Latest work just about done

[Dino]

So first of all thanks to everyone who gave me input into fixing my capacitor issue, lathe works like new now.

I've only got the one picture right now as I am still finishing off the bottom of the bowl / box and still need to do an internal lid but...here it is!

Picture!

I'm looking for critique as well as I am still new at this.

Thanks for all the support folks! Wonderful community.

 

[KimG]

Nice item Dino, you have what appear to be nice, crisp transitions in the bowl recess and the lid. I cannot see much in the way of either toolmarks or sanding marks, so tidy finishing.

The only thing I would say to consider for later projects would be related to the base, going by appearance in this one shot, it looks like you have a a substantially heavy base, the inner bowl seems to stop well short of the outer base, this would make it pretty heavy I am guessing. In this instance that is an inherent aspect of the overall design, designs that allow for a more balanced relationship between the inner and outer shape have a more elegant air. That doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with your item, but it is a pointer to a direction worth exploring.

 

[Dino]

Hey Kim! Thanks.

The case actually goes in making it much lighter than it appears...I've forgotten the right term, invex? It ... curves inward! I'll post some more pictures but what I just finished today was using my cole-jaws (for the first time) to cut off the excess and sand it down. I'm not sure why I left the bowl so short from the actual size of the piece but it just ended up that way. Next time I'll plan a little further ahead.

I do have a question though, there were some small sanding marks on the base that I couldn't quite get rid of - any tips for removing them? How do I get rid of them completely?

 

[Dalboy]

You may have heard it all before but freshly sharpen chisels for the final cuts and then sanding

 

[KimG]

The word you seek is Convex
With regard to the marks, what Dalboy said, plus with some timber (Ash is one, your bowl looks a bit like Ash but could be anything really)
regardless of how sharp you get the tool, you will always get a spot where the tool and the grain just do not agree and you get a small rough patch, a tear in effect, this is basically an area where the wood fibres are at an angle with the direction of rotation, so the blade tends to draw them out rather than slice them off, a bit like trying to scythe through laid down grass in the direction the grass is laying.

The best way to remove these (well, the way I do it, I'm not certain it's necessarily the best though) is to sand them out while the piece is stationary, use a fairly coarse grit to start with, 120 or 180, remember the quicker you remove the fibres, the less heat you'll generate and the quicker you can get to a finishing process. With softer woods like Sycamore or Lime, you need to be a bit more careful as you can dig a hole with a sander, so start with a finer grit, if it looks like it will take a coarser grade, try it. As soon as the marks are gone, all round the item, sand the whole thing rotating, then move up through the grits to a finish.

As Chas has stated in a similar thread, Abrasives are just as much a tool as the chisels and scrapers.

 

[Dino]

It is ash, yes. That is actually nice to hear as I was confused what I was doing wrong.

Strangely enough that is how I was removing the sanding marks. I fail to see why sharpness of tools would affect sanding marks, enlighten me?

 

[KimG]

Just a case of a misread Dino, we both just saw the word "Marks" and missed "Sanding" this is because for us the marks are made by tools and sanding removes them.

If you have severe sanding marks it is possibly due to using a very coarse grit which has abraded a groove that is quite deep, your only option is to work down through the grits (120, 180, 240, 320, possibly 400) not moving onto the next until you have removed the marks of the previous. Bear in mind that sanding and finishing can take three four or even five times longer than actually turning a piece depending on the nature of the wood and the kind of finish you want to achieve.

To avoid ring sanding marks (ie a scratch that follows the rim line) use a power sander with the lathe running pretty slowly, this has the effect of making a series of abrading marks that sweep out, away from a single line and as such they are much harder to detect, as you move through thr grits you should be able to avoid creating any ring scratches.

 

[Dalboy]

Just a case of a misread Dino, we both just saw the word "Marks" and missed "Sanding" this is because for us the marks are made by tools and sanding removes them.

Yes I did miss read it as well sorry Dino. I always got the report when I was at school "Must pay more attention"

Something that I use when sanding is The hope system sander again going through the grits this seems to get rid of sanding marks from the previous grit

This is done with the piece turning

 

[Dino]

Haha no worries guys! I was just confused by the answer. Thanks for clarifying.

I'll have to invest in a power sander...blisters on fingers is not nice. I didn't know to expect sanding to take so long, I'll be more vigilant in the future.

 

[Dalboy]

The one I have is this one which is not powered watch his video. He does sell pads to go into drills if you prefer that method

 

[Dino]

That looks...really awesome. Do you make your own pads or buy them from him?

 

[CHJ]

If you have a small battery powered Drill/Driver and get a set of the Hope heads then you will have more options on rotary sanding with the lathe stationary as well as being able to work with both the piece and the sanding head rotating slower.

Sometimes the friction driven heads are the only thing that will reach inside a piece but their great disadvantage is that they can spin too fast for best abrasive cutting action and don't allow rotary sanding with the work stationary.

If you cut your own loadings from sheet material you will save yourself a considerable amount of money and leaving the loadings square has advantages inside pieces as the corners have a 'flap wheel' function that can help on inside curves.

(Even the worn square loadings have an after life as they move to the waste bin as the less well used corners are ideal for getting in the little nooks and crannies with bits that would be scrap if punched round.)

Using the Hope Heads with the quick release holder and at times an extension can get inside quite deep pieces.
If you can run to a Head for each grit then the Velcro backing will hold better and stay attached rather than be damaged by tearing it off to change grits.

 

[Dalboy]

That looks...really awesome. Do you make your own pads or buy them from him?

If by pads you mean the sanding discs then I do the same as CHJ and cut them square, if you look at the link he has put up in his last post and scroll down you will see how I cut mine for the three different sized heads

 

[Dino]

Awesome, thanks guys. I've been doing it all manually and my results are decent but it takes a long time and ends with blistered fingers.