I said some choice words

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DozerMite

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I cast two more color combinations for the V.P. at work.

During the final buffing, I lost concentration for a split second and the blank went for a ride...right into my bench. At about mach 12, it put a small crack in it.

Oh well... he can still see the colors just fine, but it will go in the crap bucket.
 
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This seems to be a common comment that is often posted. Am I the only one who leaves the finished blank on the mandrel while buffing? I wrap a layer of tape around the bushings to keep the wheel nice and clean. Just wondering
Do a good turn daily!
Don

DozerMite said:
I cast two more color combinations for the V.P. at work.

During the final buffing, I lost concentration for a split second and the blank went for a ride...right into my bench. At about mach 12, it put a small crack in it.
Click to expand...
 
I don't use a mandrel and don't even know where my old one is at. Even with a mandrel, it can still catch and slam it into my bench.

Although, this is my first time buffing.:rolleyes::tongue:
 
Ouch . I got that T-shirt . Just hang on tight and be careful that the leading edge don't catch . I normally work from almost the beginning of the blank to the end then flip it over and do the same thing . I've been lucky lately but now that I opened my mouth .....
 
I didn't catch an edge, it caught the blank, on the radius. It happens from time to time, but this one was my fault. Lack of sleep and attention, don't mix well with something spinning at 4000 rpm. Just got into the wheel a little deep.
 
its_virgil said:
This seems to be a common comment that is often posted. Am I the only one who leaves the finished blank on the mandrel while buffing? I wrap a layer of tape around the bushings to keep the wheel nice and clean. Just wondering
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...

I do not use a mandrel either but I have made a tool to hold it just as you do with a mandrel.
 
I keep them on the mandrel similar to its_vrigil. When I'm buffing something not on the mandrel I turn the lathe speed way down. I will also fill a box with wood shavings from turning bowls and position that just under the bed and forward. Mach 12 lands fairly easy in shavings. Sorry to hear about your loss - all that work and them wham!! So been there.

Martin
 
MartinPens said:
I keep them on the mandrel similar to its_vrigil. When I'm buffing something not on the mandrel I turn the lathe speed way down. I will also fill a box with wood shavings from turning bowls and position that just under the bed and forward. Mach 12 lands fairly easy in shavings. Sorry to hear about your loss - all that work and them wham!! So been there.

Martin
Click to expand...

That's a good idea.
 
its_virgil said:
This seems to be a common comment that is often posted. Am I the only one who leaves the finished blank on the mandrel while buffing? I wrap a layer of tape around the bushings to keep the wheel nice and clean. Just wondering
Do a good turn daily!
Don
Click to expand...

It takes some of us a few hundred flying blanks to figure out that particular nuiance to TAKING THE ENTIRE MANDREL to the buffing wheel. Works well, though:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 
I'm still confused with why one uses a buffing wheel? Are there certain polishes that can't be applied to the pen body while it is spinning on the lathe?
 
The main reason is because you can change the direction you are polishing in . If you only polish in the same direction as you sanded you will just polish the scratches and smooth their sides not remove them . When you buff you are supposed to buff at an angle to the direction you sanded which helps to remove the scratches produced while sanding . I buff length wise as well as a 45 degree angle to the sanding direction .
 
As for your title - "I said some choice words" ...

I was reminded of an electrician friend who said to our minister, "Reverend, I use the same words you do, ... I just rearrange them to suit the situation!" :biggrin:
 
ldb2000 said:
The main reason is because you can change the direction you are polishing in . If you only polish in the same direction as you sanded you will just polish the scratches and smooth their sides not remove them . When you buff you are supposed to buff at an angle to the direction you sanded which helps to remove the scratches produced while sanding . I buff length wise as well as a 45 degree angle to the sanding direction .
Click to expand...

Ok, that makes sense. In that case, I'm wondering also if you could just use a hand-held polisher, maybe a dremel or drill with a cotton wheel attachement. Just some way to do it without having to hold the pen and risk having it flung out of your hands.
 
glycerine said:
Ok, that makes sense. In that case, I'm wondering also if you could just use a hand-held polisher, maybe a dremel or drill with a cotton wheel attachement. Just some way to do it without having to hold the pen and risk having it flung out of your hands.
Click to expand...

The felt pads for the Dremel are too small to get an even polish. You'd end up with stripes or spots of directional shine.

I've tried it. I save the Dremel polishing for my aluminum and brass carvings.
 
Lenny said:
As for your title - "I said some choice words" ...

I was reminded of an electrician friend who said to our minister, "Reverend, I use the same words you do, ... I just rearrange them to suit the situation!" :biggrin:
Click to expand...

They were arranged for the situation...



These are the two I was working on. The orange/black is the one that had the mishap. I didn't even finish polishing it.



TheCracks.jpg

TheCrack.jpg


.
 
Been there, done that, like just 4 days days ago.:frown:

It was only my 2nd attempt at buffing a pen on my new dedicated buffer. The first one I did with the rotation of the wheel, no problems.
The 2nd one, I tried against the rotation of the wheel and bam!!:eek: It went so fast, I did not even see what direction it went. But I did hear it and new instantly it was ruined. Stupid of me to use a pen I had a lot of hours in.
It was a reproduction of Barry Gross' copyrighted beer cap pen.

Both were held free hand.

For those that hold the blank on the mandrel, do you use metal or delrin bushings when buffing?

Thanks,
 
I have a small rack of wooden dowels to fit the ID of the tubes I use next to the buffer. And, I use them most of the time, when my brain is working, well, occasionally anyway. If the fit is pretty close, you can either hold almost parallel to the wheel and buff one spot, or angle it and it will spin slowly, buffing the lower 3/4 of the blank all the way around. Of course trying to buff too close to the top of the blank is still going to cause you grief.
 
randyrls said:
How you tried thin CA in the crack? it might make it invisible. then re-finish.
Click to expand...


I don't bother to fix them, I just turn another one. Even if it looks ok to someone else, I know it's there. Even if it would work to fix it, it would take just as long as turning a new one. It was only for a color sample anyway, so no big loss.
 
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