Buffing kits

[Nic Rhodes]

I think I paid £70 at my local dealer for my Chestnut kit, Excellent quality and no regrets.

 

[Fergie 307]

Most bench grinders run at about 3000 rpm, many lathes go to over 2500, the other variable is diameter of the buffing wheel, its the peripheral speed that matters.

I bought a kit years ago to re-furb some 1960s cutlery, used on grinder. Now I have a lathe I use it on either. For a quick job it's the lathe, it takes a while to remove guards and a wheel and fit the mandrel on the grinder. I do have a piece of scrap MDF screwed to some 2x1 that sits on the lathe bed below the buffing wheel so you don't get fine dirt everywhere.

I can see your point. I have a grinder specifically set up as a buffer, so don't have the faff of changing over, which would be a pain.

 

[Yorkieguy]

Several years ago, the heavily promoted 'Beall Buffing System' come into vogue and had its moment in the sun. That system uses three wheels and progressively finer buffing compounds. It seemed to spark a more general interest in using buffing wheels, but I can't say that I've ever noticed any benefits over using buffing compound and polish such as Hampshire Sheen applied by hand to the turned item on the lathe. It's all a matter of taste, but I'm not even sure that a very high gloss 'toffee apple' finish makes turned items look more attractive. It doesn't to my eyes, but that's not the point of this post.

I just wanted to say that in my view, especially on an eight inch buffing wheel, upwards of 3,000RPM on a grinder is way too fast, especially if buffing thin-walled hollow forms, bowls, goblets or whatever. 2ft per rev x 3,000 RPM = 6,000 ft per minute (2,000 yards/1,760 = 1.13 Miles/Min = 68MPH - just below the legal limit for a car on a motorway. For goodness sake! Maybe OK on spindle work, otherwise I'd say 1,000 - 1,200 RPM would be plenty, and not too much pressure either, which means using the lathe - not a grinder (except maybe for polishing metal).

And by they way, buffing is not a 'finish' it's applying polish to a finish (usually lacquer of some sort).

Just saying.

'Beall System':



(Strewth - that would take me as long to polish a bowl as to turn it!)

 

[Fergie 307]

I agree entirely regarding the toffee apple finish. I started out polishing metal so used the grinder. When it came to polishing wood I just used the same approach but softer mops, a lot less pressure, and different polish. Never had a problem. A soft wool mop polishes your nails beautifully when you are holding very small items, not going to damage wood, unless you go mad. I just apply a decent carnuba wax polish, then just a gentle brush past a soft mop and it comes up with a nice sheen, more passes, more shiny to your own taste, but without any real pressure. Works for me, but I only polish wood occasionally so always interesting to see what method is used by those who are doing this all the time.