Help!! HOw do I get these scratch marks out of Sycamore??

[Davidf]

Its for my Mum, for xmas and I'm back into work tomoorow night, so I could really do with getting it sorted......if any one has any tips?

:?:


TIA

David

 

[Mike Wingate]

Rotary sanding pad on an electric drill with both spinning fast.

 

[Davidf]

Thanks.

 

[Jacob]

Go back a few grit sizes and work your way through sizes without too big a leap. 80, 100, 120, etc

 

[Dieseldog]

Go back a few grit sizes and work your way through sizes without too big a leap. 80, 100, 120, etc

if it was me i would re sand

 

[Jacob]

Go back a few grit sizes and work your way through sizes without too big a leap. 80, 100, 120, etc

if it was me i would re sand

That's what I meant really. Start again with a grit at least as coarse as the scratches.
It's tempting to try to ignore this when the finish is excellent in parts, but you have to take it all back to coarse and scratchy!

 

[CHJ]

As the marks look like torn/pulled grain as much as scratches I would soak the piece in sanding sealer to swell the wood cells and support the surface before, as said above, sanding back through the grits.

 

[Bemused]

Lots of sander sealer and go through the grits again (80-400) is my input based on mainly turning spalted Sycamore.

 

[Davidf]

Cheers.

 

[Mike Wingate]

Wipe over the wood with a damp cloth, the grain raises, let it dry and sand again.

 

[Davidf]

Go back a few grit sizes and work your way through sizes without too big a leap. 80, 100, 120, etc

I think this could be what I have to do.

 

[Davidf]

Wipe over the wood with a damp cloth, the grain raises, let it dry and sand again.

Thanks I'll try that. :idea:

 

[Davidf]

Rotary sanding pad on an electric drill with both spinning fast.

Can any one help me with a link for this(ie for new one....I couldn' t easily see one on e-bay last night).

I ve just turned up my old one and think its not much good.

Like you say, though, I supect it's the way forwards.

 

[henton49er]

I can recommend the use of a sanding pad on a mains powered electric drill with the lathe and drill both running and working through the range of sanding grits from 100 to 400 or more, as suggested by most of the guys on this topic. Bear in mind that this will produce a great deal of dust, so maximum use of extraction, masks etc needed.

Mike :deer :ho2 :ho2 :deer

 

[Davidf]

As the marks look like torn/pulled grain as much as scratches I would soak the piece in sanding sealer to swell the wood cells and support the surface before, as said above, sanding back through the grits.

I ve got some confusion on that; a supplier I just called said sanding sealer does just that, it seals the grain for AFTER sanding and before waxing.

Where have I gone wrong?

He didn't want to me supply me with a drill bit sander either, saying they don't do the lathe bearings any good. I can see that, as you are applying (as he said) he side ways pressure onto work. If it was done lightly I don't believe it would have much ill-effect, though.

I don't know.

 

[paulm]

Change your supplier David as they don't sound like they know anything about woodturning !

Follow Chas's or the other good advice here. Soaking in sanding sealer first and letting it dry (only takes a few minutes) stiffens the soft wood fibres that are causing the problem and allows them to be sanded off more effectively than when they are soft and fluffy.

Other than that yes, it's used as a base on bare wood before waxing.

Don't think you will need a sanding arbour and discs for this, but they certainly wouldn't damage lathe bearings !

Try Axminster Power Tools, Toolpost, Peter Childs or similar suppliers that will have all the right stuff and should give you the right advice too, or ask away here of course, plenty of knowledgeable people who will be happy to help

Cheers, Paul

 

[CHJ]

As the marks look like torn/pulled grain as much as scratches I would soak the piece in sanding sealer to swell the wood cells and support the surface before, as said above, sanding back through the grits.

I ve got some confusion on that; a supplier I just called said sanding sealer does just that, it seals the grain for AFTER sanding and before waxing.

Yes that is the primary function, but it also has the effect of hardening the surface and the solvent moisture swells the grain slightly prior to it hardening, the principle is extensively used on softer or spalted timbers.

He didn't want to me supply me with a drill bit sander either, saying they don't do the lathe bearings any good. I can see that, as you are applying (as he said) he side ways pressure onto work.

Utter nonsense, the loads applied to the headstock bearings during normal bowl turning operations are several orders of magnitude greater than any loads you could apply using a sanding disk. The only loads you can apply are those resulting from your arm/hand strength.

I use both friction driven and a slow speed battery drill driven rotary disc systems.

The former needs using at relatively low lathe speeds if the discs are not to be rotated at too high a speed, which just creates friction heat without the grit maximising its cutting ability.

A small battery powered drill used with sanding discs has the advantage of being more easily controlled for spot work (lathe stationary) on difficult areas and has a far smaller dust distribution footprint than higher speed devices.

 

[Davidf]

Thanks all.

 

[Davidf]

Change your supplier David as they don't sound like they know anything about woodturning !

Follow Chas's or the other good advice here. Soaking in sanding sealer first and letting it dry (only takes a few minutes) stiffens the soft wood fibres that are causing the problem and allows them to be sanded off more effectively than when they are soft and fluffy.Other than that yes, it's used as a base on bare wood before waxing.

Don't think you will need a sanding arbour and discs for this, but they certainly wouldn't damage lathe bearings !

Try Axminster Power Tools, Toolpost, Peter Childs or similar suppliers that will have all the right stuff and should give you the right advice too, or ask away here of course, plenty of knowledgeable people who will be happy to help

Cheers, Paul

Is this the stuff?


http://www.amazon.co.uk/Rustins-Sanding ... ef=lh_ni_t

 

[CHJ]

That would do, but as it is shellac based it will be relatively slow hardening and a softer surface that will tend to clog your abrasive if used for this purpose.

You will find that a cellulose sealer will be much quicker drying and provide a harder base for subsequent sanding.
Acrylic is a water based alternate but will be slower drying.

Here is one selection

A lot depends upon the final finish intended and matching the sealer that is compatible.

If you intend to use an oil finish you can use it to swell and lubricate the grain prior to any final cuts as can just plain water, both will however tend to clog and glaze any abrasive used afterwards unless dried thoroughly.