Beall 3-on-the-Lathe Buffing System

[hoagie]

Last week I ran across this post regarding the Beall Buffing System. The OP was looking for information on mounting the #2MT end on his SS. Thsi post is not almost 3 years old, but I had not seen any new information on the Beall system. There were some very creative solutions offered, some of which I thought I might try.

I liked the design of the Beall system and had used one on a friends lathe with good results. So I sent an email to Beall and received a reply from JR Beall regarding using this system on a SS. If this has been covered already, my apologies. Beall has addressed the needs of the ShopSmith community.

The shaft has been modified to work on a ShopSmith.

Note the "new" packaging touting the SS compatibility.

The photos of the ends are a little blurry, but the threaded end now has a 1/2inch turned section that can be mounted in the SS 1/2inch drill chuck, of the 1/2 inch router bit chuck.


Both ends have indents. I used a 60degree live center in the tail stock, placed in to the indent on the shaft's #2MT end.


What I liked best about this modification is that no modifications to the Beall shaft were required. Should I ever want to use this on another power source, it's ready to go.

I hope to put these wheels to good use buffing future pen projects.

[kalynzoo]

I have used the Beal system with the three separate buffing wheels on a old 1hp pool motor with a foot peddle. It only takes a few seconds to spin off a buffing pad and replace it with the next step...Tripoli, white Diamond, then wax. I think tying up the lathe with a three in one wheel would be more of an inconvenience.
JMHO

[hoagie]

I think tying up the lathe with a three in one wheel would be more of an inconvenience.
JMHO

Agree 100%. Unfortunately I don't have the space for any other tools at this time. Someday, maybe I'll have a dedicated shop and not share space with the car, laundry, bikes, etc. I like the idea of a smaller buffing station like you describe, but at this time I have no where to put it.

I don't use my 1/2" router chuck all that often. So I plan on leaving it mounted on the end of the Beall shaft, ready to slip the whole thing on the SS when I need it. As I turn pens mostly it should be a simple matter to slide the tool rest out of the way, remove the pen mandrel, and mount the Beall on the SS, placing the #2MT end in the live center that is already in the tail stock from turning the pen blanks. Just another tool switch-over on the SS.