On Friday, 22 July 2016 22:29:51 UTC+1, Electric Comet wrote:
anyone used a mandrel on their lathe

the kind with a taper that goes into tailstock and you can mount a buffing
wheel or cbn wheel

saw a combo but it is way too much and if there was a stand alone mandrel
that was 30 or so that would be a sensible addition

You might find using a reverse thread worm with a straight shank gripped in a chuck is your safest way of using a buffing wheel/brush or polishing mop.. a mandrel will flex slightly when pressure is put on it making it untrue for any future work and a morse taper has the likelihood of working free and damaging your work.