Sanding

[Richard Findley]

The thing about power sanding is that you need the right balance between too firm and too soft. The Hope arbors that I do are just right, with the option to add a softer pad to help with tight curves etc.

The key to using power sanding is to keep the arbor square to the surface of the wood, and so using the full face of the pad. When you start using the edges of the pad it can very quickly produce shapes that weren't intended. It is important to continually check your progress to ensure you are not spoiling your tool work.

My other top tip, which applies whether power or hand sanding, is to clear the dust and detritus from inside the bowl between each grit to give the best possible finish.

Cheers

Richard

[hughie]

Power sanding or the use of an Inertia sander I find gives a finish at least one grit higher than it claims. So a hand finished 240 can be made better by a 240 power sanding.

But I can't prove that, it's just how I see the result - comments.

I would agree with that statement as I use inertia sanders a great deal, so mush so I own more the half a dozen of them.  I would suggest one grit higher is a conservative estimate on the finish.

[Turners cabin]

i use a tack cloth inbertween grits to remove any left over abrasive (that the eye cant see )

[edbanger]

Well I've taken my sanding to a whole new level, use both Inertia sanders and power sanding the power sanding while the turned item is spinning on the lathe seems to give me the best results which is ok for the outsides and on something shallow the inside, other wise it the Inertia sander.

If it's a natural edge bowl then I use the airline between grits, otherwise I too am using tack cloth.

Thanks for your advice and help, I'll take a couple of pictures and post my latest finished pieces in the next day or so.

Ed

[MCB]

i use a tack cloth in bertween grits to remove any left over abrasive (that the eye cant see )

At a demonstration at our club, we were recommended to keep one's tack cloth in a glass jar to retain the tackiness. As I'd  rather minimise the amount of glass in my workshop, I  use a small unbreakable card tub with airtight lid (it contained Marigold Bouillon powder originally) with entirely satisfactory results.

MC

[Turners cabin]

i use a tack cloth in bertween grits to remove any left over abrasive (that the eye cant see )

At a demonstration at our club, we were recommended to keep one's tack cloth in a glass jar to retain the tackiness. As I'd  rather minimise the amount of glass in my workshop, I  use a small unbreakable card tub with airtight lid (it contained Marigold Bouillon powder originally) with entirely satisfactory results.

MC

yes forgot to mention that part i use a plastic jar