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I've made a few pipes using a dremmel tool and want to upgrade. I am thinking of buying the french wheel accessories from Kurt. Can anyone tell me what kind of motor I need, and a good manufacturer. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Baldor probably makes the best, but they're pricey. Any sealed motor with 1/4-1/3 hp should be fine. You'll need to wire up a switch and plug yourself.

As Jeff said - any sealed motor should do. I prefer 1/3 HP 1725 RPM motors, but a 1/5 HP 1725 RPM motor should be fine. Any faster than 1725 RPM though, and you run the risk of burning the disc and burnishing the wood instead of sanding.

Note that this particular setup is geared more to finish sanding rather than rough shaping. I have another tool for rough shaping in final development right now, and it should be ready for announcement in a few weeks (doing stress testing now).

rough shaping is easily done with an 8", 36gr grinding disk mounted on a motor (Kurt's arbors should work) with firm backing plate. You can get the backing plates at Harbor freight, Lowes, Home Depot or other hardware stores for $5-15. Disks usually run a few bucks each and last for 25 pipes or more. I run my grinding disk at 3600rpm, so the wear out quicker...but grind quicker too. You can also look into the Beall buffing system. It comes with a motor arbor that will work fine for all of this. That's what I use.

jeff wrote:You can also look into the Beall buffing system. It comes with a motor arbor that will work fine for all of this. That's what I use.

I'm trying to wrap my brain around this, Jeff. I have the Beall buffing system as well, and I love it for my buffing process, but how would it be useful for the purposes of a sanding disc set up? Do you just mean cannibalizing the arbor for the purposes of mounting a sanding disc?

SimeonTurner wrote:. . .I'm trying to wrap my brain around this, Jeff. . .

That's a bad idea. Don't you remember the video you had to watch every year in shop class warning you to keep your head and loose clothing away from rotating machinery? It could get messy.

FredS wrote:

SimeonTurner wrote:. . .I'm trying to wrap my brain around this, Jeff. . .

That's a bad idea. Don't you remember the video you had to watch every year in shop class warning you to keep your head and loose clothing away from rotating machinery? It could get messy.

Maybe that's my problem...every time I try to wrap my brain around the spinning tripoli wheel, I get this gummy brown build up in my eyes. It stings.

jeff wrote:rough shaping is easily done with an 8", 36gr grinding disk mounted on a motor (Kurt's arbors should work) with firm backing plate. You can get the backing plates at Harbor freight, Lowes, Home Depot or other hardware stores for $5-15. Disks usually run a few bucks each and last for 25 pipes or more. I run my grinding disk at 3600rpm, so the wear out quicker...but grind quicker too. You can also look into the Beall buffing system. It comes with a motor arbor that will work fine for all of this. That's what I use.

Jeff,

Try a 24 grit disk. I'm on my second one.

I run it at 1166 rpm and it grinds the shit out of briar.

Rad

Rad, I always knew you used shitty briar, but you've just confirmed it.

jeff wrote:Rad, I always knew you used shitty briar, but you've just confirmed it.

Ha! Point to the gentleman from the West Coast.

jeff wrote:Rad, I always knew you used shitty briar, but you've just confirmed it.

Eat briar, Whippersnapper.

Rad