# Polishing---buffer



## Drcal (Mar 24, 2013)

I am looking for a bench top buffer with 2 wheels.    I found that the ones I have shopped for are all high speed 3400 rpm or more.  In reading what turners have to say on the Internet, that's too high.  Do I really need a low speed or variable buffer? I will use it mostly for pens. 

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Carmen
Tampa Bay


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## Tom T (Mar 24, 2013)

Not sure of the speed.  I use three separate wheels that go on my lathe.  It is made by beal I think that is the name.  Two polishing compounds the fist is tripoli and the second is white diamond.  I use this on acrylic pens.  Then one wheel for waxing.  I have never used the wax.  My lathe is variable speed so any speed is available.  I use 2600 rpm not sure that is right but that is what I use.  Totally scratch free when I am do.  Use jewelers magnifier to check.


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## Jeff Leslie (Mar 24, 2013)

From memory, the Beal buffing system should run at around 1800RPMs if that's any help.


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## Ted iin Michigan (Mar 24, 2013)

If you are set on a stand alone unit, a 1725 rpm grinder is usually the choice. They're available lots of places. Woodcraft has a nice one for about $125 or so but you can do better. 

Personally I prefer the Beall system Tom mentioned. It has an adapter that fits in the Morse taper of your lathe and you can polish/buff at most any speed you want. Personally I've been going slower lately. Like it better.


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## Dave Turner (Mar 24, 2013)

For polishing, I use the Harbor Freight 6" buffer (on sale now for $39).  This rotates at 36oo rpm and works just fine for me. I described my finish polishing buffer setup in this previous posting.

I bought a second buffer to experiment with courser grits and have been having good luck using the standard "green" stick compound after the "Tan" MicroMesh pads. Then I proceed onto my finish polishing buffer.  I'll have to get other polishing compounds for further experimentation.


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## plantman (Mar 24, 2013)

Caman: If you are just going to use this tool for buffing, or even grinding, why not have a tool for that purpose only. I have three 2 wheel grinders set up on a portable tool stand. One has 2 grades of wire wheels on it and I use it for roughing tubes or removing rust on antique tool I restore. Second has two different grinding wheels on it. It is used to sharpen tools and grinding metals. The last one has two buffing wheels on it, and is used to polish brass parts and pen blanks. The buffing grinder is an inexpensive one from Menard's Building Supply and was on sale for $29. I bought two 6" buffing wheels for $6 each. It has a 1/2 hp motor that turns at 3560 rpms with a 1/2 shaft. This also left me with 2 extra grinding wheels for my other grinders. I usualy polish my pens on the lathe after I finish them, but my son brought me one of his that needed to be repolished, and I didn't want to take it apart and remount it , so I bought the extra grinder. Now I don't have to remount any tooling on the lathe, just turn the switch on and go. Total cost $41. Jim S


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## raar25 (Mar 25, 2013)

So not its not the speed that matters but the size!  What you need to be concerned with is the surface speed of the buffer.  So a 4 inch wheel at 3750 has a surface feed of 47000 inches per minute while an 8 inch wheel has a surface feed at 94000 inches per minute which is probably above the manufactures safe recommended speed for a buffing wheel.   I try to stay close the the lower end 50000 to be safe and to avoid overheading the acrylic.  I use a 4" wheel from Barry Gross and it works great.

FYI for those who dont remember its surface speeed = 3.14 X wheel dia X rpm.  

Ray


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## alphageek (Mar 25, 2013)

Dave Turner said:


> For polishing, I use the Harbor Freight 6" buffer (on sale now for $39).  This rotates at 36oo rpm and works just fine for me. .



+1 for me... That is the one I use - with tripoli and white diamond.   I like the separate buffer so I can do that while the lathe has something else in progress.


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## MarkD (Mar 25, 2013)

I picked up the HF 6" buffer ( 3750 RPM ) on sale. I called Carswell Coating (Plating Kits Electroplating Kits Aluminum Anodizing Kits Powder Coating Systems Metal Polishing And Buffing Supplies - Caswell Inc ) and for use on acrylics they suggested that I get the 4" x 1/2 Canton Flannel Wheels. They said this should get the SPM in the acceptable range. It does run a lot faster than what I used to run my Beal system at but I have had no trouble with it. In fact is has been working great. I just use a very light touch. 
Based on a suggestion by Texdurango awhile back ( http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/buffing-kicked-up-notch-55476/ ) 
I am using the Caswell "Plastic" buffing compound (fine) and "Plastic-Glo" (ultra fine - dry grade) compounds with this buffer.


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## plantman (Mar 25, 2013)

raar25 said:


> So not its not the speed that matters but the size! What you need to be concerned with is the surface speed of the buffer. So a 4 inch wheel at 3750 has a surface feed of 47000 inches per minute while an 8 inch wheel has a surface feed at 94000 inches per minute which is probably above the manufactures safe recommended speed for a buffing wheel. I try to stay close the the lower end 50000 to be safe and to avoid overheading the acrylic. I use a 4" wheel from Barry Gross and it works great.
> 
> FYI for those who dont remember its surface speeed = 3.14 X wheel dia X rpm.
> 
> Ray


 
  Ray; Let's add to your equation a little. Surface Speed = 3.1416 X diameter ( 8" ) X rpm ( 3750 ) / 12 (inches per foot ) = Feet per minute. X 60 ( minutes per hour ) / 5280 ( feet per mile ) = mph. (89.25 mph surface speed for a 8" wheel ). Switch to a 6" wheel, and you have 66.94 mph. A 4" wheel will be traveling at 44.625 mph at it's outer edge even though the rpms stayed the same. A 3/4 " blank will reach a surface speed of 8.367 mphs at it's outer most edge. There is a big difference of something being thrown off an object traveling 90 mph than something at 8 mph. You also have to remember that when you mount something like a 3" X 3" square block of wood in a lathe, that the corner to corner distance is a little over 4"s. This is where your surface speed is calculted at. Regardless of what your doing, wear some sort of eye protection !!!! Be safe !! Jim S


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