Buffing setup ball or wheel?

[Mike Vickery]

I am thinking that my next purchase will be a buffing setup to buff my bowls. I have a small 3 on the lathe setup that I have used for pens and stoppers and stuff but it just is not big enough for bowls.

Most people I have seen have the wheel type setup for bowl buffing
http://www.woodchipshome.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WC&Product_Code=WBWB&Category_Code=BEA

It seems to me that the round ball type setup would be better for bowls especially on the inside.
http://www.woodchipshome.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WC&Product_Code=BWLKIT4&Category_Code=BEA

Just curious to opinions since I do not know much about it. Not sur eif it matters but most of the bowls I do are betwean 13 and 6 inches.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Mike...I use both....the bowl buffs (balls) for the inside and the regular buffs for the exterior. I do both on my lathe but I wished I had an alternative....the lathe works but....

[Jim Young]

I use the wheels on the outside and then the balls on the inside. I can't see using the balls on the outside since they have more of a point contact between the convex curvature of the bowl and the curvature of the ball.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Mike, for what it's worth, I use both. Wheels for outside, 3" ball for inside. Works great for me.

[Mark Pruitt]

Mike, I use both. The wheel for the outside, the ball for most of the inside. Works well for me. I do a lot of switching back and forth, but that will change when I get a second lathe. Then I'll get a second mandrell/arbor and use the wheels on one and the balls on the other.

One problem I see with using the ball for the outside of a bowl is that you have to extend the bowl further away from you, incresing the risk of the ball catching the bowl; whereas with a wheel you can hold the bowl more closely to your body and keep it secure while buffing.

Also, remember that with a smaller circumference, spinning at a given RPM will yield less buffing activity than a larger circumference.

8" wheel: circumference 25.12"; at a speed of 1500 RPMs, in one minute you have 37680" of buffing material contacting the workpiece.
3" ball: circumference 9.42"; at the same speed of 1500 RPMs, in one minute you have only 14130" of buffing material contacting the workpiece.

Bottom line: the wheel is far more efficient. The balls are really only good for getting to places the wheels can't reach.

Hope this makes sense.

[Bob Opsitos]

I use both. I have it setup on my drill press so it doens't tie up the lathe and I have a littlre more room to work.

Bob

[Chris LaPine]

I use both. I have a dedicated low speed motor for it.
Chris

[Ernie Kuhn]

Mike,
Since I have to use my lathe for buffing, made a mandrel that the wheels and ball ends screw into rather than a mandrel that has to take all three wheels at once. Lenght of dowel can be made to suit, especially if doing deeper hollow forms or bowls. Hope the two pics come out.
Ernie

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use both. Balls inside the bowls and buffs outside.

[Kevin McPeek]

I have both also, if you want to try them out bring a piece over and go to town. I don't use the balls very often though. I will be buffing some stuff tonight, if you want to come over thats cool or you can borrow the set up after that. It is setup to run on the mini.