hollow form safety question

[steve mcconnell]

So I have done one hollow form, and will be doing more.

My question is on sanding the interior. I know Steve S. just said he leaves the interior as cut, but I had a wider opening and was looking for a smoother look, and feel, especially around the rim where people can get their fingers in there when they pick the bowl up (not to mention the fact that my interior cuts were less than impressive). As I was hand sanding the inside, lathe on, I got the distinct impression that I could very easily break my fingers should the sandpaper get a little grabby.

Was I doing something stupid?

I subscribe to the "if it feels dangerous don't do it" mantra, so I stopped.

How do you all sand the interiors, especially the inside top? Do I just need to make a gooseneck sander? or was I being overly cautious?

Thanks

Steve

[Jeff Nicol]

They have some big forceps you can get to hold the sandpaper to make it a bit safer. I do the hand sanding if the opening is big enough to get in and do it safely. If the opening is small I may just use a small piece of paper and a very slow speed to do just the inside of the opening. You can also take a dowel and cut a slot in it and wedge some paper in that to hold it and use it to reach down in the HF/Vase.

Safety First,

Jeff

[Steve Schlumpf]

Steve - on the majority of my HFs I do not sand the inside but anything with a larger opening - then I will sand right around the lip area just to remove extremely rough areas. I use a 6" forcep to hold a sanding disk or if the opening is large enough I will hold the sand paper with fingers with the lathe at a very slow speed - 50 rpms or so. I also make sure there is nothing in the way and nothing that will get caught while I am hand sanding! I've had the same concerns as you!

As Jeff stated - safety first!

[Bill Mitchel]

Steve

I do them same as above but sometimes i use an old foam sanding block and cut a piece about 1" square and use that to pad the sandpaper. It seems to conform to the shape of the form a little better.

Bill

[Reed Gray]

If you leave a hole big enough to get your hand into, then that will work, but use slow lathe speed (50 rpm or less if you can) and extreme caution as if the abrasives catch, so can your hand, and that type of rotary fracture can really ruin your fore arm. I have also used the abrasive on a stick, and attach a medium to firm disc onto a stick or paddle (soft pads don't work as well), again, do this at slow speeds, sand away. Maybe some one should invent a goose neck tool for sanding the insides of hollow forms. You will never get all the tool marks out, but can smooth things out. I have found that with an articulated system (I have a Monster), and a carbide disc, I can get really smooth. The hard part is learning to 'feel' what the tool is doing. You can learn to recognize bumps and dips, and smooth them out. Of course, some times you have to quit while you are still ahead and before you cut through the sides. DAMHIKT. You can practice this on more open forms where you can watch the tool cut. The nice thing about the articulated system it that the pressure needed to cut is so light, it makes 'feeling' a lot easier.

robo hippy

[alex carey]

if its a big enough opening to get like 2 fingers in I will sand it the edge. I just curl a piece of sand paper around my finger stick my fingers in. I only go as far as 2". I never had a problem and haven't even felt it was too dangerous.

[curtis rosche]

another thing you can do is make your own sandpaper "flapper" wheel, with a bolt, 2 washers or disks and some sand paper, then stick it in a drill, and go at it.

[Roger Wilson]

...I got the distinct impression that I could very easily break my fingers should the sandpaper get a little grabby...


Here's something that will do the trick and you won't have to lose a couple of fingers in the process. Don't complain about the price it's way cheaper then the ER. They sell sandpaper for it as well.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Abrasives___Sanders___Reach_Sanding_Ball___reach_s anding_ball?Args=


http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/woodturners/Images/products/large/reach-sanding-ball_l.jpg

[Cody Colston]

I have a 2" sanding pad with a 1/2" shank. I took a stick about 14" long and drilled 1/4" holes in one end. The shank on the sanding pad fits snugly in those holes and I can plade it straight ahead, at 45 deg. or 90 deg. - sorta like some of the shop-built hollowing tools.

If the opening is large enough to get that contraption into the vessel, I'll sand it with no danger to my fingers.

I started using that rig after burning my hand on the rim of the vessel while sanding inside it. Never grabbed my fingers but it did do a number on the back of my hand.

[steve mcconnell]

Thanks for all the responses.

I had seen the velcro ball sanding tool, but figured that would not get the inside top of the form. Also, I think I saw somewhere a while back where a guy made one of these out of duct tape, a foam ball and velcro.

I think I am looking at either the forceps and/or running the lathe at very slow speeds to get the inside tops of the forms.

I really appreciate the responses.


steve