Buffing review

[DON PENCIL]

I have been reviewing the past few posts I have read concerning buffing. I hope these recommendations will help to improve your buffed finishes, maintenance, ease of use, and lower your initial investment and future maintenance costs.
I have found very few turners who need a dedicated buffing station. It takes up more room in the shop or garage and certainly increases the initial cost.
You will have to have a motor and that can be very expensive. If you don’t get a very expensive Baldor or Caswell type buffing motor ($200-$500, does it include the pedestal ?) it is a waste because you cannot buff inside a bowl or you will still have to buy an adaptor to fit the motor shaft for inside buffing. Then you will still need to get the wheels and compounds. A buffing motor only has two sides to buff from. You must either mount an adaptor on the shafts so that you can change out the wheels easily or be very limited in what or how you can buff. I five different wheels in my buffing set and the same for each size bowl buff.
The RPM the motor runs at is a very big issue. 3000+ is completely out of line. Although some may recommend an RPM in the range of 1750 it is not the best in almost all cases. If I were to target sales to those who want to buff on a motor then I am forced to think that 1750 RPM is ok. 1200 RPM is ideal for most work and in many instances even less is recommended if not a must. Sprayed on or bushed finishes should never be buffed above 900 RPM and 700-800 is best. Regardless of the motor, unless I can make it a variable speed, I cannot get the best results. I wonder what that would cost.
Use your lathe as your buffing station and you can lose the expense and hassle of a buffing motor rig. It is variable speed and will match up to whatever will give you the best finish for the material being buffed.
You will not have to buy the extra adaptors for your buffing motor; they come with your wood buffing system. All wheels, bowl buffs, compounds, wax, and adaptor in one inexpensive system. You can get the entire set of wheels, compounds and wax, 3” and 4” bowl buffs, and an 8” adaptor to fit your lathe for around $130 or less. Remember how much just a dedicated motor is going to cost you before the rest of this.
When it comes to maintaining the buffing wheels I have heard some rather interesting thoughts. Some are very complex and others to so.
Do not use metal as it will get on the wheel and ruin it.
Do not use sandpaper or any other abrasive to clean the wheel. If any of the grip from the abrasive remains in the wheel it will work its horrible effects on the finish the next time you buff. Imagine your next precious work getting hit with a few grains of 60 grit when you go to finish it. Grit may not get into the compound residue left on the wheel and stay there every time, but when it does you will regret it.
Wheel rakes are ok for metal buffing wheels but an unnecessary expense for wood buffing.
Got a 2x4 or any other wooden stick? Just stick it to the wheel. When you feel the need to clean the wheel of old compounds or wax just speed up the RPM to 2000+ and put the stick up against the wheel. Use hard pressure and high a RPM to get the job done. Continue to do so until the wheel is like you want it. This goes for breaking in a new wheel to get the excess lint off of it. No risk of damage to you, the wheel, or your next awesome work.
Store all of the wheels and buffs one type of compound in one bag with that compound. All white diamond in one bag, Tripoli in another, PL in another, wax in another. This will help to keep from cross contamination. It is very important to not get the compounds and wheel mixed.
There’s more but that ought to do it for now.

You are free to call me if you have any questions on the above or any other buffing questions.


Be Well,
Don Pencil

[Mike Peace]

Thanks for the info. What is PL?

[David Walser]

Thanks for the info. What is PL?

PL refers to a buffing compound that is made for plastics. It has a finer abrasiveness content than white diamond. In addition to plastics, it can be used with film finishes such as lacquer.

Don is now selling the PL compound. He was one of the vendors at February's Desert Woodturning Roundup. He made up some sample boards showing lacquer buffed with white diamond and lacquer buffed with the new PL compound. Most of us would be proud of the white diamond buffed lacquer finish; it looked really nice. Still, it was dull compared to the lacquer buffed with the PL compound. Pretty impressive.

I wrote about it back in February. At least, I think I did.

[Wilbur Pan]

The RPM the motor runs at is a very big issue. 3000+ is completely out of line. Although some may recommend an RPM in the range of 1750 it is not the best in almost all cases. If I were to target sales to those who want to buff on a motor then I am forced to think that 1750 RPM is ok. 1200 RPM is ideal for most work and in many instances even less is recommended if not a must. Sprayed on or bushed finishes should never be buffed above 900 RPM and 700-800 is best. Regardless of the motor, unless I can make it a variable speed, I cannot get the best results. I wonder what that would cost.

If lower speeds are good, why not just get a V belt and couple of pulleys sized so that you can step down the motor RPMs to the speed you want? A 1750 RPM motor with a 2" pulley hooked up to a 4" pulley on a shaft driving a buffing wheel will spin that buffing wheel at 875 RPM.

[Bob Hallowell]

All I know Is I do alot of lacquer on my peppermills. I will be ordering his pl buff soon, I didn't know about it. Light touch with the tripoli wooks fine but sometimes the White diamond smear it.

Bob

[Brian McInturff]

Excellent write up Don. Guess I need to add a few things to my buffing arsenal. I need a better bowl buff than what I have right now. They are to hard and to short. I think I got them a few years ago from WoodCraft. Non Beall I do believe. Order coming soon!
Thanks, Brian

[charlie knighton]

thanks for the info

[Dick Sowa]

Super info Don. Some great insight, and worth paying attention to.

As far as motors go, I grabbed an old washing machine motor that was due for the dump...cost was zero...speed was around 1750 and after mounting it on a small bench, it works like great!

Now I gotta go try some of that PL compound :)

[Thomas Canfield]

Don,

That is a good writeup on the buffing system. I wish you had it written out when I bought your system at the SWAT in Wichita Falls, TX in 2007. I looked for you in Waco, TX SWAT last year, but maybe you will be at the SWAT in Whichita Falls, TX this fall. Your system and bowl buffs have worked well. I do have the Beale 3 wheel on one shaft, but seldom use it except for pens and small objects. The extension and screw on buffs work well for bowls and larger objects exterior, and the 3" buffs for interior work.

I was told last year to sand to 400 and then use the Tripoli before the first application of danish oil/polyurethane 4:1 mix and prior to additional coats (4 plus). Apply one more than you think you need. It really improves the finish and then go to the white diamond and Renasiance wax for final finish.

[Bob Hallowell]

Don,
when we use you new pl for lacquer, do we go straight to it or go thur the compounds tri-pl or tri-wd-pl?

thanks,
Bob

[DON PENCIL]

I was thinking of "P" plastic and "L" lacquer but either will do.

[DON PENCIL]

Only because of the extra space needed and the expence for the motor and all of the extra gear required. Then there is the work of putting it all together. And it still has limitations to an 8" buffing shaft adaptor.
I like turning. When I first got started I wanted to make everything I used to turn wood. Ended up spending most of my time making the stuff and not getting much turning done. Most of the equipment out there is inexpensive enough. I've watched some spend 2/3 of the money for a new item on the cost of parts and all day building it. He could have been turning. I don't like working that hard. But I do think it great when one can make their own stuff.

[DON PENCIL]

Thank You!

[DON PENCIL]

I would not buff before applying finishes other than the carnuaba wax finish. All of the buffing abrasives are carried in a vehicle that consists mostly of mixes paraffin wax and various animal fats. The formulas vary. If you use the tripoli, white diamond, or PL compounds before applying a finish (sprayed or brushed) like lacquer you are placing it over a waxed base. That will not work very well. Just sand and prep the surface as you normally would for the finish you have in mind. After that you can buff out any imperfections with the "PL" wheel and compound.
And remember, you are using an abrasive. Buff lightly, at low speed, and check frequently. Do it right and the surface will come out like a piece of glass. A couple of coats more than the usual is a good idea. I go with a minimum of 5 and usually 7-8. Sure gives a great deep and beautiful look.

[Jim Underwood]

I went down to Sears and bought my buffing stuff.
I think I got three wheels, and several levels of compound for less than $20.
I have yet to use it though.:o

I was wondering which wheel should be used for what application? Seems there was a linen wheel, a cotton wheel, and one other...
I'll have to look at them again to remember. CRS disease and all that.

[DON PENCIL]

I do not believe that aI have ever seen wood buffing materials at Sears.
Most of it is for metal buffing and in most cases there is a difference.
The wheels are usually harder and sewn differently. The material used is not always different but they are much smaller and have multiple stitching. Wood buffing wheels have only one row of stitching. You will also find that you probably received a smaller amount of compound. Did you get the wax?
$20 is a good deal but when compared to what comes in wood buffing sets you may find that you just got $20 worth.

[Bob Hallowell]

Don,
when we use you new pl for lacquer, do we go straight to it or go thur the compounds tri-pl or tri-wd-pl?

thanks,
Bob

[Scott Conners]

When I went shopping for a buff system I went with Don's because of the price and the long adapter. The long adapter is awesome, I've buffed everything from tiny peices to bowls to guitars on my mini lathe! I was surprised at how well the long adapter worked, it works really well, perfectly rigid and well machined.

I *really* like having a taper adapter for the bowl buffs too. It lets me use pretty much any screw on buff on my lathe or buffer machine with my buffs. I took some work with me to my parents over the holidays, and just put my buffs on my mother's buff motor and it worked great.

Buffing was the final step I was looking for, it makes it easy to take any finish up to a high gloss, even if your brush/spray work isn't 100%, you can just wet sand to level, I often use steel wool. Then just buff it once you have it evenly white, and it comes up to a beautiful gloss really easily. I also polish raw wood when it's the right wood, like most of the rosewood family. Sand carefully to 400-600 and buff.
I buff pretty much everything I make now as some point.

I've stopped using the carnuba wax at all, I don't like the feel it has (slightly draggy instead of slick) and it picks up fingerprints easily. It also water spots really easily. The spots go white and don't come out easily. Instead I'm using Renaissance wax when I want that last tiny bit of smoothing and shine and really like how it works. I just put it on by hand with a folded viva paper towel and buff with an old sock or t-shirt rag. I haven't tried buffing ren wax yet, but I intend to.

Now I hear about PL, I'm going to have to try some for sure.

[Ken George]

Good thread. I, like Scott, have given up the Carnauba wax that came with my Beall system for Renaisance wax. I apply it by hand and buff it on the lathe with a wool bonnet. Have thought about buying another wheel to use with the Beall system for the Ren wax. Any thoughts on whether I could just use the Beall wax wheel for the Ren wax?