Beall Buffing system

[SteveR]

I picked up the Beall buffing system up a few days ago......pretty slick system with the adaptor. But the adaptor is giving me a proper mounting dilema.

I am thinking out loud for the following:
The instructions state a 1/2 HP and 1750 RPM. I checked on some old grinders I got at a garage sale....right rpm but wrong hp and the shafts are WAY too small to use adaptor.

Then I thought about lathe mounting, but I do not think I have the adaptors for the correct size (I have a shopsmith). Thought about maybe just turning some hard maple or such for the adaptor, but it may not be strong enough...?? Or maybe some solid rod stock, If I am lucky enough to find the right size and mount it to the jacobs chuck???

Then I realized I had scavanged some old laundry or dryer motors, at least 1/2hp and one or two have the correct rpms, just gotta get the pulleys off (I think they are keyed?) to see if the adaptor will go over the shaft.

So how have you rigged this thing up for your use??
TIA
Steve

[Ken Massingale]

Steve, I tried mine on a couple of motors and decided to get the lathe adaptor for the Jet Mini

[SteveR]

Steve, I tried mine on a couple of motors and decided to get the lathe adaptor for the Jet Mini

Thanks Ken. Hopefully one of the motors will work, but appears like I may need to enter the doors of Woodcraft again and just git-r-done.
Steve

[MikeMcCoy]

I run mine on an old Delta variable speed. It's only a 2 amp so I'm guessing 1/3 HP and the minimum speed is 2000 RPM. I left the rough grinding wheel on the other side but it does just fine as long as I clamp it to the bench or it tries to get airborne.

[dabeeler]

Don't worry too much about the hp. It is the rpm that matters most. I was given an old 1/3 hp motor that runs 1750 rpm. Had to change the old wiring due to cracking so I got a 10 ft piece of good wiring, and a toogle switch. Made a stand for the motor from a length of 4X6 with a piece of mdf on top to mount the motor on with the toogle switch on the bottom side. Drilled a hole on 3 sides to store the buffs in when not in use. I can easily move the buffer away from the wall and the toogle switch makes it quick and easy to shut off the motor to change buffing wheels. I really like the way the whole system works and it takes just a few seconds to change the wheels. Also there is enough room on the top around the motor to keep the tripoli and white diamond within easy reach. I don't use the caranuba as I use ren wax on the object being buffed and therefore do not put anything on the wax wheel. I got the idea on this buff set up while watching the video that came with the three buffing wheels. The final results on the finishes I have gotten from the buffing system sure beat anything I have tried before.

[SteveR]

Mike & Dabeeler.....Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I was hung up on the HP rating. This opens up some options for sure with the old grinders if the motors do not work too well. Borrowing a pulley puller later today, so with some luck I will have this set up soon.

Dabeeler: Great idea about the stand and storage, but I was surprised to hear you got a video with your wheet set...I did not get one with mine. And I am very impressed with the quick change of the wheels, a simple idea and very effective. What is "ren" wax

Steve

[MikeMcCoy]

Steve - let me know if you need the grinder adaptor or the lathe adapter. I got both awhile back and then changed my game plan. I was going to use both sides of the grinder for buffing wheels until it sunk in to my pea brain that that coarse grinding wheel was the only one I had left.

[dabeeler]

It was actually a CD by The Beall Tool Co that has tool demos on it on how to use the buffer and some of their other products. The CD was in the box with the buffing system. It's definitly worth watching before you use the buffer. You might find the instructional video on the Beall website for download. Here is a link with information on the ren wax.

http://www.woodfinishsupply.com/RenWax.html