Sanding & Buffing Questions

[Tim Thiebaut]

Morning all, I will be finishing up some smaller projects I have been working on for a while shortly and have started roughing out my first bowl blank, obviouly bowls are a lot different then the mostly spindle/lidded box type of turnings I have done so far. I will be heading to Rockler to get a few things the first of next week and thought I better get a list started now, so here my questions.

Sanding - Assume I have nothing to sand a bowl with other then paper in different grits, what will I need? Or should I just sand the bowl by hand with just the paper I have? Sanding bowls by hand isnt very appealing to me so any and all input would be greatly appreciated!

Buffing - Penn State as a 3 wheel buffing spindle going for approx $60, it appears to me to be identical to Bealls 3 wheel system which goes for approx $90, both systems come with 3 different rouge bars, does anyone know if there is any critical differences between the two, I would much rather save the $30 bucks and get more wood or whatever you know.

Thank you all for any help you could give me here, Tim

[Al Wasser]

Sanding is a pain for me no matter how I do it. I suggest you use what you have for sandpaper. Start with about 80 grit and proceed to about 400. Keep your lathe speed at about 300 rpm if you can and hand sand away. Faster speeds will generate more heat and as well as burning you hand can cause cracking. If you need to buy some grits that you don't have get the Norton 3X stuff at Home Depot. Depending on the size and shape of your bowl or bowls your electric drill can serve as a power sander. Use 2 and 3" disks that you can pick up at Rockler. Have fun and use some kind of mask to limit the dust you suck in.

[Scott Hackler]

For hand sanding (which I dont do unless its small and delicate or a spindle) I swear by wet sand 3M paper. It has a very consistant grit and last a long time if you keep blowing it off.

I have a elcheapo right angle drill with a 3" velco pad. I haven't taken the time to order a massive quanity of precut disc so I usually buy a package of 80, 120, 220 velco disk from the store (meant for a random orbital sander) and cut the 3" circle out of it. I use the cut offs for hand sanding. Works great and cuts the sanding time down to barely nothing. I only use the 80 grit IF I want to touch up the shape. I never use the 80 grit on dark woods. Dark wood show every little scratch.

After running through the 120 and 220 power sanding, I will hand sand (on the lathe) with 440. On a small item or something I want a really smooth finish, I sand up to 12,000 with micro mesh pads or artificial steel wool.

Have proper air filtration, for the shop ...the work.. and your face. I am really bad about not wearing the respirator and until blowing my nose after a session of black walnut... well you dont realize how much dust your inhaling.

On buffing. I dont always buff, but I own the 3 on the tree Beal system. Its great for small things but the wheels are too close together for anything large and I cant buff the inside of most bowls. I am going to buy some bowl buffs for that, but havent yet. If you want a super smooth and glossy finish the buffing is incredible.

[bob svoboda]

A lot of personal choice involved here. I do a lot of power drill sanding on my bowls and get my supplies from Vince at http://www.vinceswoodnwonders.com/ Good quality, good price and good service. No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

My $0.02 would be to use good paper. I like Indasa Rhynodry (or wet). Lasts long and very consistent grit. The hardware cheapo paper has poor grit consistency. Sometimes they have 30 grit rocks on the 100 grit paper that makes those cute curly lines all over the place.

Vince is awesome. He has power and hand sanding good quality papers. The Sia is awesome but pricey. No affliation either. He can set you up with everything you'd need.

I like Beal buffs and wheels. I've tried other wheels (although not the PSI), and they seem to be much better.

[Thomas Canfield]

I really do like my Don Pencil buffing wheels, extension, and bowl buffs. I started out with the original 8" shaft but got the 12" when it came out and it works much better for larger bowls and deep hollow forms. The 3 wheel set up (I bought Beale first) works good for pens and exterior of small pieces, but does nothing for interior or larger bowls are limited. I normally use the wheels on my Powermatic and the bowl buffs on my Jet mini to allow doing inside and outside without changing. I also recommend getting a 5" wheel to work interior of bowls between 5" and 8" ID. I sand to 400 and then buff with Tripoli before applying oil finish for most of my work - really gives a good finish.

[Tim Thiebaut]

Thanks for all of your input guys, I will hunt down an inexpensive right angle drill, and it sounds like the quality of the Bealls 3 wheel buffs is the way to go over the Penn State brand so I will go that route, thanks again!

[Vince Welch]

HI Tim,

If you need any advice or samples please contact me. I have different discs and options to help you.
Vince

[Tim Thiebaut]

Hi Vince, you are on the top of my list to contact, you have been recommended to me very highly from the good folks here, actualy I will send you a pm also....

[Reed Gray]

Another reccomendation for Vince's abrasives. Best stuff out there for long lasting, consistent grit, and price/value. There is a difference between the right angle drills and angle drills. I prefer the angle drills which come off at maybe a 60 degree angle rather than 90. Mostly, it makes it easier to get down inside a bowl form. Power sanding is a huge time saver over hand sanding.

If you do not have some thing to filter and collect dust in your shop, you become the dust filter. Not good!

robo hippy

[Tim Thiebaut]

One of the things from my flat work days that has come in very handy is my DC system, so I have had no worrys in that regards, thanks for the recommendation on Vince.