Lathe as VS budffer

Now that is embarrassing. I see they actually make such a thing. ( 3-wheel) OK, any viewpoints on brands?

M2 arbors are used with a draw bar to make a spindle for a buffing wheel. Or you can get a setup like the Beal System at Penn State or Woodcraft etc.

https://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p/37/3706/beall-Three-Buff-System

-- mrg

this is part of my collection of buffing wheels that I have accumulated over the years.
just a simple 1/2” bolt with some washers & nuts that can be used in a hand drill,
drill press or wood lathe. I have more for use on a high-speed grinder, but they are pretty aggressive.
I use them for buffing some plastics but mostly soft metals like brass and copper and all my carving tools.
simple with minimum financial investment. (think Harbor Freight).
find a way to keep the wheels dedicated to ONE color of buffing compound. (marker, etc).
the new buffing pads in the bag in the back are for a long threaded rod with mulptiple wheels like you mentioned.
the pads from HF take quite a bit of “conditioning” at a very high speed to get rid of all the loose threads before actually adding buffing compound. (OH !! don’t use the bottle torch on a new buffing wheel to remove loose threads while it is spinning. it turns into a fire wheel ~ use scissors to trim it).

-- there is no educational alternative to having a front row seat in the School of Hard Knocks. --

I use a board with 40 grit paper to true and clean a wheel.

Yea, critical, one wheel per compound. I would worry about a chuck and wheel without the safety of the live center as a MT is not designed to take lateral force by itself. Of course, a dimple in the bolt head would make that safer.

Another alternative is an eight inch lathe buffing extender
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYWJYAY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

some Cloth 8” Buffing Polishing Wheels
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YDM17FP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

maybe a 4” bowl buff

The buffing extender will thread directly onto your lathe spindle. The wheels are attached with a 3/8 inch bolt and some fender washers.

The buffing extender is available in a 1 inch bore and a 1 1/4 inch bore.

I think I like the three wheel kit. Have them on Amazon.

I bought three (at least) buffing wheels, a six or five pack of buffing compound, plus a green and blue stick of compound… and I think something else, for less than $20 at Sears several years ago.
I then turned three mandrels in my chuck and bolted the buffing wheels onto my mandrels, and have been happily buffing things ever since.
Somewhere along the line I picked up two or four more wheels so I can use different compounds on them.
I keep them in a cabinet to keep grit and dust from getting in them.

I was once given grief on a different woodworking forum for being so cheap by one vendor of expensive brand recognized buffing mandrels/wheels/compound. It doesn’t bother me one bit to have spent very little on buffing. These still get the job done.

-- Jim, Georgia, USA

-- Andy - Seattle USA

On order from Amazon. $65 or so. 3 wheels and compounds. I can then pick more appropriate wheels. I think I need hard wheels for sharpening. I can always make MDF wheels now I have a lathe!

(OH !! don t use the bottle torch on a new buffing wheel to remove loose threads while it is spinning. it turns into a fire wheel ~ use scissors to trim it).

- John Smith

-- Darrel