New Buffing wheel or keep the old one?

[Roger Chandler]

I have a question regarding the Beall buffing wheels. I have had mine for about 3 years........have not used them all that much........the tripoli has the most use on it.

The wax wheel I used with the carnuba wax that came with the set...........because of fingerprints and such a lot of turners have gone to renwax.......which I have used as well on a few pieces. I just used the carnuba wax wheel ............I am wondering if the best thing would be to order a new one for the renwax.

Have those of you who have switched to renwax gotten a new wheel for it, or just used the old carnuba wheel and just changed the wax?

[Jim Seyfried]

Roger, I read somewhere of someone washing them with good results...just don't remember where.

[bob svoboda]

I switched over a couple of years ago with good results. I just 'polished' scraps of wood until the wax was pretty much exhausted and then recharged the wheel with Ren.

[Michael Gibson]

Roger,
I just used rough sawn wood to clean the old wax wheel, but only lightly buff the turning that has been applied with Renaissance wax, l do not charge the wheel, l cannot see that working. Michael

[Steve Schlumpf]

Ren wax - in my opinion - doesn't require buffing. I hand rub it on the turning and then rub it off and buff it all by hand. The carnuba wax needed to be buffed on because it requires heat to spread out evenly. Not needed when using Ren wax.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks for the input everyone...........I generally have just buffed by hand as well on the few pieces I have used Renwax on......I kept reading about people buffing here and there and some were using the Beall buffs.........that might work with a real light touch, but might be overkill as well.

[Thomas Canfield]

I agree with using a "clean" wheel for renwax and not mix with carnuba wax. The Renwax does not require the high buffing and therefore the speed should be cut to about half and only light pressure used.

[robert baccus]

I clean buffing wheels by soaking in naptha or a very strong detergent and hose rinsing. Any wheel can get too soiled by sawdust or dirt and start scratching.

[steven carter]

I took a saw blade and backed it with a wood slat and held it against the turning wheel, and it took all the carnuba off. I hand buff small objects, but use the wheel at slow speeds and light touch on larger items.

[Steve Peterson]

Roger, I read somewhere of someone washing them with good results...just don't remember where.

You may want to wash with just detergent. No fabric softener.

Steve

[robert baccus]

Carnuba is basically invisible and just a bit will pop off a number of finishes such as lacquer/shellac.