View Full Version : How do you sand your bowls and pens?
Ed Lang
03-01-2005, 7:55 AM
Do you use a electric drill or non electric type of bowl sander?
Maybe just sandpaper and your fingers?
Let me know please.
Pictures or links if possible.
Thanks a great deal.
Chris Lee
03-01-2005, 8:12 AM
Ed,
For pens and such I just use plain old sandpaper, unless they are acrylic, then I use the little colored sanding pads from BG Artforms. You can pick those up just about anywhere, Woodcraft, Craft Supplies, PSI or from BG Artforms themselves.
For bowls I use a round sanding pad chucked up in an air powered drill. Makes sanding go real fast. I think I picked up the Sanding pad and like 50 sanding discs for about $16. Already had the drill.
Chris
Ed Lang
03-01-2005, 8:27 AM
Thanks Chris,
Where did you get the round sanding pads?
the "kit" I have found at Woodcraft is $50.
Jeff Sudmeier
03-01-2005, 8:35 AM
I use sandpaper for pens. I go all the way up to 1200 grit on some of the closer grained woods.
When I make my duck calls and want to remove a lot of wood fast, I use old belt sander belts. They work great for fast removal of material!
Chris Lee
03-01-2005, 9:23 AM
Ed,
Here is the one I have. I really like it so far. And the price is right!
http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/cgi-bin/shopper?preadd=action&key=993-5002
Chris
Tom Mullane
03-01-2005, 10:05 AM
I have a Souix variable speed angle drill and use either a 2" or 3" sanding pad depending on the size of the bowl... that is when I can get a bowl that does not turn into a funnel.. LOL...
I have sanding disks ranging from 60-400 grit.. plus also an assortment of hand sanding paper that I use between power sanding so that I can sand with the grain...
One of the biggies to remember is to blow off or wipe off the sanding dust and grit between each sanding stage.... this really makes a big difference in the finish...
keith zimmerman
03-01-2005, 11:42 AM
Most of the time, I just use sheet sandpaper with the rubber from an old mousepad as a backer. It works really well for me. When I'm sanding a bowl, I will sometimes use a 2" disk chucked in a VSR drill with the drill in reverse.
keith
Tom Morton
03-04-2005, 6:47 AM
Google for Rus Fairchild his write up on sanding and finishing of turned pieces covers every aspect.
Glenn Hodges
03-04-2005, 8:39 AM
Ed, if you want to make your own here is a useful link.
http://www.aroundthewoods.com/
I use 3 in., 2 in. velcro disk, and 5 in. sticky disk. I buy the velcro backed sanding paper from Industrial Abrasives, and this sanding paper last and last by staying sharper than any I have ever bought. It comes in 36 in. square velcro backed sheets which I stamp out to the size I need. You can sharpen an old pipe an go to it. I bought my velcro disk so long ago I can't remember where, but I buy the replacement velcro disk that stick on top of them from Packard. I buy my rolls of 5 inch disk from Grizzly, and the 5 inch disk from Wal Mart. I have a 5 in. disk for each grit I use. These disk attach to a drill which I run as fast as possible while the lathe is running very slow, about 120. I know that is not possible for some of you, but that is the speed I like to sand on my lathe. Check out the link above, he has a lot of info I think will be useful to you. Hope this has be helpful. If you have any more questions let us know.
Kent Cori
03-06-2005, 7:42 PM
I use 220, 400 and then 600 grit for my pens. I then switch to Micromesh and take it up to 12000 grit. This makes the smoothest finish you can imagine. If it is an acrylic pen, I simply add water.
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