Thinking of going buff

[Chasper]

I'm having a hard time getting flawless finishes on bottle stoppers so I'm considering going getting tools and supplies to try buffing. I've found the threads where this has been discussed before and it looks like the consensus is that the 3-on Beall kit with 8" buffs is the preferred method.

When and how do you use these buffs. Do I take it to the buffer after I've applied CA and MMed all the way up? When it comes off the last wheel with the Carnuba is it done? No additional polish needed, or do I still go back and apply a coat of something like Hut Ultra Gloss?

I realize that I could possibly make my own 3-on set using buffs that could we bought for less, but I've got too many make-it-yourself projects in process already.

 

[DCBluesman]

There's no advantage to sanding through all of the grits of Micro-mesh if you are going to use Tripoli and White Diamond on two of your buffing wheels. You should be able to apply your finish of choice then move straight to the buffing wheels. Worst case, sand to 400 or 600 grit. The third wheel is generally a "clean" wheel. Apply your top coat (carnauba, TSW, Renaissance Wax, etc.) and buff using this wheel.

 

[Russianwolf]

To give it a try without major expense, I bought a little pack from Sears (I know, first mistake) that included 3 wheels (2, 3, and 4 inchers) and 4 sticks that included Tripoli, a red rouge, and a white rouge. This was less than $10.

I haven't been able to get any good results with it at all.

Are the compounds just not good enough, are the wheels bad, or is it just me?

I'm getting better results by sanding with 400, 1000, 2000 and then polishing with EEE paste.

 

[jskeen]

I agree, don't bother mm to 12,000 and then buff, your going backward. 400 or possibly 600 paper or just mm to 3200 then buff with EEE on first buff, white diamond on second, then carnuba on the third. If you use renwax or tsw or briwax, don't apply it to the buff, just wipe onto the stopper, let dry to a haze and buff off with a clean buff. The only reason to apply carnuba to the buff first is that it is too hard to apply without heat to soften it, so if that's what you use, load the buff up pretty well at high speed, then apply and use a cloth to clean any excess off the metal parts. No need for anything else.

I use the sears EEE and white rouge on anything I don't CA/BLO and MM, and it seems to work fine, I suspect that the problem is more with the buffs than the media for anybody using 4 inch wheels. you can get good double thickness 8 in flannel wheels of ebay for 4 or 5 bucks each, and that will improve your results greatly. They can be used either on a grinder motor, or a piece of allthread in a lathe spaced with some bolts and washers.

I've done both, pm if you have questions.

 

[ed4copies]

I use the bealle (cause Dawn bought it for me) and I LOVE it.

I sand resins to 1000, then tripoli and white diamond -- Done.

 

[the_benz]

I purchased this system from PSI and have had no problems with it at all. Item #: LBUFFSYS A bit cheaper than the Beall but same components.

 

[rherrell]

I'm with Ed. I only use two wheels, tripoli and white diamond. Only difference is I sand with 600 wet/dry (used dry) instead of 1000. I do this for both CA and plastic.
One advantage to using two wheels is more room. I found that the three wheels were too close together and made it difficult to move around.

 

[hilltopper46]

I did my own a week or so ago. This is not original with me. I made it from what I learned on this site, with a few changes to fit my situation.

I have ~$30 in it. 3 buffing wheels (6-inch, not 8-inch) a piece of 1/2-inch ready rod (I rolled a couple of them on the floor of the Home Depot before I picked the one I took home), a bunch of flat washers, some 3/4-inch plastic pipe and some 1/2-inch nuts, including a couple of the ready-rod coupling nuts.

I screwed the coupling nut on one end of the ready-rod and locked it in place with a standard nut. The live center is large enough to run in the chamfer in the coupling nut.

I cut some pieces of plastic pipe and squared them on the metal lathe and put them between the wheels with some large washers.

I drive it with a 1/2-inch morse taper 2 collet directly on the threads. It's a cheap collet and it's my lathe and it works for me!! I do use a drawbar with the collet.

You can see the larger ring on the live center which is where it drives on the coupling nut.

I just bought some tripoli (the brown stuff) and some plastic polish (the white stuff) and use wax on the third wheel.

One thing I would do differently is for the tripoli wheel I would get the sewn wheel - not the completely loose one as shown here. But, hey, when I want to badly enough, I can change it.

It really takes those last few sanding/polishing lines out of plastic pens and CA finishes. I don't use the tripoli on those, just the plastic polish and the wax. it doesn't take much time and pressure and it shines things right up!

I run it on the middle belt pulley on the Delta midi lathe. It runs pretty true.

The hardest part was getting the length right on the spacers and the ready rod so it fit the lathe. I just used trial and error until it fit. The spacers ended up ~5.5 inches long and rod is around 14 inches or so.

 

[railrider1920]

something I have wondered, is tripoli the same thing as EEE?

I got a three wheel pack from home depot for about $10. I put two of them on a medium length bolt and put it on the DP. Works for me, but this is my first experience with buffing.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Like the Hilltopper, I made a homemade 3 wheel, using 6" wheels and an all thread rod from Lowe's .. on my 1014 I get pretty good results.

I also have a buffing system from Don Pencil that got shipped to me by mistake when I order one of his Scorpion and Stinger hollowing tool sets... somebody else got my hollowing set and I got their buffing system. When I called Don to arrange for him to pick up the buffing system and make the exchange, he just laughed... then said "keep it, I'll get your hollowing tools out tomorrow morning".... so I wound up with a free buffing system, soft wheels, I think the material is flannel.
4-8" wheels, 3-3" "balls", 3-4" "balls" and a shaft that screws right onto the head stock.. nice system that does and excellent job on the buffing. I buff all of my peppermills out with this system.

 

[Jarheaded]

I planned on making one for a while and finally bought the Beall 3in1. It is a great system and a breeze to use. The difference in the final finish is amazing and now I learned I don't have to sand as much as I have been. This thing is getting even better.

 

[ed4copies]

Just a quick note, I sand to 1000 because that's where the resin starts to shine, for me. I know I don't need to, but its my "cheap thrill" to see the pen getting "pretty".