Facing Off???

[John Terefenko]

I am looking to improve my technique of facing my blocks off. I am looking for a good method to get a true flat and square face so I can attach other pieces of wood. The way I do it is time consuming and I feel I can do a better job. Thanks for the replys.

[Robert McGowen]

I use the following technique which, in my opinion, is just about fool proof.

I purchased a 10" sanding disc at Woodcraft. It is supposed to be used on a table saw and looks just like a thick saw blade with no teeth. I am sure you could use anything hard and flat though. Use some spray adhesive and stick a sheet of regular 80 grit sandpaper to it. That is much cheaper than using specially cut 10" sandpaper circles. Mount the block of wood onto the lathe and get it as square as possible with whatever tool you want to use. I personally just use a bowl gouge. Use a speed of 400-500 RPM and just gently hold the sandpaper covered disc up against the face of the spinning wood. The wood will be perfectly flat and square in just a few seconds. Turn off the lathe and rotate it by hand while running a pencil across the face of the wood. Turn the lathe back on and use the sandpaper on it for just a second. If there is any pencil still left on the face of the wood, then it is not perfectly flat yet, so repeat again until all of the pencil mark is gone.

I do a lot of segmented work and I use this technique to square off the waste block and also to square off each ring before attaching the next ring in the stack. It takes more time to explain how to do it than to actually do it. :)

[John Terefenko]

I like that one. On my list to try.

[Mike Golka]

I use the same method as Robert for the same reason but I run the pensil lightly from center out with the lathe on. Only difference is I use a peice of Maple about 3 in. wide and about 16 in. long covered with 80 grit.

[Richard Madison]

Similar procedure to Robert, but with Mike's sanding board, and just check it with straight edge of stainless steel ruler. I like the pencil mark idea. Will try to remember to do that next time.

[Larry Marley]

I use the Mike Golka maple with 80 grit with the Robert McGowen pencil test. Each ring is drum sanded to get close, but facing off does make it more accurate.