Beale Motor Size

Mine is a 1/3 HP and runs just fine. I can't say I have ever managed to slow it down. My feeling is that if you get a snatch the piece will have been ripped out of your hands long before the motor slows down.

RPM is 1725 which is the max. bealle recommend. I wouldn't go any slower since the wheel relies on centrifugal force to keep itself stiff.

Hi I am expecting the Bealle finishing system any day now. I have the motor mounted model comming. What would you experienced woodturners reccommend for horsepower and I believe that the RPM should be 1725 or less. It would be ideal if the motor was not too powerfull so as to stop or slow down rather than flick the object from my hand.

Thanks Keith

I've used the Beall system for two years on a 3750 rpm grinder motor and I've lost a number of really nice pieces as I lost my grip on them. Over the weekend I modified an old 1/3 hp furnace motor running at 1750 rpm and while it stalls out if I put too much pressure on the piece it seems to do a better job and I can hold the work a lot better. Obviously Beall has a reason for their recommend speed.

Hit the wrong button.

Be sure and get the wiring diagram. A lot are dual speed now. Seems 1050 and 1725 are nominal.

A lot are end mounted instead of frame mounted as well, so you may have to do a bit of creative mounting with plumbers' tape.

Could be lucky and get an ancient Maytag like the one that's been stropping my carving tools the last twenty years, too.

Hi Keith

Keith I have used a polishing/ finishing setup for a few years, no it's not a bealle system but rather a home made similar system, I have several 4",6",8", buffing wheels and 2&3" buffing balls, I have never yet lost a turning or other piece due to it ripped out of my hands, Knock on wood (G). I made the setup initially to polish a ships compass and housing I had totally rebuild, and needed to polish the brass and copper and iron and wood. I use my power hand drills and a furnace motor, 1725 rpm, I use the leveling screws that are used on washer, dryer, fridges etc., (they have a rather large and thin head, most have also the starting end without thread), to hold the buffing wheels, the reason for the 1725 rpm motor is for the stiffness of the buffing wheels, if you use a 3450 rpm motor the wheels get to hard due to the centrifugal force, and easily score or groove the work piece. Learned a long time ago by using a heavy industrial flex shaft with either grinding stone or steel wire brush or the rubber like polishing wheels that you do NOT approach an edge with the turning direction toward an edge, ALWAYS have the wheel turning direction AWAY from the edge OR IT WILL GRAB. In order to quickly and easily change the wheels on the motor, I turned a coupling (basically a pipe with set screws) to fit the the motor shaft to an old drill motor shaft with chuck, this makes for a free end to polish the inside of a bowl, there is nothing in the way to approach and hold the bowl or hollow turning over the buffing wheels or balls. You want to use a dedicated wheel for the differed polishes and waxes you use, this is especially needed if you polish metal and wood, don't mix them. How strong is my motor ? I'm not sure, I think it's either a 1/4 or 1/3 hp it works well and it was the right price, you should not push to hard on the work piece, take your time and have plenty of light so you are able to examine the finished surface.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

Keith Young wrote:

I received a local reply to my looking for a used motor. A washer motor are they usually 1700 RPM ..

Thank Leo and all. Great advice!

Keith