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Thread: How to production sand Pine faster ?

  1. #1
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    How to production sand Pine faster ?

    I make "Put me in a plain Pine Box" type of basic caskets.

    Spending tooo much time sanding pine.

    Need ideas to reduce my time.


    My product is made of lumberyard SYP #2 S4S 1x6" w pitch set KD to the "19%".

    They are probably avg of 15-16% when I work them.

    Due to the high MC, I use individual 6" boards, NOT glue ups.

    I am mostly needing to remove the grade stamps and minimal, yet present planer ripple.

    Currently use 5" RO Bosch $70 sander w Klingspor Blue discs 120 grit.

    120 final finish is fine enough for my specific product need,and I use ONLY 120 start to finish.

    No pitch loading problems, no disc life complaints.

    Remember, my work is "Rustic"

    IF... IF it was a viable solution, I could in future spend ? 1k on a used drum or somekinda machine... BUT I am VERY concerned about short belt life w this wood... even though current supplier is apparently set pitch.

    Also another issue - Some of my boards have a slight cup that plays well w a 5" medium back pad sander, but will not sand full width on a wide belt w/o multiple passes, so bringing in another complication.


    So, how can I speed this up ?

    Bigger ? better ? sander ?

    Start w 80 grit ? ( silly, but never tried that yet)

    Hmmm... just thought maybe I need open coat discs ? duhhh...



    Lastly, a separate question - - A technique, or machine, or jig that would sand my edges while also easing "breaking over" the sharp corners ?

    I'm thinking one of those inflatable bladder shredded flap sanders on like a Baldor grinder that are used for canoe paddles... but mounted under a long table similar to a jointer.. I would just slide the board through 2 times for the 2 edges.

    Going to find and post a few photos that may help.

    Thanks all !

    MarcIMG_0278.jpg
    Last edited by Marc Jeske; 07-20-2019 at 11:20 PM. Reason: add image
    I'm pretty new here, not as as experienced as most. Please don't hesitate to correct me

  2. #2
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    Marc, I think the drum or wide-belt type setup is about the only way to do what you need efficiently, but agree that clogging of the abrasive media can always be an issue with sappy wood like pine. Perhaps stearated media will help with that...I don't know. But again, from a purely functional, production standpoint, that's the tool to use. The other option I can think of is a planer with a helical cutter that you can run at a slower feed rate, starting with rough or only mildly surfaced lumber. That would minimize machining marks and for rustic like you want, shouldn't need much sanding at all.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
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    You need one of these


  4. #4
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    Wow, that's pretty kewel, Mark!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  5. #5
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    I would not recommend a drum-type sander for use on Pine. I have a Woodfast 25" dual drum sander; as a first use test cut I grabbed a scrap of pine lying nearby and ran it through the machine. I wound up with pitch/gum build-up on the both drums due to the heat generated. Ruined the sandpaper on both drums which required replacement.
    I currently have a Hammer 16" jointer/planer machine with the Silent Power cutter head which leaves a very smooth finish, requiring 120 grit sandpaper to start. Maybe consider a different surfacing machine which you could use to take off a small amount to remove the mill marks. Good luck.

  6. #6
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    I second Mike's comment. I ran some 4x4 pine through my Woodmaster drum sander once. IIRC, I used 100 grit paper that loaded up on the first pass.
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  7. #7
    We start sanding everything at 40 grit on a wide belt. Skipping grits is never, ever, ever faster. This is even more important when using an orbital. Why would you want to flatten the surface with anything but the fastest grit possible? Once you've sanded out any marks and defects, every subsequent grit is just a couple of quick passes.

  8. #8
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    Wow! What the heck is that??

  9. #9
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    I'm pretty new here, not as as experienced as most. Please don't hesitate to correct me

  10. #10
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    There are several companies that make supersurfacers; Marunaka, Shinx, Ryobi, Marunaka, Hitachi...
    Supersurfacers are made in several different styles and sizes. one way feed, auto return, programmable, top cut, bottom cut, top & bottom, even right angle cutting.

    If you keep your eye out you may be lucky enough to get an old Makita or Hitachi from the 80's cheap. They are small machines and run on standard 110 volt single phase.




    Quote Originally Posted by Marc Jeske View Post

  11. #11
    How about a simple planer?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prashun Patel View Post
    How about a simple planer?
    I agree, my first inclination was if a decent, sharp planer would work. Possibly a shelix head if straight knives are not smooth enough.

  13. #13
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    Several have mentioned a planer including myself. It would work, but also would require the OP to buy different material than he is sourcing currently which is 4S4 if he wants to maintain the nominal .75" thickness. There are "minimum bites" with most planers to avoid feed roller marks showing. They are truly unsightly!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #14
    I have a delta 22-560 thickness planer which leaves a very smooth finish, no ripple marks if set to take a light cut, so no further sanding necessary.

    As Jim mentioned, this isn’t an option if final thickness won’t allow for the stock removal.

  15. #15
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    Short of a drum sander, I wonder if a smoothing plane would actually be a better way. A small plane like a #3 should accommodate a bit of cup/bow without having to spend a bunch of time getting it flat first. Put some camber on the blade and set for a 2 or 3 thousandths cut and you can make pretty quick work of it. Actually, if you are going for rustic, then you can use a more heavily cambered blade and take deeper cuts, the texture left behind is more pleasantly rustic than coarse sanded.

    Even if takes the same amount of time, it's much a much more pleasant way to spend shop time than with a respirator, earmuffs, shop vacs wailing, etc.

    If you need to stain, it may not make as much sense because a planed finish won't take stain very evenly on pine, so you'll end up with the ROS anyways.

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