sanding inside of vases

[Bob Hampton]

Ok gang I need to hear some ideas on this subject if you don't mind...

I do alot of vases lately ...anywhere from 6" to 10" deep and about 4-5 inch in diameter...im looking for ideas on ways to sand the inside's ...these are wide mouth vases ...I can get them pretty smooth inside but still have some ridges to sand out and get down to a smooth surface for finish....
Ive tried everything from sanding pads on a dowel to trying to create a "sanding ball" with no success...best i have found is a piece of sanding paper on a set of forcep's or tong's as i call them....this works ok but not getting the results i want ...
So what do all you guy's use?

thanks
Bob

[Bernie Weishapl]

Bob I use the dowel rod to sand the inside and sometimes forceps. Before I sand though I use either the Sorby bent hollowing tool with the tear drop shear scraper or my HF captured rig with the shear scraper bit. Both of these are used to smooth the surface and take out the ridges doing a shear scrape then very little sanding is needed.

[Mike A. Smith]

I use forceps for HF and vases, takes a lot of patience though. If someone has a better idea I'm wide open...

[Glenn Hodges]

Have you tried a power drill with an extension and a flap sander?

[Bob Hallowell]

Bob,
if it is a vase with a large mouth I use my monster HF captured rig. I put the 45deg end on and insert a 2 inch sanding pad you would use on you drill.

Bob

[Bob Hampton]

now thats and idea i never thought of! thanks for passing that along Bob..i'll have to give that a try!
I use a homemade capture system for these that im doing now ..the wide mouth one's.....for the narrow one's i usually free hand those
Ive tried the flap sander idea ...not bad but left alot of marks to get out...

good ideas so far ....please keep them coming..thanks
Bob

[George Guadiane]

Someone else mentioned the idea but:
I have some jeweler's tumbling media. The material is pyramid shaped green plastic with abrasives in them. There are also ceramics which are heavier, but also higher grit.
If you have a variable speed lathe you could slow it down till you can hear the media tumbling around inside, They should "sand" the inside nicely. Plug the opening and hold it closed with the tail stock, turn on the lathe and go for coffee, breakfast, and/or lunch and/or dinner. When you like the inside finish, take out the media. You MIGHT add a little oil into the mix, as I said, I am just playing with the IDEA so far. I haven't gotten to the actual vase.
The scraper inside first would be a great idea.

[Neal Addy]

I use sanding clamps (i.e. forceps or hemostats) to finish the inside of small rim HFs. They should work on a vase.

http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Abrasives___Sanding_Accessories___Sanding_Clamp___ sanding_clamps?Args=

Whatever you do, never hold them with your fingers in the holes.