sanding preference?

I like to use a powered system but sometimes find that a passive motion sander or even hand held sand paper to be best. Invest a few cents and make one of each and try them out. See my web site under sanding system.

Mike:

I'd vote for an angle drill such as the Sioux or the identical one made by them for Milwaukee.

I've used one for a long time. Then I had taken it to my warehouse and rather than go get it, I reverted to my standard corded electric drill. The angle drill is much easier to use.

The unpowered sanding devices can sometimes do the job a powered one will but not always. I'd call it an add-on rather than an only-

Further, if you are really interested in trying unpowered sanding, it is easy to make one to try it out. You really don't even need a bearing if you don't happen to have one handy. A shaft will turn in a bearing made of a dense hard wood with a little lithium grease or maybe even wd40.

Bill

snipped-for-privacy@comcast.net wrote:

Derek I switch to the passive system when I have to. That is not a great answer but the honest one. If I can I power sand. When the reach is really awkward I can generally get in there with a passive system. If I still can not get to the spot then it is hand held sandpaper or sandpaper on a stick or whatever else it takes to get the job done.

skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

The useful part of the Sorby thing is the pad. Buy that as a part, and make your own handle from a piece of wood and a couple of ballbearings with the same inner diameter as the diameter of the axle of the pad.

The Sorby "thing" does not have a ballbearing, but needs oil from time to time to function, and if you oil it just a little too much, it spatters on the bowl, if you oil it too little, it gets worn out.

I made mine two years ago, and I have changed the pad once, the bearings are still good, and I use it a lot.

Bjarte

I use 2" foam-backed Velcro sanding discs chucked in my cordless drill. It's an older 9.6 Volt Panasonic with a T-handle. I have considered an angle drill, but I haven't had any problems getting into bowls with my current drill.

Barry

I think it is usually better to rotate the wood slower and move the abrasive faster to prevent heat checks and reduce surface scratches. If so (or not so), is there a minimal rpm the wood needs to activate a passive sander? I realize that disc size, pressure, application, etc. are also involved, but can you passively sand at very low speeds?

Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter

Yep, but slower. It's a difference in rotation rates thing. Sander faster than work, as the smaller "gear" in a drive.

Friction in the classic description increases with the load - mass of object or pressure applied. If the objects are in motion, it's independent of sliding speed. So the money play is not to press, which is why I like to support my sander as if it were a lathe tool.

Not sure molecular levels are reached until the grit particles have been subject to many divisions....

Bill.. just a basic question that has been bugging me about the power sanding thing.. not picking on you, and would like others to answer also:

What size is the typical bowl, et. that you sand?

I have a feeling that the larger the object, the more practical power sanding is, but besides trying a few different sizes home made inertia sanders, I'm new to anything but holding paper against the bowl and getting hot fingers *g*

I seem to be in the "mini turning" class here, as a large bowl so far is maybe 6 or 7" diameter and most of my stuff is much smaller..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Hi Bill, do you have a url where I could see an angle drill.

I am in the UK & haven't heard of an angle drill so would be interested to see what it looks like.

Cheers

mory.

Mac:

Good question...

I'm turning on a Stubby S750 so size is no object -- I guess that I turn stuff bigger than you do. The piece I'm finishing up today is a hollow form 7" tall and 4 1/2" wide. It is on the small side for me but I found a very nice piece of box elder with nice color. Most of my stuff is larger.

One of the advantages of power sanding over hand sanding on the lathe -- hand-held paper tends to cause scratches in one direction -- perpendicular to the axis of the lathe. Power sanding done right makes the scratches more random.

Bill

mac davis wrote: ...snip

I am one guy that liked the Sioux angle drill but the *&*% thing kept getting clogged with sawdust and trashing the bearings. After 2 sets of bearings and a 3rd set required I chucked it in the trash and went back to my clunky, but reliable, Makita angle drill. Not ergonomically designed but this baby doesn't even burp. Now, this is just my experience. I know others who love them. This is just my 2 cents worth for free......Ralph

Ralph, your comments about the Sioux drill echos what many others have experienced as well. Just out of curiosity, are the bearings double sealed units?

90% of the sanding I do is done with a regular drill. For the other 10% I was thinking of getting an angle drill adapter to chuck on to a 6A 3/8 drill. I wonder if this could do the job without going to an expensive dedicated angle drill?

Sure, rig a used washing machine motor to a flex shaft. Seems I recall you had one available?

just use your drill motor by clamping it in a hose clamp to hold itsteady and attach.

wow! I was going to look at flex shafts today, but that $70 price tag has me rethinking...

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

My wife got one of these (see link) King Rotary sets for abut $40 -- it includes a flex shaft.

The issue is that the max insert size seems to be about 3/16 collet or a

1/8 inch tool shaft.

Not sure that info is useful, but maybe somebody is aware of adapters for sander pads and drums that might make it useful.

Will

Think about the currency. Follow the URL and change to USD. Fifty-Two any better?

About a third the price of the drill, more easily maneuvered, capable of being used as a rotary scraper by supporting the handle on the toolrest.

Oh yes, a slow, but useful carver for when the muse strikes.

Was thinking about the Sioux drills and their bearing problems today which led to a couple questions popping to the frontal lobe:

1) Do the Sioux drills last a reasonable life when not used for sanding? 2) Are the Milwaukie clones also susceptible to the bearing failure? 3) Is there any difference in bearing life with respect to the Sioux models with higher speeds vs. the slower speeds? 4) What is it about the Sioux design that seems to lead to bearing failure when other drills don't appear to have the frequency of failure when used for sanding? Non-double sealed bearings? Insufficient cooling? Cooling design that draws air from close to the chuck?