DON PENCIL
04-08-2009, 2:08 PM
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
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