Xmas in February!

[Tim Thiebaut]

Howdy all, my wife receives her yearly bonus tomorrow, I have always told her its your bonus you do whatever you want with it. Well tonight she came home and first thing in the door says what else do you need for turning, I picked up the new Rockler mag I had just received this afternoon and handed it to her and told her one of everything, and 2 of some things....ok, but in all seriousness she wants to buy me something so I am thinking the Beall buff system. Would your recommendations be to get the 3 in 1 or go for the individual buffs, I have heard some people say the 3 in 1 are to close together but most of what I have done so far is small stuff...although I will be branching out as time goes on. What say you all... 3 in 1 or individuals buffs? Thanks, Tim

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Tim,

I bought both....I bought the 3-on-1 first. I gave it to a new turner and bought the one-at-a-time version. The 3on1 limits the size you can buff or you get the back of your hand polished on one of the other wheels....

I prefer the one at a time.

[dennis kranz]

I also bought the 3 in 1 first. Save yourself some money and get the indiviudual ones.
Dennis

[Scott Hubl]

Same thing here, the 3in1 is nice for real small stuff, like pens, bottle stoppers, etc., 123 your all buffed.

But soon you'll realize the singles are more useful and pretty easy to swap out each buff at the lathe. Get the extension as well for the singles, gives you more room to work.

[Jack Mincey]

I recommend the single as well unless you just do very small stuff like game calls where the 3 in 1 works great. I also recommend you get one of the long mandrels on the market that screw onto your spindle in lou of the morse taper one that comes with the kit. It puts the buffing wheel further away from the head stock and lets you buff larger items with ease. It is also easier to put on and off you lathe and never comes out before you are ready for it to.
Jack

[Steve Schlumpf]

Another vote for the single wheels! Gives you a lot more room to work in and there will come a time when you will need it!

[Jim Burr]

Get something else!!! I made mine from 12" all-thread, 2 nuts and 2 pan washers. How about some beading tools, or a texture tool, an airbrush maybe?

[Scott Hackler]

I have the 3 in 1. Definitely DONT get the 3 in 1. Like it was meantioned before, it is very limiting. The distances between the wheels makes it pretty much impossible to polish anything over 6" in diameter. It is great, however, if you only want to polish something small or the outside of a small to medium bowl.

Do yourself a favor and not only get the individual wheels, but some "bowl buffs" for the inside of your bowls. I havent boughten them yet but they are on the list.

[Roger Chandler]

Another vote for the single buffs. I have them and the bowl buffs as well. The singles are much more versatile, and you can do much bigger things on them and do the small as well!

[bob svoboda]

I've got the singles and like them very much. No desire for the 3 in 1.

[Thom Sturgill]

I got the single that mounts to the buffer, then bought Don Pencil's adapter for the lathe and just ordered another for my larger lathe. They are on sale right now. His buffing wheels are ok, but I prefer Beall's. He also sells a buffing compound specific to lacquer and plastic. The parts are interchangeable.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Thanks everyone, it looks like the singles win overwhelmingly. Will get them ordered this afternoon, thanks for everyones input here, Tim

[Greg Just]

I made my own 3 in 1 and will soon be converting to the single buffs. There is definitely a limit with the 3 in 1.

[Steve Mawson]

I like the singles which I have. Very versatile. Use on lathe and Shopsmith both.

[Harry Robinette]

Been using the single for about 10 years.Put it on a motor 4 years ago thats the way to go, I also use this motor for a 5" air drum sander( nice thing to have also)
You can mount the motor at the edge of a grinder stand and use the beale motor mandrill. You get plenty of room for most turnings anything else I use my drill and the
4" flat and ball buffs.
Diffidently singles
Harry