#8-Buffing

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ed4copies

ed4copies

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HOW TO #8--Buffing.mp4 - YouTube

This one is worth watching. Particularly if you do acrylic pens.

If you can, make the video play full screen.

Thanks for any comments---in a few days I will complete the pen by assembling. Right now, it will be nice not to look at vids for a while.

About 27 mins from start to finish.---ALL 8 parts, not just this one.
 
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Thanks for putting this together Ed,

Just one question. I see you hold the blank on an angle (as do I). Why reverse the pen on the stick? Doing this doesn't invert the angle of buffing - to invert the angle of the buffing you have to hold the stick at an angle in the other direction (Ambidexterity would be nice). I just think it would be better to swing the stick to the complementary angle instead.

Put a diagonal mark on a blank with a sharpie, then reverse the blank to see what I mean.

What you are doing is a huge help to out community. I'm not wanting to be critical, just helpful.
 
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Thanks Dennis---you are correct!!

The only other advantage is it switches the "ends". The contact with the blank at the end toward the stick is never GREAT. So, by switching, I do a better job at the two ends. But I DID think it was changing the "swirl" until I studied your comment---you are CORRECT!!
 
Thank you Ed, for your effort to show us how you do a pen. These lessons would have been available at some cost to us who live a distance from a good teacher. Your 'freebes' are legendary and this tops the cake. Once more, a BIG THANK YOU from those of us still trying to learn. I have stolen the entire series so I may be able to watch and re-watch them as the need arises. You could bundle these onto a dvd and offer them for sale on your site to recover at least your cost. Would that idea get me a finders fee?:rolleyes::smile:
Charles
 
Do you normally go all the way to carnauba or do you stop at white diamond? I bought some beall wheels myself and put them on a rig like yours but I always go all the way through them all. I thought it was the carnauba that gave you the nice hard gloss finish with waxing?
 
Well Rob,

I have never waxed plastic.

Seems like we have a lot of plastic in our world---car dashboards come to mind first. I have never waxed that!!

So, just seems like an unnecessary step.

Just MY way, not the right or ONLY way!!

Ed
 
brownsfn2 said:
I like the jig to hold the pen parts. I have been only using my fingers. That looks much safer. :)
Click to expand...

I made the stick right after I LOST a blank!!!

My shop is not pristine----but this one went under a cabinet that is filled with exotic woods---it was "gone".

Have not lost one, since the stick!!
 
Saw the stick jig and thought "now why have i not thought of that"

I have been constantly having the shinny manicure on my fingernails. wife laughs at it all the time.

I will definately be making one of those blank holder-ma-jigs. :)
 
I made similar sticks... (labeled the handles so I don't have to grab a bunch to figure out which was which.)

The biggest difference that I see between mine and yours Ed, is that the tube sized section is just shorter than the blank. I'm not sure if its right or wrong, but then I don't worry about it sticking up and being in the way at all.
 
I only have two sticks.

The one in the video and another one that has a 7mm section at the top---

As you can see in the vid, I hold the top and spin the handle with the other hand---works for me!!!

But, any way that works for YOU, is good!!
 
ed4copies said:
I only have two sticks.

The one in the video and another one that has a 7mm section at the top---

As you can see in the vid, I hold the top and spin the handle with the other hand---works for me!!!

But, any way that works for YOU, is good!!
Click to expand...

I started out that way too - with just 2..

Here is my thinking for having different sticks. (No right or wrong, just throwing out ideas for others). Having a stick for each size tube means that I can size it so that each tube can slide on without much trouble, but so the tube doesn't spin at all. If the tube spins, I have a harder time controlling which side of its being buffed.

I then also have the tube part "widen" more slowly and then I can buff to the bottom of the blank without the wide part getting in the way. I do however tend to still flip the blank and buff both angles.

I just slowly spin the stick in my right hand using my thumb and pointer finger.
 
I then also have the tube part "widen" more slowly and then I can buff to the bottom of the blank without the wide part getting in the way.


This is, very definitely, an improvement.
 
Do you buff like this and then put plastic polish on or are you at a finished product after the buffing?

I thought red, and diamond were all wax products, which is why I was curious why did not go all the way to carnauba.

Liked the stick idea as well, I'll be turning one of those next time I get some shop time.




ed4copies said:
Well Rob,

I have never waxed plastic.

Seems like we have a lot of plastic in our world---car dashboards come to mind first. I have never waxed that!!

So, just seems like an unnecessary step.

Just MY way, not the right or ONLY way!!

Ed
Click to expand...
 
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