Beall 3-On Mandrel Buffing System

[paulmcohen]

Hi Paul,
If you read my posts, I am sure that you know how I stand on imports, especially those from China]http://www.ridgidforum.com/forum/images ... /shrug.gif[/IMG]

The design is trivial, finding a local machine shop, especially only willing to make one adapter is a bigger problem.

We have a public wood/metal shop here in Portland called "The Shop Place" and you can rent access to all their tools for $150 a month. They have an extensive metal shop but they require experience for use of the metal tools.

[charlese]

"...The Beall 3-On Mandrel Buffing System is a 3/4 inch steel mandrel with a #2 Morse taper-drive on one end and a cupped end on the other to accept a cone center. I bought one from WoodCraft (and can still return it) to see if I (or some of you) can figure how to SAFELY drive the thing on our SSmiths.
The ends are too large (5/8 inch) to put into the drill chuck, or I woulda already been polishing my fool head off. After chatting with SS tech support (very helpful in the past) and the folks at Beall, I understand there are no adapters available nor in R&D (no big surprise there...) I have not the tools to turn a half inch tenon on the morse taper end, but I could take it to a local machine shop to do that (pricey, tho)...."
Thanks for all past information, and I hope, future!

Here's an idea - perhaps I'm at risk of being a 'know nothing', but that's true! - - I know nothing of #2 morse taper drives, however I do know about working without expensive tools.

Here's what I'd do. - take that tapered drive over to a grinder and remove the taper from the end inch & 1/2". Finish up using a flat mill bastard (always loved that name) file. Keep working with the file until you get a 1/2" shaft at the end of the taper. Now, you could use the Shopsmith drill chuck, but don't! Order up a 1/2" router chuck from Shopsmith part (514631) +/- 16.00. With the router chuck, you can file until you get a good fit. (kinda like fitting a tenon) Besides a router chuck is a lot better at handling the torque than a drill chuck.
The reason I suggest the grinder first is because I imagine the morse shaft has been case hardened. I can remember my days of filing through the outside of case hardened axes. It's tough going.

If you aren't up to the filing work, take ti thing to any machine shop and have it cut down. They shouldn't charge an arm or a leg. The expense will be the gasoline getting there!

[a1gutterman]

Here's an idea - perhaps I'm at risk of being a 'know nothing', but that's true! - - I know nothing of #2 morse taper drives, however I do know about working without expensive tools.

Here's what I'd do. - take that tapered drive over to a grinder and remove the taper from the end inch & 1/2". Finish up using a flat mill bastard (always loved that name) file. Keep working with the file until you get a 1/2" shaft at the end of the taper. Now, you could use the Shopsmith drill chuck, but don't! Order up a 1/2" router chuck from Shopsmith part (514631) +/- 16.00. With the router chuck, you can file until you get a good fit. (kinda like fitting a tenon) Besides a router chuck is a lot better at handling the torque than a drill chuck.
The reason I suggest the grinder first is because I imagine the morse shaft has been case hardened. I can remember my days of filing through the outside of case hardened axes. It's tough going.

If you aren't up to the filing work, take ti thing to any machine shop and have it cut down. They shouldn't charge an arm or a leg. The expense will be the gasoline getting there!

Okay, I think that Chuck has a great idea, especially if you don't plan on using this Beall item on anything but the Mark V, but I wood not trust myself to grind/file it down and keep the center right (it wood probably wobble terribly if I did that). I wood definitely have a machine shop do it if it were me. And I very much like Chuck's recommendation of using the router chuck, as it is designed for side pressure!

[Ed in Tampa]

Why not mount a block of very hard wood in the lathe and in the exact center bore a hole. Then turn the hole to match the #2 morse taper, taper?

I believe you could easily duplicate the taper and since it is a pressure fit I would think this block of wood would work very well as the collet to hold the assembly.

Second idea why not simply drill a bigger hole in the wood mounted in the lathe. Fill the hole with epoxy and insert the taper into it?

Third drill a hole in center of the block of wood, then wrap the Morse taper with wax paper, or plastic wrap. Then fill the hole with epoxy putty and press the protected end of the taper into the putty to form an exact impression. Once the putty begins to harden you could pull the shaft out and allow the putty to fully harden.

In any of the three you could easily balance the whole thing after you are able to mount the assembly by cutting the wood block.

Last idea take the shaft and a 1/2 inch rod to a welder and have him weld on the 1/2 rod to the taper end. That would cost next to nothing.
Then using a router chuck or drill chuck mount the assembly in the lathe and turn down the weld. If you wanted at this point you could even turn down the taper itself (using a file) and then cut the welded rod off the shaft.

I have reduced the diameter of many metal objects with my SS and a file. I use the file as a cutting tool and in almost no time at all I have the shaft to the diameter I want.

I know the above was my last idea but how about going out and buying a 1/2 router collet and then drilling it out to 5/8's and simple cut the morse taper off the you existing assembly and mount the 5/8 shaft in the drilled out collet.

There has to be a thousand ways to solve this problem easily and quickly and cheaply.
Ed

[kd6vpe]

http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turnin ... roject.pdf

I found this link today. It is interesting may not be the answer to this thread but others might be interested.

[Ed in Tampa]

http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turnin ... roject.pdf

I found this link today. It is interesting may not be the answer to this thread but others might be interested.

Wow what a great idea!!!!! And certainly a lot cheaper than the $90 setup available from Woodcraft http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5183

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[maxwell]

To those who've responded so far, SUPER ideas!!
Ed, your thoughts on a hardwood collet are so simple and elegant, I woulda never thought of it! And, kudos for the WoodCraft link.
kd6vpe was kind enough to include your link.
Charlese and Tim were spot-on with the warning against the drill chuck, and why the router chuck (got one) is better. Knowledge is power. Damn powerful stuff, right there...
Bill Mayo is also on line about vibration shaking loose any jerry-rigged (sp?) contraptions. Nope, can't have ANY wiggle or off-centered grinding/wobble.
I'll look into the collet set!
ldh asked for photos, and here they are-obviously a photographer I ain't...

[maxwell]

Well, I hope the main pic is OK with y'all. The end shots (esp. morse taper - almost poked me in the eye when I opened it!) certainly leave something to be desired for providing clarity. As you could see from the main shot, that end is tapered, really...

[ldh]

Maxwell,
Thanks for the pics, now I know what the thing looks like. I would like to know the diameter of the shaft and it's length. I think I can construct one with OTC parts. I will get what I need on order this week, should be fun.
ldh

[a1gutterman]

Maxwell,
Thanks for the pics, now I know what the thing looks like. I would like to know the diameter of the shaft and it's length. I think I can construct one with OTC parts. I will get what I need on order this week, should be fun.
ldh

Hi Idh,
What are OTC parts? To me they would be parts made by the Owatanna Tool Company in Owatanna, MN. VERY good quality tools, mostly for the automotive and industrial industries.