Beall Buffing system

[Dennis Taylor]

See that Woodcraft is havng the Beall buff on sale, I have watch there online demo, and seems easy enough, but I have not seen it in person, can a novice use it and is it as easy to use as the demo indicates...I do a lot of small objects, boxes&ornaments and the such, so maybe it would be a good investment...I have finishing, I already have a 1750rmp motor from something else, so any input is appreciated..Dennis

 

[Joe Herrmann]

Dennis:

It's easy to use, you just have to remember to stay below center when you are using it or the wheel might rip whatever you are buffing from your hands. Sometimes it will happen no matter how careful you are. For that reason, I put one of those 3' X 5" rubber mats under the wheel so it extended out away from the wheel. I don't stand on the mat. Now, if I lose the piece I am buffing, it doesn't slam immediately on the concrete floor!

The wheels are a little messy when you first start to use them with cloth fibers all over the place. It eases up somewhat after they are broken in, but they always seem to shed.

They do a nice job and I highly recommend them. I've had mine for years.

Joe

 

[Jeff Jilg]

I purchased a buffing system which screws onto the lathe spindle. It's pretty handy and does a good job. You do have to be careful from overbuffing. You can buff right through the finish if you stay on one spot long enough or if the wheel has a lot of rouge.

 

[Dave Peebles]

Hi Dennis,

I have had and used one for a while now. I would not want to be without it. It gets used on almost every piece I do.

I have the first two wheels mounded on a mandrel powered by a 1725 motor, and use the wax wheel on the lathe. I will try to attach a link to a picture of my set up.

http://www.bowlturner.com/MVC-007F.JPG

I use Waterlox for most of my finishing, and find that it gives a nice sheen to my work. But ya have to get a least one piece grabbed out of your hand to really join the Beall club. But the learning curve is pretty short.

Dave

 

[GeeSeaWhy]

I like it but as previously noted, it will rip pieces from your hands and throw them at the nearest hard surface. Try it with a couple of pieces you don't care about first, until you understand just how it does that.

It works very well on oil finishes, which I use most of the time anyway. It does not work for me on shellac or water-based polycrylic - the heat melts the finish into a terrible mess.

I use my Airstream respirator to protect against flying fluff - eye protection is essential, at a minimum.

Graeme

 

[Mark Mandell]

Dennis,

You should remember that all of the buffing sets, Beale and others, are for buffing applied finishes; they are not a substitute for properly sanding the wood and building a level film finish. Remember too, that the compound sticks are made of the abrasive in a grease/wax base, so when you use them, you are also putting wax and grease onto your piece. Many people like the initial high shine, only later to be disappointed when the wax goes dull (as it certainly will) or wears off in spots.

The buffs do their best on closed-pore woods and smooth finishes. Open pore woods like walnut, mahogony, and oak will tend to hold the compound (and lint) and residue in the tiny pits; a look which you may not like.

There are 3 main grits, tripoli, white diamond, and red rouge and then some use a carnauba wax stick to put on a final shine. To maintain effectiveness, do NOT mix the compounds of the same wheel or buff; designate a different wheel for each.

Mark Mandell