Power sanding experience

I use the Sorby inertial sander. I may get a power sander later, but this sorby 2" sander works wonders in my bowls.

Pete

Pete.. I checked out the Sorby, and it looks like what I need for my next step... (though I still can't quite feel good about the idea of something spinning inside something spinning *g*)

It looks like the disks are about half a buck each, do you go through a lot of them?

mac

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Hey Mac, make them yourself!!! I always buy rolls of 3" wide klingspor hook and loop sandpaper for making 2 or 3" disks, 10 yards cost me about 20 bucks cut into 3" disks make for 120 disks that's about 15 cents apiece and 10 cents for the 2" ones. got an address here that I am very satisfied with, they are good helpful and friendly people

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

mac davis wrote:

I started using the Sorby sander a few months ago. I works great. BUT, I am having trouble keeping it oiled. If I use too little oil the shaft sticks, squeeks and blackened stuff appears. If I use too much it gets oil spots all over my bowl. What kind of oil do you use and how do you know how much to use?

By the way, Klingspor's 2" FLEXI-PAD (FP50200) are exactly the same as Sorby's Sanding Pads. Instead of $29.95 at Woodcraft they are $9.95.

Thanks, Ted

Pete wrote:

Walt

If it were me, I would go directly to the powered sanding device. You can get the whole shooting match for less than $80 and I am sure your results will bring much more in return.

To start, you can go to Ebay and buy a $20 Close Quarter Drill Then Go to Craft Supplies and get their $19 3" foam hook and loop sanding pad (this is the best on on the market) Then go to Industrial Abrasives - a small company in PA and purchase 3" disks in packs of 25 for about $8 each. The grits I get are 180, 220, 320, and 400. Yes, start with 180!

This will get you well on your way and later when you are ready to get a more durable rig, just get a Milwaukee Close Quarter Drill and you are set - you can also get the Milwaukee from Ebay - these usually go for $120 at auction, but you can find some that are less.

Good luck and wear a respirator when power sanding!

Ray Sandusky Brentwood, TN USA

thanks, leo.. I bookmarked it for later, when my caffeine level is up.. *g*

mac

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Walt, I have

4 of the Sioux angle drills that I use for most of my bowl sanding. I prefer the high speed ones, but know some who prefer the slow speed ones. I like the angle drill better than a right angled drill because they allow easier access to the bottom of the bowls. This tool is a drill and not a grinder or sander, which means that with heavy use, the bearings will wear out. I go through 2 or so sets a year. Don't use a lot of pressure when sanding, and blow them out often. Replacing both sets of bearings costs me about $90. For sanding discs, I like the aluminum oxide (red) discs. With the use of one of the eraser stick, they last longer than any ofher discs I have used. I also punch my own discs. I special order 12 inch wide by 10 yard long rolls from Klingspoor (rolls can be 60 plus in. wide). For a cutter, I use a piece of 3 inch inside diameter pipe that has 1/16 inch reamed off so that the discs are actually 3 1/8 inch wide. The cutter needs to be hardened. The hooks on the velcro pads can leave scratches and the overhang helps get rid of that. To cut them out, place sand side down on a 1/2 inch thick piece of plastic, place the I cutter, put a wood block on the cutter, strike soundly with a 2 pound hammer, or use a big arbor press, or find a clicker press (benchtop punch press). This needs to be done on a sufrace that is solid and doesn't bounce. I power sand with the coarser grits up to 150, and then hand sand with 150. The straight line scratch marks will show up any of the coarser power sanding marks that I may have missed.When sanding, I hand turn and/or have the lathe at its slowest speed. Most of my turnings are green, then dried, then sanded which means they are warped, and difficult to hand sand at all but the slowest speeds. I then power sand up to 220 or 320, and finish hand sanding at 320 or 400. Finish is then applied. Always keep the sander moving because it can leave divots. The plus of power sanding is that it is faster and uses less effort. You can also stop the lathe and work on trouble spots. The down side is that they throw and blow dust everywhere. A dust collecter, an air scrubber, and a dust mask are necessary. I took a white plastic 55 gal. drum, cut it in half, fit the bottom half up against the head stock, and put a plastic sheet on the tailstock end. The only open area is where I stand, and the dust collecter is hooked to the back. When hand sanding, zero dust gets out. When power sanding, almost none gets out. Sanding is a necessary evil. The best things to reduce the amount of sanding you do is to keep your tools sharp, practice, work to perfect your tecnique, and did I say keep your tools sharp. Tecnique means learning how to get smooth even cuts, with no bumps, lumps, humps,and dips. Don't force the tool. I will consider myself a master woodturner when I can turn a bowl without using calipers, and the finish procuct doesn't need sanding. I expect to accomplish this some day, and I also expect to win the lottery. The odds of doing both are about the same, but I am making progress, I use almost no 80 grit paper, and can even start at 180 grit once in a while. I hope this helps a little. robo hippy

Walt, I have

4 of the Sioux angle drills that I use for most of my bowl sanding. I prefer the high speed ones, but know some who prefer the slow speed ones. I like the angle drill better than a right angled drill because they allow easier access to the bottom of the bowls. This tool is a drill and not a grinder or sander, which means that with heavy use, the bearings will wear out. I go through 2 or so sets a year. Don't use a lot of pressure when sanding, and blow them out often. Replacing both sets of bearings costs me about $90. For sanding discs, I like the aluminum oxide (red) discs. With the use of one of the eraser stick, they last longer than any ofher discs I have used. I also punch my own discs. I special order 12 inch wide by 10 yard long rolls from Klingspoor (rolls can be 60 plus in. wide). For a cutter, I use a piece of 3 inch inside diameter pipe that has 1/16 inch reamed off so that the discs are actually 3 1/8 inch wide. The cutter needs to be hardened. The hooks on the velcro pads can leave scratches and the overhang helps get rid of that. To cut them out, place sand side down on a 1/2 inch thick piece of plastic, place the I cutter, put a wood block on the cutter, strike soundly with a 2 pound hammer, or use a big arbor press, or find a clicker press (benchtop punch press). This needs to be done on a sufrace that is solid and doesn't bounce. I power sand with the coarser grits up to 150, and then hand sand with 150. The straight line scratch marks will show up any of the coarser power sanding marks that I may have missed.When sanding, I hand turn and/or have the lathe at its slowest speed. Most of my turnings are green, then dried, then sanded which means they are warped, and difficult to hand sand at all but the slowest speeds. I then power sand up to 220 or 320, and finish hand sanding at 320 or 400. Finish is then applied. Always keep the sander moving because it can leave divots. The plus of power sanding is that it is faster and uses less effort. You can also stop the lathe and work on trouble spots. The down side is that they throw and blow dust everywhere. A dust collecter, an air scrubber, and a dust mask are necessary. I took a white plastic 55 gal. drum, cut it in half, fit the bottom half up against the head stock, and put a plastic sheet on the tailstock end. The only open area is where I stand, and the dust collecter is hooked to the back. When hand sanding, zero dust gets out. When power sanding, almost none gets out. Sanding is a necessary evil. The best things to reduce the amount of sanding you do is to keep your tools sharp, practice, work to perfect your tecnique, and did I say keep your tools sharp. Tecnique means learning how to get smooth even cuts, with no bumps, lumps, humps,and dips. Don't force the tool. I will consider myself a master woodturner when I can turn a bowl without using calipers, and the finish procuct doesn't need sanding. I expect to accomplish this some day, and I also expect to win the lottery. The odds of doing both are about the same, but I am making progress, I use almost no 80 grit paper, and can even start at 180 grit once in a while. I hope this helps a little. robo hippy

Walt Make your own. It is fast and easy and a whole lot cheaper. See my page at

I buy hook and loop paper from sandpaper.ca and either buy the 3" disks or the 9x11 sheets and cut my own.

I get the 50 packs of 2" disks from Klingspor for $10. So, at .20 each, I have cut the costs down a little. I like the idea of making your own to cut costs further.

As for use, I tend to go through the lowest grit more than the higher grits. I assume when my tool control gets better and I don't leave as many deeper marks that will be less so. I might go through a pad or two on the lowest grit per bowl. And go through a higher grit every

2-5 bowls. This depends on surface area.

Mac I tried the e-mail address I put up here, I get some other setup, I don't know what has happened, I cannot get a hold of the persons that ran the business, tried the telephone # I have and that didn't get me anywhere, I last talked to them ad the London wood show a went to, sorry but you'll have to find another address, I used google to find another clingspor dealer and they also carried the 3" hook and loop rolls, price was a little higher though.

Have fun and take care Leo Van Der Loo

mac davis wrote:

not bad at all, considering the price of sandpaper and the waste involved..

mac

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Me again. I forgot to say thanks for all the good help and advice. I'm ready to move on with sanding. My real challenge is to make my cuts so good that I don't need to sand!!! Walt C In Minnesota where its too cold to go into the shop.