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Thread: Buffing system?

  1. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Allen Mattsen View Post
    Does one need either the extension and/or Morse taper adapter to run single buffing wheels on the lathe? I have some confusion about this and what comes in the Beall 7-piece set vs what is truly needed.

    I want to buy the least amount of things and run single wheels at a time. Also, How many of you like using the bowl buffs? What size (3"? ). I have some wood & resin projects and some other things I want to buff. I wonder if the set will be on sale at the AAW symposium?

    Sorting through this mess:
    Beall 7pc set/buffing system
    Beall Morse Taper Buff Adapter
    Beall Buffing Mandrel Extension
    Hold Fast Long Buffing Adapter

    Thanks
    The 7 piece kit comes with an adapter that slips over a motor shaft. You would need the morse taper adapter to use it on the lathe. I bought the bowl buffs but rarely use them. Most of my bowls i make i can get the 8 inch wheels inside that do a better job. If you make alot of small bowls they would make sense.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Allen,

    The Beall system I bought had three cloth wheels and one 2MT mandrel. It was expected you would remove the screw and fasten a new wheel when changing grits. This irritated me so I bought two more 2MT mandrels so each wheel had it's own.

    Some time later they started selling a long shaft that would mount all three wheels at once. I didn't like that because the clearance between the wheels limited some of the buffing I did on larger pieces. Also, it took more space to store.

    I'm happy with the three mandrels. They mount quickly and can be removed with a twist. They never come loose by themselves. The three individual wheels with mandrels are easier to store than the long shaft with three wheels. Often I use just one grit or two and that is simplified too.

    I have various bowl buffs but I've probably only used them once in 10 years. I tend to smooth inside with NRS, hand scrapers, and fine sandpaper by hand then apply a finish with a soft sheen. I rarely go for gloss, especially on the insideg.

    I made a mandrel extension from wood and some inexpensive hardware and it was useful a couple of times. I could easily get along without it.

    JKJ

  3. #18
    Thanks guys.

    JKJ, by mandrel you mean the adapters (mandrel), correct? Oh and one other question: do you need a draw bar?

    Screenshot_20210712-225612_Amazon Shopping.jpg

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Allen Mattsen View Post
    Thanks guys.

    JKJ, by mandrel you mean the adapters (mandrel), correct? Oh and one other question: do you need a draw bar?

    Screenshot_20210712-225612_Amazon Shopping.jpg
    Mine look like this:

    Beall_mandrel_buffing_wheel.jpg

    The 2MT mandrel is held in the larger diameter part with a couple of set screws.

    I use a draw bar on Jacobs drill chucks and 2MT collets for holding small turnings. However, I've never needed one with the Beall buffing wheels. I grab one from the cabinet and insert it into the headstock with a twist while holding the handwheel. I've never had one come loose while buffing. (The inside of the headstock MT should be clean.) I remove the wheel the same way: hold the handwheel and twist the mandrel to release.

    The tapers on the mandrels that Beall provided were perfectly machined and fit well. My experience with some other 2MT attachments varies.

    If you want to use a drawbar and don't have one, they are easy to make. I make them with 3/8" and 1/4" all-thread rod:

    drawbar_two.jpg

    I used a threaded handle for one but just tapped a wooden knob for the other. The round wooden knob might be safer if someone put their hand behind at the back of the headstock while the lathe was running!
    I do two things with drawbars. One, I grind or file flats on the end so I can use an adjustable wrench to tighten or loosen the drawbar to remove it from the wood or mandrel.

    Two, I use a small 3-corner file to cut some diagonal grooves in the threads at the end. This allows me to use the drawbar as a tap when going directly into wood. I sometimes use the 1/4" drawbar to hold the end of long, thin spindles. I first turn a short MT taper on the end of the wood, drill a suitable hole in the end, then screw in the drawbar cutting threads as I go. This works extremely well.

    BTW, These test spindles taper from about 1/2" down to 1/16" or so over about 2'. The drawbar will hold the spindle tight in the lathe even when the tailstock end is cut away.

    pointers_IMG_20140311_11390.jpg

    JKJ

  5. #20
    I have the Wood Buff Kit and have never been brave enough to try it without a drawbar! At that point in the finishing process I try really hard not to mess up my work.

    I also have the bowl buffs and while they don't work super well they're better than nothing. If I'm able to access the inside of a bowl with the normal 8" buff I'll use that instead.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    sykesville, maryland
    Posts
    861
    I have the Beall MT2 mandrel with an extension. Works fine. Extension gets you far away from the headstock. For me, it's easier to change the buffing wheels than it is to take the whole mandrel out. The bowl buffs work OK for inside of bowls. I just run them a bit faster.

  7. #22
    Thanks for the replies. Lots of good info

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