. I would think most home ecnters would have wheels. don't know how they compare to the Beall wheels.
Do a good turn daily!
Don

Originally posted by Randy.
<br />Yeah, Don, I saw it. I'm sure it will start some people to thinking. Once again, your ingenuity impresses me!!!

I've got the metal parts handled, just need some reasonably priced buffing wheels. I am hoping to put my unit together for about $25 if I can find some inexpensive wheels!!!

 

[Guest]

FWIW
I leave teh finished pen on the lathe and use different wheels on an electric drill.
I don't have space for a dedicated buffing system and couldn't afford the cost right now.
Haven't figured put what's if anything is "wrong" with the way I'm doing it now or how a buffing system differs from my method.
Since I've never used a "REEL" buffing system I wouldn't know.
If anyone has used my method and upgraded could you explain why a "Beale type" system is better for pens.(Not larger objects)
With the drill I can change direction and speeds easily.
The drill and wheels are kept nearby.
Please explain what I am missing.

 

[tipusnr]

Eagle,

I'm not sure you're missing anything. A lot of this is technique and that is very individual. As long as you're comfortable with your method and it gives you the results you want...you're golden (Oops - just got the pun - golden eagle!)

I prefer the lathe mounted buffer as it allows me to have the pen blank in my hands instead of a piece of equipment which is more comfortable for me. I like the Bealle system because it is expandable to bowl buffers should I ever choose to make bowls (not in the NEAR future).

I'm looking at the buffing setup that started this thread for two reasons: 1) to eliminated the setup and teardown time in switching buffing wheels and 2)two take some of the strain off my JET mini-lathe to extend its life. As I already have a cheap lathe that isn't worth a whole lot as a lathe it makes a cost-effective solution for me. The only downsize is finding space for a dedicated buffer in my shop. Your set-up seems to be quite space effective.

Some of this really IS personal preference and skill level.

 

[Guest]

Some of this really IS personal preference and skill level.


For lack of a better term,how much is tool "snobbery"?

 

[RussFairfield]

You can make a reasonable buffer by turning two end plugs for a long nap lambs wool paint roller and spinning it in the lathe. They cost about $6. A set of of the tripoli/white diamond/wax in small sticks was about $5 the last time I looked.

 

[tipusnr]

Great suggestion Russ,

Those are the kinds of ideas I can REALLY get into!! You'd want separate rollers, or at least seperate sections for each of the mediums I would think. Don't want to mix your tripoli and your wax!

 

[Fred in NC]

Thanks, Russ. Got my mind stirred up again.

Tip, I think I can get rid of some of the nap in a couple places, leaving 3 separate sections. I think they will be wide enough for pens.

 

[RussFairfield]

I use 4 sections on one 9" roller, Tripoli, White Diamond. wax and bare. No separation other than where I hold the sticks to the wheel. No problems with contamination between the different bands in about 2 years.

 

[Guest]

Most paint roller naps that Ive seen are synthetic.
(You can tell I shop in the cheap places huh?)
Aren't most buffing wheels Cotton or have a lot of cotton in them?

 

[RussFairfield]

Note that I said a "Lambs Wool" paint roller, not the synthetic variety.

 

[Fred in NC]

Got the lambs wool woller... ouch... almost $9, a buck an inch of roller! 3/4" nap should do well as a buffer. Now to build a temporary mount for the lathe until I can put together a more permanent buffing station.

 

[RussFairfield]

The Bealle wheels are Linen discs for the tripoli, alternate linen and cotton for the white diamond, and all cotton for the wax. I have some home-made wheels from bleached denim for all three and can't tell the difference.

 

[Gary]

I use 6-inch muslin wheels for the first two compounds and cotton for the wax. I can't tell any difference in the wheels from Beall either.

 

[Fred in NC]

Wow Russ !! Now you tell me ... I already used up all my denim making "OldJeanMascus" blanks....

 

[DCBluesman]

Buffing wheels from $4.00 up along with compounds from $2.50 can be found on pages 144-147 of the new Grizzly catalog.

 

[Fred in NC]

Just made a paint roller buffer!

I bought a wool paint roller, as per Russ' suggestion. It has a 3/4" nap. Very sweet!

My plan is to make a dedicated buffer based on the paint roller. That is, it will have its own motor and stand.

In the meantime, I wanted to use the roller in my lathe. The roller has an inside diameter of about 1-1/2". This is what I did:

Turned a 6" piece of pine to 1-3/4".

Marked 3 sections: 2-1/8", 3/8", 3-1/2"

The 3/8" was left at the 1-3/4" diameter.

The 3-1/2" section was turned to fit inside the paint roller. I put a slight taper at the end.

I measured a #2 Morse taper, and turned that at the 2-1/8" end. I turned the taper about 1/16" oversized, and used coarse sandpaper to bring to size until it fit just right.

<br />
Looks crude in the pic, but this is just my prototype! []

I was going to turn a plug for the other end of the paint roller, to fit in the live center, but I found that my live center is a perfect fit for the roller's end. So this part has been postponed.

I think this is going to work great!

Total cost, $9 for the paint roller, scrap wood, some shellac.

 

[tipusnr]

Most excellent dude!

 

[RussFairfield]

Muslin?? Isn't that just another weave from cotton??

 

[Gary]

Yes Russ, muslin is a weave of cotton. I suppose I should have phrased that differently. The muslin wheels I use are sold by that name (muslin) whereas the wheel I use for wax is sold as a "soft cotton" wheel. It has a softer feel than the muslin wheels. I don't know if the difference is in the thread count or some form of processing of the cloth or what. But it does feel softer.

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by YoYoSpin
<br />Hartville Tool has the Beall 3-on-a-lathe buffer setup on sale for $78.90: http://www.hartvilletool.com/product/11835. I've been using this system for quite a while, and love it.

Ed: Other problem with the Beall System, besides the price, is that according to the catalog, it is 18" long which would seem to be too long to fit in my JET mini!!

 

[PenWorks]

Randy, just fits, I have a jet mini and a beall buff. Never had a better finish on my resins, till I got one. Anthony

 

[Randy_]

Originally posted by Fred in NC<br />Got the lambs wool woller... ouch... almost $9.....

Fred: That's a bargain!! A "<u>SINGLE</u>" replacement wheel for the Beall system is $15 and remember that you need 3 of them!!!

 

[Randy_]

My sincere thanks to all for your comments!!! I've gotten a bunch of good ideas and will have a good buffing system in place shortly and for a lot less money than what a Beall system would have cost me!!

 

[Gregory Huey]

I tried the lambs paint roller from last weeks imfo WORKS GREAT. Ah old blue jeans you say.

 

[Fred in NC]

Glad to hear that the idea is working for others too!

Tips:

If you buff a finished (already assembled) pen, hold on to it with both hands! Or you might find yourself playing a dart game.

Remove the tool rest from the banjo. It gets in the way.

The section used to buff the wax can be primed with a little wax before the first use.

My idea was published in the Woodcentral articles section. Look about 2/3ds down this page:

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?dir=turning&file=articles_486.shtml

 

[PenWorks]

Nice article Fred. I'm not going to make one. But that was a very beautifull cabinet you made for your mini. [] If I used a stand like that in my demo, I would get more orders for cabinets then PENS[]

 

[Fred in NC]

Thanks, Anthony. Demos were in my mind when I decided to build the cabinet. It is on wheels and there is storage space inside. So far no demos. Also, the fact that I mounted the DC motor under the lathe head (inside the cabinet).

 

[jwoodwright]

Looks like it's time to get a Lambswool paint roller and follow Russ's and Fred's lead.[8D]

 

[J. Fred Muggs]

I, personally, prefer to keep my lathe occupied for turning. Any old 1800 RPM (nominal) motor with 1/2" or 5/8" shaft and about 1/3 H.P. or more can be used as a very effective buffer. Lots of places sell arbors to fit the motor shaft with a threaded end. One of these with a buffing wheel and you're in business. I use a separate arbor and muslin wheel for all three (tripoli, white diamond, and carnauba). I use 8" wheels from Harbor Freight (about $4.00 each as I recall. 8" since I also do big turnings. One set screw changes the wheels in seconds. I keep the wheels in gallon sized zip locks when not in use to avoid contamination from sawdust and other foreign material.

Don't get me wrong, Russ's paint roller deal is great if you have limited space and don't mind changing from whatever you were doing on the lathe to buff. Same deal with the Beall system. But, I got the motor for free from an old furnace, and maybe $25 +/- in arbors, wheels, and compounds, and I've got a stand alone system.

Like two or three have already said, Is' really a matter of personal preference.[8D]

 

[GregMuller]

Hey Fred,
Can you post a picture of what you have done. I have an old router motor that i was thinking about useing but don't know what how to attache the wheels to the shaft. A picture of what you have made may help me. Thanks.

 

[Fred in NC]

Greg: A pic of the taper is in this thread. Look back one page.
I think routers are too fast for buffing!

 

[woodpens]

Originally posted by GregMuller
<br />Can you post a picture of what you have done. I have an old router motor that i was thinking about useing but don't know what how to attache the wheels to the shaft. A picture of what you have made may help me. Thanks.

Don't routers turn at about 28,000 rpm? You'll be covered in a cloud of what used to be buffing wheels if you're not careful. [B)]

 

[btboone]

I agree Jim. That's way too fast for safety. Anything with any mass and that's sticking out 9 inches will instantly whip at 90 degrees and strike whatever's in its path. Much safer on a lathe at around 2000 rpms and that gets held at both ends.

I'll buy a rod of UHMW plastic and I'll precision CNC turn some mandrels. I'll offer them for maybe $15 for the pair. Fred gets to test out the first pair.

 

[Fred in NC]

Ah, Bruce! You mean I get a ROYALTY for the idea ? Well, Thanks!!!!

 

[Gregory Huey]

I will be ready for a set when they are done. I would really can the router idea way to many R's. You may wind up eating something you don't want like the buffer pad.

 

[btboone]

You'll have to fill out a whole new tax form for your royalty []