Beal buff system question

[Jim Podsedly]

For those that use the beal buffing system --

Do you use the 3 buff mandrel or do you use the one buff at a time.

Looking to purchase the system but not sure which way to go.

Thanks,
jim

[Bill Wyko]

I use the three but it's not very user friendly if you're doing a medium to large piece. |I'm eventually going to have 3 shafts, one for each grade wheel and put 3 of the same one on each shaft. This would allow all the space I need for anything being buffed.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Jim,
I use the 3 seperate buffs and I have a set of 3" bowl buffs. I wish I had bought the 4" bowl buffs. I like this system. Never had the 3 on 1 so I can't comment.

Consider the extention http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Finishing___Buffing___Long_Buffing_Adapter___long_ buff_adapter?Args= Gives you lots of elbow room.

Put some padding (cardboard of foam) on the ways of your machine. If you have a miss step and the piece is pulled down into the frame of the lathe you may avoid serious damage. If the piece hits the ways or the floor usually fatal.

Frank

[Al Wasser]

one at a time. I turn med. sized stuff that tis mostly too large for the 3 at a time system or at least the set up I have seen.

[Jim Podsedly]

Put some padding (cardboard of foam) on the ways of your machine. If you have a miss step and the piece is pulled down into the frame of the lathe you may avoid serious damage. If the piece hits the ways or the floor usually fatal.

Frank


Frank, Thanks for the great idea.

[Neal Addy]

Put some padding (cardboard of foam) on the ways of your machine. If you have a miss step and the piece is pulled down into the frame of the lathe you may avoid serious damage. If the piece hits the ways or the floor usually fatal.
Words of wisdom. My two "buffing events" were bounced off the ways and then launched into a wall. Neither piece survived injury. Breaks your heart too since you are essentially done at this point.

I'd agree with the others here about the single wheel. The 3-on-1 is great for pens and small projects but you'll wish you had more room for bowls and larger work.

[Steven Wilson]

One at a time. It's real fast to change out the wheels.

[Jim Podsedly]

Can they be attached to a lathe?

What size bowl buffers works best for 6 - 12" bowls?

[Jason Slutsky]

I have the Beall but not the 3 buff mandrel and I haven't for a moment wished that I bought it for reasons echoed above.

One thing I would recommend is that you buy the morse taper (which isn't included with the system) and then get yourself a piece of threaded rod with a wingnut to secure it to the lathe through the headstock. I think it's 1/4" x 20T rod. Don't even take a test drive without that thing secured!

[Benjamin Dahl]

if you have the 3 in 1 system and want to change it to a single, there is a good tutorial on Frank's club's site. I found it after looking at Frank's bottle stopper tutorial.
http://www.centralillinoiswoodturners.com/tips.html
Ben

[Jerry Pittman]

Jim,
I have the 3 buff on a mandrel and 4" bowl buffs. I agree with what has been said about the size. So far, I have only buffed stuff that worked with the three but see the limitations and may have to rethink my setup.
Jerry

[Dick Strauss]

Jim,
I talked to the owner at Beall about making the shafts longer (say 24") for the 3-on-1 because of the spacing issue with an 18" long shaft. He said they didn't have any plans to make a larger version nor did they have any fittings to help me build my own. He was very friendly and polite but just didn't have anything to help.

Here's one solution to the problem:

Buy a 24" or 36" long 3/4-10 threaded rod from Enco or your local BB store along with 6 nuts and 6 large washers to fit. Mount any buffing wheels with a 3/4" hole on the rod. Adapt the 1-8 headstock to the 3/4-10 rod or have a MT2 taper machined on the one end. On the tailstock end, get a local machine shop to drill a starter hole in the center of the threaded rod to ride on the live center point. Add your own 8" buffing wheels and you are all set.

I hope this makes sense,
Dick

[Christopher K. Hartley]

I use the one at a time...or should I say two?:) http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=62208&d=1176329888

[Bernie Weishapl]

I do like Chris. One at a time or I guess two at a time on two seperate motors.

[Patrick Taylor]

Definitely one at a time, for the reasons above.

Instead of a morse taper and drawbar, get the lathe adapter from Don Pencil (donpencil.com). You can get it threaded for your spindle, and the wheel screws into the end. Get the 8" bar instead of the 3" so you have more room. Also get the bowl buffs if you want to do the inside of bowls.

[Pat Doble]

One at a time here - I'm fortunate enough to have an extra motor around (from that $2 auction Craftsman lathe that got me started) for a dedicated 'buffing station'. Wow, that sounds fancy, it's actually just a motor clamped to some empty space on the side of a cart I have my grinder and drill press on.... Doesn't take long at all to change buffs and it's nice to have plenty of room to buff pieces.

[Jason Slutsky]

Patrick,

I forgot about the Pencil Adaptors! Thanks for mentioning it. I'm ordering one now.

Jim,

Forget about the threaded rod and morse taper. The donpencil adaptor wont cost you much extra and looks like a great idea.

[Barry Elder]

I use the individual wheels and the 4" bowl buffs. Great system!

[David Beeler]

I use the single wheels. Made a buffing stand out of a piece of 4X6 with a top somewhat larger than the motor that a friend gave me. Drilled a hole on each of 3 sides on the 4X6 to hold the buffs not in use. Replaced the old power cord to the motor, installed a toggle switch on the stand and have been happy as a lark with the protability and everything at my finger tips. Only problem encountered is when something gets jerked out of my hand it hits the floor.

[Jim Podsedly]

I just received the "main system" from don pencil today in the mail. I also got the 8" adapter.

Well i go to put it on my old lathe and the adapter screws onto the lathe without issue but the buffs have a screw on them but the adapter is not tapped to allow for the buff to screw into. make sense?

I think i am missing something here. The bowl bluff kit has a tapered screw that will screw into the buffs and then the other end into the 8" adapter.

Is the blue adapter supposed to allow the buffs to screw right into it???

I looked at Don Pencil's site and the 'Main system" says something about quick change mountings. I think this is what i am missing. maybe???

Nothing worse than getting an new toy and not being able to play....

Jim

[Patrick Taylor]

Is the blue adapter supposed to allow the buffs to screw right into it???


Yes, one end screws on the spindle, and the other is tapped to accept the buffing wheel hub screw (3/8" I think).

Can you post a photo of the wheel end of the adapter for me to compare to mine? Then I can see what you've got.

[Jim Podsedly]

Patrick, Here are some pictures of the system i received from Don. Notice the one end of the adapter is not tapped. Looks like it should be since there is somewhat of an indentation...

Thanks,
Jim

[Patrick Taylor]

Patrick, Here are some pictures of the system i received from Don. Notice the one end of the adapter is not tapped. Looks like it should be since there is somewhat of an indentation...

Thanks,
Jim

Wow! You're correct, it should be tapped there to accept the buffs. Call Don and keep us posted!