Novice update and looking for sanding advice

[LinleyW]

Hi all, I started scrolling (and woodwork generally) towards the end of last year - I'm really enjoying the planning and cutting itself and I've since been able make a few pieces that I've been pleased with - some templated puzzles and some home-designed vehicles (train in progress).

Approval seeking out of the way ☺!


Sanding
I'm looking for advice on sanding in general and particularly on hard-to-reach inside cuts.
I've just moved to plain ended blades and really enjoying the extra mobility and while I think my cuts are smoother there is still some roughness to the edges which I hope will be reduced as I try different blades and generally improve.


This is an outer edge of the latest piece and you can see there's still imperfections after I've spent some time with some 100 and 120 grit by hand - I'm not sure if I'm being too cautious and should trust 80 grit not to do more damage, or being too impatient and need to keep going.

I'm also finding sanding inside curves a bit tricky - you can see the scaring here on my first project that I missed until finishing with Danish oil so it was a bit late to remedy. This was done when I was on a (probably blunt) pinned blade but generally I'm finding these sorts of inside curves tricky to keep the tearing down and then to sand smooth.

Separately what would be the best approach for tackling hard to reach places like this little gap here? I'm thinking it will be clamping the piece, cutting a strip of sandpaper, threading it through and working by hand, but wondered if anyone can advise on other approaches.

Lastly, what sort of level of smooth do you look for with your edges? (I know there's an element of preference)

Thanks all!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I know nothing about scrolling, but from other experience quite often a wetting of the work helps, 1/ it raises the grain anyway, so makes fine finishing easier, and 2/ it often shows any flaws before you introduce any form of finish. A kitchen or garden sprayer is ideal - you don't need too much water - but passing the piece quickly under the tap is OK, it'll just take a little longer to dry. You can keep small pieces of dowel (round lolly sticks etc. - anything the right size) up to the size of cardboard tubes from ali foil etc. and glue different grades of abrasive to them to make different sizes of sander for inside curves.

 

[Midge]

I'd recommend getting a couple of half round rasps, coarse and medium, and also some rasp needle/riffler files for the more intricate curves. Using these will allow you to get rid of any saw marks and refine the shape before moving on to sanding. Vallorbe are a good brand to get or if you really want to push the boat out you could get some hand stitched Auriou ones Auriou Rasps for Wood

 

[Adam W.]

Hand stitched rasps give a better finish.

 

[Jaco]

Zero clearance insert to minimise the fuzzy back.
Lay down a piece of cardboard with a hole to just fit the blade.

Sharp blade, slow patient cutting = virtually no sanding required.

Most of my finishing is straight off the saw.

Have a look at the Steve Good blog for some excellent plans.

Also look at Sue May website, Scrollsawartist, for cutting tips.

 

[Tuna808]

I never sand when I use the scroll saw ,I use the maximum tpi and thinnest blade I dare for the thickness in hand,use new blades and change them frequently.....use good quality blades too.

 

[Droogs]

Hi @LinleyW, glad you ar enjoying your new hobby. The reason the fuzzies are so noticable is due to the fact that you are using a softwood in this case looks like pine (CLS?). If you were using a hardwood they would be nowhere near as noticeable, there would still be a little as they appear where you are actually making a cut across the grain. As Phil says dampen the area with water and allow to dry, this causes the fibres of the wood to swell and they dry in this engorged state, so that when you sand you get a much smoother finish as the spaces between the fibres are smaller.
Regarding getting into small places and curve you can use drums of sandpaper on a dedicated bobbing sand or in a pillar drill stand or a hand drill in a small portable stand, a rotary tool like a dremel and it is good to make up little files from lolipop stick and strips of stiff plastic and glue sand paper on or nail emery boards etc. Generally have a collection/set of each shape or style you get/make and have them cover each grit from 80 up through to 400. also look at getting rifler files and diamond files in sets with different shapes


hth

 

[Dominik Pierog]

Sanding
I'm looking for advice on sanding in general and particularly on hard-to-reach inside cuts.
I've just moved to plain ended blades and really enjoying the extra mobility and while I think my cuts are smoother there is still some roughness to the edges which I hope will be reduced as I try different blades and generally improve.

Better quality of blades. Check JH brand Tajfun and Sprinter, Super Spirnter series. There also Pegas and Flying Dutchman

About this issue you perhaps buy blades for cutting frame not for ScrollSaw. They don't have reverse tooth.

I newer sand my works.