I'm ready to buy a Beall 3 wheel thing - advice?

[karlkuehn]

Hey, I've got my old variable speed shop fox that I'm not using at all since I got the Rikon, so I figured it was time to get it set up for buffing, since I'm doing stoppers and candles and stuff.

Anyone give me the skinny on the <s>best</s>cheapest place to get one, can I make one with a rod and some wheels, etc. Any thoughts are appreciated! I'm new to the buffing thing, but I like the results that I see, and it seems to be a lot faster than trying to sand all the little nooks and crannies with sandpaper.

Thanks

 

[stevers]

I'm going to be fallowing you on this thread Karl. I'm looking right now too. I have an old spare grinder I want to convert. Thinking I will just go with the two wheels, WD and tripoli. I tend to use Ren wax on most of my stuff anyway.

 

[rlharding]

Hey Karl,
you don't need to get the Beall system to do a good buffing job. One of the main websites for wood turning has a tutorial on how to make your own system just from buying the buffing wheels. I am going to see if I can attach it. The wheels are all available from Caswell, and, Caswell have a lot of very, very useful information on their site regarding buffing, compounds, powder coating, etc.

All you need then is some threaded rod and nuts and washers.

I have several buffing wheels/balls that I mount in my drill chuck thingy that goes in the headstock. I do a batch of pens and then run them all through Tripoli, then through white diamond on another wheel, and then use carnuba wax as needed on a third. They take seconds to load on an off and cost me about $20. I think the buffing wheels are cheaper in the US.


Darn, everything I have ever tried to load is the wrong file type or too large. Send me your email address and I will send you the instructions if you wish.

 

[karlkuehn]

I was wondering about that, so at home depot tonight I picked up a collet and a wheel with some white diamond stuff. I figure I can at least monkey around with it for now in my lathe chuck and get the hang of it, and the minor scratches I see probably don't need the tripoli at this point, although in the future it'd sure be slick to be able to skip some MM steps. I've just started using Ren wax as well, that stuff is great! I'll send you my email.

 

[stevers]

I completely agree Karl. I would love to cut out some MM steps. It's so time consuming and messy. And it gets tough on detail work. Thats a large reason I steer away from the beading and that sort of fine detail.

 

[karlkuehn]

Watching Ed Davidson's DVD that I got with the closed-end mandrels I bought from Bill really helped me understand how much extra work I'm doing, just on the flat work. And here's Ed just humming away turning intricate beads and fun shapes that I can only dream about cramming a piece of fine grain MM into without a)taking off to much finish on the high points (no fun, adds a new step), b) missing a spot that only shows up when I've already pressed three or four kit parts into the blanks (tear it apart and fix, or blindfold myself and wish it away), or my favorite, c) melt a big strip out of one of my MM sheets, effectively plastic-welding the abrasive into the blank. (Lose a beauty contest, go back 17 spaces and try again).

Hence the interest in buffing! heh

By the way, Steve, I've not had much time to post, but you've been doing some great stuff since the last time we posted back and forth. Thanks again for forging ground into Curtis' world of worthlessness! I'm amazed by how many people are building pots and keeping up with the Jones'! Lately I've been very busy with some really innovative casting stuff, but I've not been posting about it until I've got some things perfected. Gives you something to look forward to, right? If it weren't for your tutorial, I'd have never gotten off the ground with my pot. But, I will say, since we built ours, I've had several V8 moments, slapping myself in the forehead, when I've seen how other people have built their pots, and so simply. I think you used 863 brass fittings on yours, I beat you just under the wire with 857, and then the next guy posts one that uses like...you know...four...hehe. I still think ours look better, though. I can't tell you how many people have seen my pot and been awestruck by my vast knowledge and casting prowess, just because a guy obviously can't build something so complex without being some sort of composite materials superfreak, right? *snorts*

Hey, you been having any luck with stabilizing? I mean, stabilizing on the level of the big guys? Seems like our little HF pots just don't have the huevos to suck the PR resin down deep, and I've tried several poly/shellac liquids, but they don't get as hard, you know?

 

[karlkuehn]

Wow! Just got done buffing a bottle stopper with the single mandrel wheel I got last night at home depot. Just using white diamond and then hand buffing on a coat of Ren wax gave me a better finish than I ever got on the lathe, with less than half of the time and effort it took with MM. Where have these things been all my life? Shoot, for the wheel and little mandrel thing, it costs me less than $10/wheel! I need to get a couple more and I'm all set. I don't need the multiple wheel setup, it's a snap with a keyless chuck to change wheels. Thanks for all the advice. I need to go back to home depot and grab a EEE wheel and see what I can do with that.

I did have a small incident involving a loose grip and a flying bottle stopper. Got pretty good distance after it bounced off my lathe bed. [:I] I think I'll get a cloth diaper to drape over the lathe bed and then I need to build a handle. I'll have to go get a hunk of threaded rod and make something.

 

[rlharding]

Karl, AS has a handle for holding bottle stoppers while buffing.I think Ed makes them but I am not sure.

 

[stevers]

Hey Karl. Not much new on my end as far as casting. In fact, haven't cast in a few weeks. Lately I've been playing with my new closed end set up. It's pretty fun and some unique stuff comes from it. Have an order for some cast label pens. Just need to confirm the order before i start casting.
And ya, ya, ya, I used a lot of stuff on my pot.[] But I still like my design. It's versatile and works great. I like the control.
Haven't tried stabilizing beyond worthless wood. I like the double cast method for worthless wood. Gives me some fabulous finishes.
Cant wait to see what you come up with. Keep us informed.

 

[Ron in Drums PA]

Karl, I've been doing it your way from the time I started turning. Works well, don't it.

Lowes is closer to me, so that is where I go. Over there, next to the white diamond, which is labeled #5 is a green stick labeled #6 which is finer than the white. I use both sticks and they really brings out the luster.

 

[BDKS]

PSI has one that is decent priced.

http://www.pennstateind.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=PSI&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=LBUFFSYS

Bobby

 

[karlkuehn]

Originally posted by Ron in Drums PA
<br />Karl, I've been doing it your way from the time I started turning. Works well, don't it.

Lowes is closer to me, so that is where I go. Over there, next to the white diamond, which is labeled #5 is a green stick labeled #6 which is finer than the white. I use both sticks and they really brings out the luster.

I bought the Ryobi White Rouge buffing compound, it was the finest one they had, graded "H" out of "C-H". It says 2-5 microns for the abrasive. I'll have to check out the green stick one, we have a Lowes fairly close here, too.

I'm still just amazed at how much of a better finish I'm getting over the MM 12000. I've been going crazy rooting around in drawers finding stuff to buff. I've saved several things that just didn't come out right and I didn't feel like sticking them back on the to get a little spot or two.

I've known about buffing since I started turning, but for some reason just never took the time to get it set up, thinking "mehhh...how much better can it be?" Shoot. It's like Christmas all over again! heh

Got a couple good new tools, the 14" Grizzly G0555, the Rikon 4"x36" belt/6" disc sander, I'm picking up some real lathe tools so I can turn my HF crap into gardening picks, I'm buffing now...man...look out Pen Maker's Guild! Here I come! hehe