Thread: Home made Lathe Buffing System

thanks

I used a pen mandrel for my version

Thanks Kryn.

Not sure that ~24" of 12 mm diameter "all thread" rod is HD enough to take even the moderate sideways forces generated buffing especially at the sorts of rpm that is needed for good buffing work. Every single thread represents a weak point in threaded rod. When the thread depth is subtracted the rod only has a ~10.5mm diameter of solid metal. Its not like the metal in most all thread rod is anything special. High tensile still would probably be OK.

If all you can find is the big green hardware stuff i'd consider using at least 5/8" all thread rod over that distance.

Originally Posted by BobL

Thanks Kryn.

Not sure that ~24" of 12 mm diameter "all thread" rod is HD enough to take even the moderate sideways forces generated buffing especially at the sorts of rpm that is needed for good buffing work. Every single thread represents a weak point in threaded rod. When the thread depth is subtracted the rod only has a ~10.5mm diameter of solid metal. Its not like the metal in most all thread rod is anything special. High tensile still would probably be OK.

If all you can find is the big green hardware stuff i'd consider using at least 5/8" all thread rod over that distance.

I made something similar and used 20mm rod and even that flexes. My biggest issue is that it only takes a split second without concentration and your piece will be flung at high speed into the lathe bed and floor, don't ask me how I know this

Originally Posted by dai sensei

I made something similar and used 20mm rod and even that flexes. My biggest issue is that it only takes a split second without concentration and your piece will be flung at high speed into the lathe bed and floor, don't ask me how I know this

Well there you go.

I made mine using 3/4" rod as this was a perfect fit for the Beall's polishing wood buff kit (three 8" wheels with 3/4" holes only, two compounds & wax) that I bought.

I found that to stop the the wheels moving and keeping them in place it needed double nuts on each side of the wheels with the second acting as lock nuts. Even so the rod had movements as pressure was put to the wheels so in the middle I used a bearing to hold the bar in place.

Peter.

Btw mine is on a dedicated lathe only used for polishing.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

I . . . . . . so in the middle I used a bearing to hold the bar in place. .

That makes lot of sense.

The Beall system has a speed maximum of 1800 RPM and it doesn't appear to flex. I usually buff at lower speeds of about 1200 to 1500RPM when I do pens.

Pete

Originally Posted by QC Inspector

The Beall system has a speed maximum of 1800 RPM and it doesn't appear to flex. I usually buff at lower speeds of about 1200 to 1500RPM when I do pens.

Pete

Whilst that is true for the stuff supplied by Beall, but to save cost of shipping I just got the wheels and compounds and am using a length of 700 mm threaded rod from Bunnings, hence the flexing in the bar.

I could have got a steel threaded rod from Cost Less Bolts but that was three times the price of the Bunnings rod thus my fix to overcome the flexing.

I was lucky in that a mate had the right type of flange bearing that I could use.

Peter.