How do you make smooth pebbles with wood?

[Ives]

Smooth, rounded wooden pieces, how do people make them? They look so tactile! I want to know how to make them! Like this:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa ... =143&ty=64

And I can't get the url to embed in the single word!

 

[AndyT]

I think this might get answered best in the Turning section - I think the method has to do with clever chucks in which the pieces are held by friction, turned smooth, moved, another bit turned, etc - but that's not a very complete or confident answer.

 

[jasonB]

I would have thought start with a bandsaw, then spokeshave, bench mounted belt sander and then a lot of hand sanding. If you were doing a lot then you would likely put them in a drum or vibrating tub with abrasive, leave for a while and out will come pebbles.

J

 

[Richard T]

In a word: rasps.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

and rasps to you, too.

 

[Benchwayze]

I would have thought start with a bandsaw, then spokeshave, bench mounted belt sander and then a lot of hand sanding. If you were doing a lot then you would likely put them in a drum or vibrating tub with abrasive, leave for a while and out will come pebbles.

J

I think so too.
Same way that you polish real stones/pebbles. With wood you will need to do some final hand sanding and applying finish is all.

Always worth a punt, if you have a tumble-polishing drum. (I suppose you could press the washing machine into service. But watch out for the distaff side) :mrgreen:

 

[wallace]

If they were to be round or egg shaped they are really easy to do on a lathe between centres. But if you wanted them exactly like pebbles they could be started on a lathe and finished by hand. I might have a go later to see what I can come up with
Mark

 

[jimi43]

Lathe or if no lathe, rasps first from oblong block...then run them by eye up against a disc sander on 60 or 80 grit then hand sand with Abranet from 120 to 400G then 3M micromesh from 1500 to 12000M and you will have some really smooth wood.

On a two dimensional (nearly) level it would be an extension of this I made over the weekend as a prototype....

Totally by hand as described above and smooth as a baby's bottom....and as you say...very tactile!

Jim

 

[Ives]

I really want a disc sander! And a lathe.

 

[Racers]

Hi,

I made these with a disk sander and lots of hand sanding.

If you don't use a lathe I think you will get a more natural look.

Pete

 

[Aled Dafis]

On a two dimensional (nearly) level it would be an extension of this I made over the weekend as a prototype....

Totally by hand as described above and smooth as a baby's bottom....and as you say...very tactile!

Jim

Very nice! I tried to make a replacement lens for one in school a while ago and found marking the centre accurately and fine enough quite difficult.

 

[Jonzjob]

Some good practice there for a bit of off centre turning me-thinks...

 

[jimi43]

Very nice! I tried to make a replacement lens for one in school a while ago and found marking the centre accurately and fine enough quite difficult.

When you square up the end of the acrylic...use a pointed cutter and bring it back to offset on the topslide toolrest and then use the micro adjuster to move the point in on the centre while it is running and just touch it so it creates an indent...then fill that in with a black marker....does that make sense?

Jim