flared tips

[Aerotech]

Could use some advice. When i turn mypens i'm having a hard time keeping the ends flat. i seem to sand the area right before the tip just a little more then the end closest to the bushing no matter how hard i try not to. Am i sanding too much?? Should i be turning closer to the bushing to prevent this? Thanks guys!

 

[Monty]

Are you saying the ends are rounded next to the hardware?

 

[wolftat]

I would suggest a little less pressure when you are sanding and maybe practice on the control when getting near the bushing. This is a common issue when starting out and can be worked through with practice. It just takes time.

 

[Aerotech]

Are you saying the ends are rounded next to the hardware?

i would say the ends appear flare out.

 

[toddlajoie]

I had that problem on a few of my early pens also. IMO it was caused by:

1. hitting the bushings with the sandpaper, The bushings are not going to get sanded down as fast as wood (softer the wood, the more dramatic the difference) and the bushing will "protect" the wood closest to it, with that protection easing off the farther away from the bushing you get, as the sandpaper will curve inward>

2. Sanding too much and/or with too much pressure. Relying on sandpaper to get you to final size and or profile can cause several problems. This being the main one, but if you're working with material that has varying densities (like heavily spalted woods or things like Palm, that have very hard and very soft areas) you can get severe non-rounding as the soft parts are removed at a higher rate than the harder areas

 

[Aerotech]

right on Toddlajoie. that all makes sense. so i need to get down to final size with my tools and not sandpaper. i think i'm sanding too much and with to much pressure to be honest with you. i had a few blow outs and i think that made me weary of getting so close, but then with a sharpening of the tools i haven't had a blow out since. i'll try that out this week.

 

[nava1uni]

I have found that having a backer behind the sandpaper has helped me to not apply too much pressure when sanding. Things come out much nicer and without any dips. Using my fingers allowed me to apply enough pressure to make dips in small things.

 

[sbwertz]

I have found that having a backer behind the sandpaper has helped me to not apply too much pressure when sanding. Things come out much nicer and without any dips. Using my fingers allowed me to apply enough pressure to make dips in small things.

I do the same thing. I use a small piece of wood behind the sandpaper to hold it flat to make sure the barrel is all the same thickness across the length of the pen, if the barrel is not tapered.
This is especially useful with a segmented blank where the segments are not the same hardness.

Also, what grit of sandpaper are you using for your first sanding? Maybe it is too agressive. I find that I start with 240 or 320 grit. Coarser than that can cause problems for me, especially if the wood is soft.

Sharon

 

[johncrane]

Dale! if your using soft timber try sealing the ends first with thin ca before you mount the blanks on the lathe.

 

[toddlajoie]

Dale! if your using soft timber try sealing the ends first with thin ca before you mount the blanks on the lathe.

And make sure it's good and dry and the tube is clear of CA before you put your bushings on...:ghostAMHIKT

 

[mbroberg]

Add me to the list of backer, backers. Backing your sandpaper with a hard, even surface will help a great deal (at least it does for me).

 

[rherrell]

Remove the bushings before you sand. Turn the blank between centers and use calipers to measure your progress.