# Beall and Acrylics



## JosephDurham (Sep 23, 2012)

Can you use the Beall buffing system on an acrylic?  I guess I should also say that the buffiing pads on the buffing system are new.

Thank you, 

Joseph


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## beck3906 (Sep 23, 2012)

Welcome.

And yes you can.  I use mine on acrylics almost exclusively after wet sanding to 400 grit.


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## JosephDurham (Sep 23, 2012)

Thank you very much Rick.  Perhaps you can tell me how you do it?  What polish do you use?  Which wheel so you use?  

I normally use the acrylic high polish for plastics by Crystal Hut for my acrylic pens.

JOSEPH


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## kronewi (Sep 23, 2012)

I recently watched a video by Barry Gross. He used the buffing system using Tripoli and White Diamond. Haven't tried it personally.

Kevin


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## KenV (Sep 23, 2012)

kronewi said:


> I recently watched a video by Barry Gross. He used the buffing system using Tripoli and White Diamond. Haven't tried it personally.
> 
> Kevin



His "BlueTripoli" ?  

Which is not the same stuff as generic tripoli.


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## jjjaworski (Sep 23, 2012)

For what it's worth............... I have had good results using ZAM and Fabulustre polishing compounds on Acrylics after the wet sanding process.


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## kronewi (Sep 23, 2012)

Yes, it was his blue polish, he calls it Plastic Polish. Sorry. I had a second video on my mind.

Kevin


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## beck3906 (Sep 23, 2012)

I actually took one wheel out and allowed extra space between the other 2 wheels. Read the instructions and be sure to use the wheels for the brown and white sticks, as I will call them. (Easier to keep up with.) I don't use the wheel for wax and the wax stick.

Wet sand your pen blank on the lathe to about 400 grit. Remove the blanks from the lathe and then use the Beall system. I hand hold the blanks but you can have the blank ripped from your hands very easily. Practice your style with blanks you don't really care about.You can nruin high-dollar blanks when they go flying across the room.

Use the brown stick (tripoli) wheel first. I make 90 degree passes across the blank. Move to the white stick wheel. The white stick is the diamond polish and will really bring out the shine.

One thing to learn is that the wheels throw off a LOT of strings when first used. Use a mask. Also, you have to "charge" the wheels by getting the wheels full of their appropriate color stick.

If done correctly, you don't need a finish coat.


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## Kretzky (Sep 23, 2012)

For all you ever wanted (& probably a lot you didn't want ) to know  about polishing just about anything... check out
Buffing/Polishing - Caswell Inc
info on which buffing wheels, compounds, plastic polishes etc.
Hope that helps
David


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## ed4copies (Sep 23, 2012)

Articles & Videos

Take a look at "How to #8---Buffing"


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## JosephDurham (Sep 24, 2012)

Thanks so much everyone!

I just ordered the Beall system for all of my wood pens and products; I also ordered the acrylic pen buffing system found at Pen State Ind. for all of my acrylics.  I cannot wait to get them in the mail.

How often do you replace your buffing wheels?

Thank you, 

Joseph


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## srf1114 (Sep 24, 2012)

How far are you wet sanding before Buffing?  someone mentioned wet sanding to 400, but that seems low to me. 

What "girt" is buffing compared  to  Micromesh? It seems to me that buffing after Micrmesh to 12000 reduces the finish I received with just the Micromesh?


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## Kretzky (Sep 24, 2012)

srf1114 said:


> How far are you wet sanding before Buffing? someone mentioned wet sanding to 400, but that seems low to me.
> 
> What "grit" is buffing compared to Micromesh? It seems to me that buffing after Micrmesh to 12000 reduces the finish I received with just the Micromesh?


 
Have a look at this
http://www.fingerlakeswoodturners.com/downloads/Sand%20Paper%20Grit%20Comparison.pdf
There is also one in the library I believe.
You do indeed have to be careful that you're not going "back" one or two steps.
Joseph replace wheels when they wear out which will be l-o-n-g time from now. Have fun & hope that helps
also have a look here:
http://www.caswellplating.com/buffman.htm
David


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## JosephDurham (Sep 24, 2012)

Thanks a lot everyone.

Joseph


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## beck3906 (Sep 24, 2012)

srf1114 said:


> How far are you wet sanding before Buffing?  someone mentioned wet sanding to 400, but that seems low to me.
> 
> What "girt" is buffing compared  to  Micromesh? It seems to me that buffing after Micrmesh to 12000 reduces the finish I received with just the Micromesh?



I look at saving time and trouble.  Buffing or me replaces he need to MM.


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## JosephDurham (Sep 28, 2012)

So, here is a question than, and since I am new to buffing I apologize for my ignorance.  I have been turning for over ten ears and never used a buffer system. 
-what is the purpose of micromeshing if your only sanding to around 600 grit
- if one is capable of getting a high gloss shine by sanding,why use the buffing system

Thanks,

Joseph


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## nativewooder (Sep 28, 2012)

Micromesh starts at 1500, 1800, 2400, 3200, 3600, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 12000 grit at which point the scratches are invisible to the average human eye.


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## Kretzky (Sep 28, 2012)

JosephDurham said:


> So, here is a question than, and since I am new to buffing I apologize for my ignorance. I have been turning for over ten ears and never used a buffer system.
> -what is the purpose of micromeshing if your only sanding to around 600 grit
> - if one is capable of getting a high gloss shine by sanding,why use the buffing system
> 
> ...


 
Hi Joseph, basically micro mesh is very, very fine sandpaper, I usually go thro the grits as necessary to 600 then change to MM. & go thro the grades as listed in the previous post. Currently I don't buff. If you do be careful that you're not going backwards. (ie the buffing compound is coarser than the last grade of MM). There are a number of charts on the internet that give comparisons between paper grits, MM & buffing compounds.
Hope that helps (& makes sense)
David


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