TurningShop.com - Home of Harding Pens and Woodturnings
This Page is about my lathe-buffer. I made this tool by converting an old Ryobi lathe to
suit. I shortened the bed and made a buffer jig to fit. Read-on to see the details. Click
on a thumbnail to see a higher resolution picture.
There is a also a web page on my home made dust collector.
Thanks for visiting my website,
Brad Harding, HardingPens.com
suit. I shortened the bed and made a buffer jig to fit. Read-on to see the details. Click
on a thumbnail to see a higher resolution picture.
There is a also a web page on my home made dust collector.
Thanks for visiting my website,
Brad Harding, HardingPens.com
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| One-of-a-Kind Fine Writing Instruments and Turned Treasures |
| My Workshop- Lathe Buffer |
This is my oldest lathe. I modified it to
make the bed shorter, then set it up as a
buffer. The buffing creates the beautiful
gloss finish that make the wood grain
seem to jump out at you.
I used three 6" buffing wheels, mainly
because that is what the commercial
buffing jigs use. I only use two buffs, one
for the mirror glaze, and one for buffing out
wax.
I run the buffer at 2700 RPM.
make the bed shorter, then set it up as a
buffer. The buffing creates the beautiful
gloss finish that make the wood grain
seem to jump out at you.
I used three 6" buffing wheels, mainly
because that is what the commercial
buffing jigs use. I only use two buffs, one
for the mirror glaze, and one for buffing out
wax.
I run the buffer at 2700 RPM.
The buffing jig was created with a
length of 1/2 inch all-thread. It mounts
in the head stock with an old cheap
Jacob's chuck. This was a good
excuse to buy a better chuck for my
main turning lathe.
The buffing wheels are mounted with
nuts and washers.
length of 1/2 inch all-thread. It mounts
in the head stock with an old cheap
Jacob's chuck. This was a good
excuse to buy a better chuck for my
main turning lathe.
The buffing wheels are mounted with
nuts and washers.
Above is the mirror glaze compound I use for
buffing. It is a very fine grade. Picked it up at
Canadian Tire in the automotive wax section.
buffing. It is a very fine grade. Picked it up at
Canadian Tire in the automotive wax section.
Lathe modifications: I shortened the bed of this lathe
so it fits on my turning bench (see below).
The bed consisted of two tubes attached together
with a long bolt joining the tubes. I removed the left
tube section and ran the bolt down the right-end tube
and added washers and a nut in the headstock to
clamp everything together.
so it fits on my turning bench (see below).
The bed consisted of two tubes attached together
with a long bolt joining the tubes. I removed the left
tube section and ran the bolt down the right-end tube
and added washers and a nut in the headstock to
clamp everything together.
The tail stock end of the jig was the most difficult. I
turned a bearing holder out of maple and mounted
a standard 1/2 inch ID bearing in the turning. The
maple block was made by gluing a maple dowel
into a chunk of maple firewood I had drying in my
shop. The piece was turned on my lathe held with
a 3 jaw chuck. I turned a #1 Morse taper on the
end so it mounts directly into the tails stock.
I turned the bearing pocket first then glued in the
dowel, reverse mounted in the chuck and turned
the taper.
turned a bearing holder out of maple and mounted
a standard 1/2 inch ID bearing in the turning. The
maple block was made by gluing a maple dowel
into a chunk of maple firewood I had drying in my
shop. The piece was turned on my lathe held with
a 3 jaw chuck. I turned a #1 Morse taper on the
end so it mounts directly into the tails stock.
I turned the bearing pocket first then glued in the
dowel, reverse mounted in the chuck and turned
the taper.
Each pen is buffed to a high gloss on the buffer with the
mirror glaze. An application of museum-grade
Renaissance wax is applied and buffed out by hand. The
wax helps protect the finish from finger prints. I apply a
second coat of wax after the pen is assembled and this is
also buffed out by hand with a cotton cloth. The second wax
coat protects the hardware.
mirror glaze. An application of museum-grade
Renaissance wax is applied and buffed out by hand. The
wax helps protect the finish from finger prints. I apply a
second coat of wax after the pen is assembled and this is
also buffed out by hand with a cotton cloth. The second wax
coat protects the hardware.