Build your own buffing system?

[Tom Jones III]

I was looking into putting together a set of buffing wheels and making an adaptor for the lathe. It doesn't seem too hard but I'm not sure that I can do it for much less than the Beall. Has anyone else built their own buffing system?

Here is what I was thinking of so far:
$40 - 3 different wheels from Grizzly
$5 - Some sort of bolt/washer/nut combo to hold the wheels onto chuck or faceplate
$12 - Carnauba wax from local store
$20 - Rouge and tripoli from local store

Total $77 for the homemade system, Beall System with arbor adaptor $85 so it doesn't seem worth it. Is there something I'm missing?

[Raymond Overman]

I didn't buy the super special buffing wheels. I bought three from the local flea market at $3 each. I used all thread with nuts and washers and mount it in my chuck. It left a little lint to start with but worked out fine after I loaded the wheels really well. I think I have about $35 in the whole thing.

[Lee DeRaud]

I was looking into putting together a set of buffing wheels and making an adaptor for the lathe. It doesn't seem too hard but I'm not sure that I can do it for much less than the Beall. Has anyone else built their own buffing system?

Here is what I was thinking of so far:
$40 - 3 different wheels from Grizzly
$5 - Some sort of bolt/washer/nut combo to hold the wheels onto chuck or faceplate
$12 - Carnauba wax from local store
$20 - Rouge and tripoli from local store

Total $77 for the homemade system, Beall System with arbor adaptor $85 so it doesn't seem worth it. Is there something I'm missing?

Just to make it worse, the Rockler store here sells a clone of the Beall for about $75-80 depending on spindle size. (It's produced locally: doesn't show up on Rockler's web site and I have no idea if all the Rocklers carry it.) Start here...there are some links to online sources:
http://www.finewoodnthings.com/prod01.htm
Worst case, the hard part (the adapters) are available separately for $15-20...your choice of spindle thread, 5/16-18 female on the other end which is what the Beall wheels and goblet puffs use.

[Jim Ketron]

This is my set up and IMO it's the best way to go! More room than buffing on the lathe. especially when the object is almost to the lathes capacity.
A low rpm blower motor and a bench or a homemade stand, like what I have here works great. and the Beall system does a great job I have the wheels and the 4" bowl buffs.

[Andy Hoyt]

Yup - I buff off the lathe here too. Had an old 1725 rpm motor (probably a tad too fast) and bought the stuff from beall. Didn't have time to fiddle around with this just to save a few bucks. Scrap built rack in back helps me remember which thingie is which. And what you do not see in the pic is the most important accessory. A big pile of pillows and an old bedsheet strung up to catch the piece when it launches.

beall setup.jpg

[Lee DeRaud]

And what you do not see in the pic is the most important accessory. A big pile of pillows and an old bedsheet strung up to catch the piece when it launches.

Geez, that takes all the fun out of the process.

[Dennis Peacock]

Tom,

I get all my buffing wheels and supplies from here. The products have been every bit as good as the Beall buff but at 1/2 the cost or less. I bought their 1100 RPM 3/4HP buffing machine when they had them on sale for $99 and it's been a very nice buffing machine. Nice long shafts, super sturdy. If you watch their web site from time to time, you can catch them with a sale on the buffing wheels at buy one, get one free type of deal. But, if you make your own and want to save money on buying buffing wheels and compound? Then Caswell is the place to go for a good product and a very good price. Not affiliated, just a satisfied customer.

[Roger Wilson]

TO: Dennis Peacock,

If all you wanted to do was use and polish wax on a turning what buffing wheels from Caswell would you recommend. It looks like the flannel wheels but being a newbie to turning I'm not sure.

Thanks.

[robert hainstock]

PSI sells a three wheel system for 449.95. The wheels are all marked, anddifferant clothes for the differant wheels. Also comes with a genorous supply of Tripoli, white diamond, and carnuba. EWorks fine for my little `1236 lathe. I leave the carnuba wheel off, and mount it on another mandrel that serves a double purpose in my shop.
Bob

[David Newson]

I just used a jacobs drill chuck fitted on the headstock morse taper, and I just purchased a 8" loose cotton wheel and one stitched one, and didn't even bother with any proper fitting just used a nut and bolt through the mop hole.

David
Nothing Ventured Nothing Gained

[Barry Elder]

When you consider that Beall has done all the engineering work, and they are woodturners to boot, the only other viable option for building your own is Caswell. I would presume that they would know what you need to successfully buff your turnings without damage or wasted effort. I use the Beall system on the lathe with the morse taper adapter, got the DVD and watched it, and read the literature. A little kid can put a beautiful finish on a piece of wood with the right system. Just a satisfied customer, and a nut-case turner!

[Paul Douglass]

I have the plans for making a three wheel budding system for my lathe. Figured it up the other day, Buying beall wheels and pastes/wax from Hartville with a %15 percent discount, I think it came to $60+.

Add the threaded 3/4 rod, nuts bolts, washers to that and hey you might save $15. If you have to buy another chuck to hold the headstock end You are over the price of just buying the setup ready made. I'm rethink'n!

[Richard Kagen]

Beall Wood Buffing System from www.woodturnerscatalog.com

I have not used it, but set it up on an old motor (needed to change the wiring to go CCW) bolted it down, done. Well made, seems like a very good value. I had also looked to piece together the parts, but did not see worth it

[Michael Arruda]

Sears has an MT2 arbor for $12 or so. I just picked one up to use with a buffing wheel.

-Michael

[Clem Wixted]

Make sure that you have a threaded drawbar in the end of the adaptor going through the headstock. (Some adaptors might not be threaded on the end.) Tighten it on the outboard side and the MT2 won't wobble out of the headstock while buffing.

About 1100 rpm seems like agood speed for buffing.

Clem