Beal Buffing a Pen

[jeffnreno]

I have the 3 wheel buff mounted on my Jet mini. My question is how do hold a pen tube when buffing? I've been holding them with my hand and have had a couple go flying.

 

[Ed_McDonnell]

Put them on the mandrel (with homemade wooden bushings) and buff away.

I assume you are talking about the turned pen parts and not just the brass tubes themselves. Don't buff the brass tubes. You'll mess up your wheels big time and you want a rough surface on the tubes before gluing, not polished.

Ed

 

[S. Clark]

I always buff them while they are still on the mandrel. After removing them I apply a little finish to the bare ends of the barrels and this is touched against the buffer. You can't buff the pen once assembled, the finish will be taken right off the metal parts.

 

[john lucas]

Anytime your holding something small buff from the middle down then flip the pen and do the same. If you buff with the pen sideways it will easily pull it from your hands. I buff the finials on my ornaments which are very delicate. I try to hold the piece at about 45 degrees and never buff toward a pointy edge. Always make sure the wheel is running down and out on crisp edges and you won't have a problem.

 

[GA Darling]

Jeffnreno,
I find that I usually have my mandrels full when I'm ready to buff a pen. Holding the small pen barrels by hand I too would end up having the barrels fly out of my hand and sometimes get damaged. I've found that a piece of all thred with 2 nuts works great. I cut the all thred a couple of inches longer than needed slide on the pen barrels and run the nuts up until snug. This will leave an inch or so at each end to hold on to and spin around as needed. If needed I use the bushings for the larger sizes.

GA Darling

 

[jeffnreno]

Thank you all for your input - I think I'll save some pens that otherwise would be flying thru the shop.