After a few years of polishing willy nilly I would like a more refined and systematic polishing technique. The 3 buffing wheels on a spindle on the lathe look ok for pens but what about larger bowls and longer spindle work, up to three feet. Should I polish with the work on the lathe and the buffing wheel held in a drill or the like? How about the size of the buffing wheel, do you need a variety of sizes? Some of these answers are self-evident but I would like some input. Gracias.
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3-Step polishing system
- Thread starter Wayne Spence
- Start date
Wayne,
I got my 3 wheel system 6 months ago and I can't believe I waited so long. If you like a sweet, shine on your work or a deep glow with rubbing oils you will not hesitate to get yours.
I just polished a 20 inch partially carved oak bowl and it is beautiful. It just takes a so so finish and turns it into a deep shine. ( like a spit shine shoe).
Now if that look is not for you, you may try other methods of hand rubbing and different finishes.
A friend of mine makes guitars and he has some large wheels but it isn't necessary.the eight inch one work fine. Gary
I got my 3 wheel system 6 months ago and I can't believe I waited so long. If you like a sweet, shine on your work or a deep glow with rubbing oils you will not hesitate to get yours.
I just polished a 20 inch partially carved oak bowl and it is beautiful. It just takes a so so finish and turns it into a deep shine. ( like a spit shine shoe).
Now if that look is not for you, you may try other methods of hand rubbing and different finishes.
A friend of mine makes guitars and he has some large wheels but it isn't necessary.the eight inch one work fine. Gary
Google Don Pencil and Beale.
I have the Don Pencil system and like it.
I have the Don Pencil system and like it.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I love the Don Pencil extension for the Bealle buffing system. It gives you the freedom to work without hitting the headstock. I've buffed 20" bowls on it. I use the 4" wheels mostly because the vast majority of my work is under 10".
A "stand alone" motor is pretty handy for the Beall buffing system. I built this one using the original motor from my lathe when I changed over to variable speed. I even reused all the switches and controls on the new buffing station. It's 1 1/2 hp, which is a bit overkill, but I used the motor I had. I can tell you that a 1/3 hp motor will be a little underpowered for this purpose.......and that's what I used in the beginning. My guess is a motor of around 3/4 to 1hp would probably be ideal.
The large buffing wheels.....I believe they are 8"......are the most overall useful, but 4" is mighty handy, as well. If I were to suggest, I'd say get all the accessories you can afford, because you will use all of them eventually.
For larger work, the mandrel extension is a good item to have, too. It will give you the clearance to comfortably do your polishing.
Some time back, it was suggested to me to get some of the rubber stretch gloves that doctors use......this is a superb suggestion, and the reason for it is getting a good grip on the bowl to be polished. I bounced a couple of bowls on the concrete shop floor.....man, that really is disappointing to lose a bowl after all your effort!
ooc
The large buffing wheels.....I believe they are 8"......are the most overall useful, but 4" is mighty handy, as well. If I were to suggest, I'd say get all the accessories you can afford, because you will use all of them eventually.
For larger work, the mandrel extension is a good item to have, too. It will give you the clearance to comfortably do your polishing.
Some time back, it was suggested to me to get some of the rubber stretch gloves that doctors use......this is a superb suggestion, and the reason for it is getting a good grip on the bowl to be polished. I bounced a couple of bowls on the concrete shop floor.....man, that really is disappointing to lose a bowl after all your effort!
ooc
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Ditto. I've got Don's system, with both the 8" and 12" spindle extensions. I use the 8" wheels, and occasionally the 4" bowl buffs. I've also become very fond of Don's "PL" polishing compound, so now I have four wheels instead of the usual three. The PL compound seems to be somewhere between tripoli and white diamond in abrasiveness. I often use it instead of the tripoli and white diamond, then go straight to wax. I also don't like using carnauba wax. Instead, I apply Renaissance wax by hand, then buff it with a clean wheel dedicated for that purpose. I've also got a set of 6" wheels (from the local hardware store) and a mandrel for my Wilton mini lathe, which is now my dedicated variable speed "small piece" buffing station.
And I respectfully disagree with Odie's suggestion to rear rubber gloves. I like to be able to feel the surface of the piece I'm buffing, to find bumps my eyes don't see. The gloves would get in the way of doing that. Any time I've launched a piece across the shop from the buffer, it has been because I presented the piece to the buffing wheel wrong.
Hello Vaughn.......
Well......I'm going to respectfully disagree with Vaughn about using the gloves......for intricate shapes. If nothing but simple curves are being buffed, I can see some substance to his comment, but you cannot use the Beall buff for intricate curves and shapes without getting close to what could be a catch.
For these intricate shapes, big catches are the result of not having a good grip on the object being buffed. If a solid grip is had, big catches are avoided, and simply become minor bumps.
ooc
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I got "The Big Buffer" a few years back. JET lowspeed http://www.northwestpowertools.com/polish/jsb10l.htm type. I use pneumatic drums, flap wheels, buffing terminations of all sorts on him. If I didn't have my old grinding mandrel/pump motor setup for sharpening, he'd be doing that, too. Back then he was a more bearable $169, but with what I know now I wouldn't hesitate to spend what he runs today.
You'll want softer cotton and firmer muslin wheels, and some mops as well, to work pretty much anywhere. Size matters only when you consider what fits. The first set should be 6" wheels and 2" buffs, followed by some 8" and 4" as necessity and wallet demand. Keep the different sizes, but matching grits in their own plastic toolboxes, so you don't dummy up and cross-contaminate.
This is a good point, MM is making here.
In the beginning, I kept all the same size buffs and wheels in the same box together, but quickly realized that it was only a matter of time before a mistake would be made. Keeping all sizes wheels and buffs that use the same compound together just makes sense, and is a much better way to go.
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Polishing system
I got the Don Pencil 8" adapter with 4" Beall wheels for my Jet mini lathe. The mini will probably be dedicated to finishing at least for awhile. The big buffer of Mr. Mouse looks like a good bet however at $280 it
is out of reach for now. Thanks for all the tips. Yes, the system works well.
I got the Don Pencil 8" adapter with 4" Beall wheels for my Jet mini lathe. The mini will probably be dedicated to finishing at least for awhile. The big buffer of Mr. Mouse looks like a good bet however at $280 it
is out of reach for now. Thanks for all the tips. Yes, the system works well.