Beall Buffing

[Kirk Miller]

I finally decided to use the Beall buffing system that has been sittin on a shelf for a few weeks. I will say it does an excellant job. I did have one problem. It seems to like to grab the work, bounce it off the lathe bed causing a ricochet that propels it across the garage like something out of Poltergeist. I will say that part of that may be caused by me. I have issues with my hands that make it hard to hang on to stuff some time. What I was wondering is if anyone has come up with a way to hang onto bottle toppers while buffing them?
I am thinking of welding a piece of flat bar onto a bolt top to screw into the topper. It would have a bend on the hand end to hook around the hand and hopefully prevent the abrupt departure of anymore toppers.

Also if anyone notices a pretty cherry wine bottle topper on their property that they don't recognise, I would appreciate its return....lol

[Jack Mincey]

Try not to let the wheel come into contact with a sharp edge at an angle that will let it get a hold on it or it can take something away from anyone. First time I used mine it destroyed a pretty bowl on the floor. I have learned over time how to buff bowls, without being distroyed on the floor. It will remind you if you don't think of what you are doing.
Jack

[Steve Schlumpf]

Kirk - the one thing I do is always wear gloves. I use a tight fitting pair of buckskins for turning and have another pair (cleaner) for buffing. The gloves allow me to not worry about getting my hands into the buffing wheel and also keeps my fingers from messing up the final finish. When standing, with the buffing wheel running perpendicular to you - hold the turning so you buff it at the 7 to 6:30 position. Like Jack mentioned - never present an edge perpendicular to the wheel as it will be ripped from your grip. Instead turn the edge so that it is mostly parallel to the wheel and you won't have any problems.

The above method works for me - hope it helps you as well.

[steven carter]

Kirk,

Ditto to what Steve and Jack said. Also you might want to buff at a lower speed until you get a feel for the forces involved. Also lighter pressure of the work piece against the wheel. After you get accustomed to buffing, you can increase the speed and pressure.

Steve

[George Clark]

Kirk,

I use a threaded mandrel to turn my stoppers. To buff them I screw them onto a long 3/8 16 bolt to use as a handle. Cover the bolt with masking tape to keep the black residue from the bolt from crudding up the buffing wheels. Works good for me. There is less of a chance of loosing the stopper if you keep th area your buffing basically tangent to the wheel. Don't go in nose first. I also cover the ways of my lathe with a router mat available from Grizzly for $7 or $8. Hope this helps.

George

[Stephen Massman]

I was throwing them also until i made my own buffing handle.

Arizona Silhouette sell one that i cloned.
http://www.arizonasilhouetteinc.com/cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1965

[Rick Prosser]

I don't have a buffing system (yet), but I would be wary of something that would have "a bend on the hand end to hook around the hand". Anything that might trap your hand and pull it into the system :eek: would not be a good design.

Be safe

[robert hainstock]

I always try to buff downhill from edges, or anything that might catch the wheel. :)
Bob

[Kirk Miller]

I thank everyone for their idea's, and I agree with you Rick. I am still going to work up some kind of handleI will probably just turn one from scraps, and mount a long cut offbolt into it. I would then be able to get a better grip on it, still be able to let go, and not worry about getting sucked into the buffer. I will post a pic when I get it refined.

Thanks Again
Kirk

[Mike Peace]

I put on a pair of disposable latex gloves. I reuse them several times. If the wheel hits your finger it may rip the glove but not big deal. Have not thrown anything since I started using them.

[Richard Madison]

Kirk,
Think I saw that one go over the house in low orbit. How about posting some (more?) pictures of similar work so I can tell if that one was yours. One side of it was very shiny.

[Dewey Torres]

If this makes you feel any better...

I am still looking for the last piece so I can try to put it back together. Maybe it is at your house:confused:

Steve warned me and I thought I had a good grip...not the case:mad:

[Art Kelly]

I always try to buff downhill from edges, or anything that might catch the wheel. :)
Bob

To add to this, NEVER let the wheel come up to the edge closest to you. When you do the edges, hold the piece so the wheel goes from the body to the edge, which is pointing away from you. Whenever possible--especially when doing the insides--I hold the edge closest to my belly so the wheel would buff my hand before it touched the edge.

Oh yeah, and hold on for dear life at all times. Just in case.

BTW, I do mine on the drill press. The lathe ways are too close to suit me.

Art