Beall buffing help

[Mike Koble]

Hi all. I just bought the Beall Buff System and it should be here tomorrow. I have done allot of searching on the forum and it seems allot of people on here like to use the Ren wax as the final buff. From what I gather I know I should use very little. But how much is that and how do you apply it to the buffing wheel ? Do you just smear a little on your finger then put it on the spinning buffing wheel or use a gob of it ? Any help will be appreciated. I dont want to overload my wheel on the first day LOL.

[Thom Sturgill]

I wax the piece by rubbing a small amount on with my finger, then buff off. I'm sure others do it differently.

[Jon Behnke]

Ren wax is a great product, use it on all my turnings so the piece won't show fingerprints. I don't apply it on the buffing wheels, after buffing with the tripoli and white diamond compounds (don't buff dark woods like walnut with the white diamond, you won't get the "white" out of the pores) I simply wipe a light coat of Ren wax on with a blue shop towel, let it dry for a few minutes and hand buff with a clean soft cloth. If you power buff you will take the wax right back off again. Also, the carnuba wax that comes with the system is a very hard wax that looks nice buffed on a piece but will show water spots that are hard to get rid of, I never use the carnuba.

[Chip Sutherland]

....carnuba wax that comes with the system is a very hard wax that looks nice buffed on a piece but will show water spots that are hard to get rid of, I never use the carnuba.

Yeah, I have some spots on pieces from darker woods that I have to deal with. Drats.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I to stopped using carnuba which shows finger prints and water spots. I just rub a light coat of Ren Wax on the piece. I let it dry for a minute or so then buff.

[Scott Hackler]

I too use the Beall wheels but do not buff the Ren wax with them. I have a small square of a soft paper towel that is always kept in the Ren wax container and apply the wax with this, leave it sit for a few minutes and hand buff with another soft paper towel. I use the blue shop paper towels from Sams Club and they work very well to apply various finishes.

[Rob Wachala Jr]

Wish I would of known about the carnuba before.. I've charged that wheel quite a few times with the Carnuba that came with system ;(

[Mike Koble]

Thanks for the help folks. Glad I asked. I was going to put the Ren. wax on the wheel itself. Probably would have been a big waste.

[Fred Belknap]

Wish I would of known about the carnuba before.. I've charged that wheel quite a few times with the Carnuba that came with system ;(

I hate to go against the popular view but I have use carnuba wax that came with the beall system with great results. My bowls are handled a lot and they have been rained on and as far as I can tell no damage and no spots that I can find. I have used some Ren. wax and it is good to, but until I have a problem I an going to use the hard stuff.

[Rich Harkrader]

Make sure to do the sandpaper on a block of wood trick when you get your buffs to "defuzz" them. I neglected that step and the first couple of pieces had to be resanded as a result.

[Mike Koble]

Will do Rich. Thank you.

[robert baccus]

Mike, you can buff anything--just use low pressure & rpm on thin waxes ect. Carnuba does bueatifully, too heavy and you can leave fingerprints but rarely. It will spotwith waterdrops but who takes their picasso outside in the rain. My first show was in tents--very hot and 2 good thunderstorms spotted most of my pieces. They buff off easily however and looked better with another buffing. The wheels can be washed out with a good warm water/soap soak overnite.

[Wally Dickerman]

I seldom use wax as a finish. I don't believe that it's a permanent finish. I've seen pieces that were done years ago with wax and the finish look poor. It does give a nice shine for a while.

I have used the Beall system when doctoring a dull finish on an old piece. I finish off with the carnuba wax buff and it looks great. IMO people who complain about fingerprints are loading the buff with too much wax. Just a light touch when applying it to the wheel.

[Greg McClurg]

Rich,

I'm not familiar with the "sandpaper on a block of wood trick". Can you enlighten me?

Thx, Greg

[Dan Kralemann]

Are there any benefits to using Renaissance Wax over carnauba wax?

Thanks, Dan

[Scott Hackler]

Are there any benefits to using Rensance Wax over carnauba wax?

Thanks, Dan

No fingerprints when handled, less prone to water spots (although I don't know why this would be an issue. Utilitarian bowls and such should be polished off with a food safe wax like bees wax, or nothing but a food safe oil)

Waxing is just a final polish and not to be considered the "finish". I only wax over a lacquer, oil that has cured out or poly.

[Dan Kralemann]

Scott,

After reading your answer to my question I realized that I needed to clarify my original question. What I really want to ask is: "Is there any benefit to buffing on carnauba wax and then buffing Renaissance Wax over the top of the carnauba wax outside of the fingerprint and water spot problem?"

Thanks, Dan

[Scott Hackler]

I would not double wax a piece and I am not sure but the slight amount of solvent in the Ren wax, might dissolve the carnauba. Either decide on carnauba or Ren wax, based on your own needs. Like I mentioned above, I don't Beall buff Ren wax on. Power buffing the Ren wax is not needed because of the ease of applying and hand buffing...and that your primary finish should be smooth and buffed. I made the switch to Ren wax after getting frustrated with having visible finger prints on the dark colored wood pieces after handing them to someone to examine. On light colored wood, the prints (although still there) wouldn't be as noticeable so carnauba would be OK. And on those food contact, utilitarian items... they would get neither. Either bees wax or none.

[Lee Koepke]

Rich,

I'm not familiar with the "sandpaper on a block of wood trick". Can you enlighten me?

Thx, GregGreg, before you first use the new Beall wheels, you take some rough (60 or 80 grit) sandpaper, wrap it around a small block of wood and hold it against the wheel. What this does is essentially remove the loose fibers and prepares the wheel for buffing. If you dont, you will get fibers slung all over the place and stick to everything.

[Dan Kralemann]

Thank you Scott.

Dan

[Doug Wolf]

Hi Dan,

I do buff with carnauba, then apply Ren wax sparingly by hand off the lathe and buff by hand. I figure I get the hard wax shine with the Carnauba and the fingerprint, water spot protection with the Ren wax. To each their own, try both methods and see which one you prefer.

[robert baccus]

Hardly a deal breaker but carnuba is on many foods. Almost all fruits are coated in it. Reduces water loss and shines good. All jelly beans and tumbled candies have that as their last coat. It is a "natural" wax boiled off of certain palm fronds in Brazil and is the hardest of all natural waxes. I do use it as a final finish on some very hard woods--tropicals ect. It changes the color not at all. Melting point about 180 deg.