mrbones49@windstream.net

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kalloyd

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Joined
Feb 9, 2016
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1
Location
North Carolina
Hi yall. I'm new to pen turning. 2 months. Having fun. Can anyone give me some pointers on getting acrylic blanks that have that showroom shine.
 
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mecompco

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Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,607
Location
Fairfield, Maine
Dry sand to 600 grit, making sure to sand laterally until all radial scratches are gone. Wet sand to 12,000 grit with Multi Mesh pads, again sanding laterally until all radial scratches are gone. Buff on buffing wheel with White Diamond. That's my process, FWIW. I'm sure you'll get many more opinions. :)

Regards,
Michael

PS Welcome to the forum!
 

mecompco

Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2015
Messages
1,607
Location
Fairfield, Maine
good advice, Michael - I'm lazier, so I skip the wheel and the dry sanding, but I'm sure that would help!

edit: awesome pipe in the pic!

Haha, well, I'm getting better with the skew, but I still need the Afgan milling machine (sandpaper) to get the blank totally round. I was just polishing w/Meguire's after wet sanding, but noticed it sometimes left radial marks. The buffing wheel seems to leave a better finish.

The pic is a couple years old--now the 'stash is totally waxed and curled. The pipe is a nice gourd Calabash--unfortunately, it now needs a new meer bowl as I ended up cracking it getting it out for cleaning. :mad: I took the pic for my avatar on the pipe smoking forum I frequent.

Regards,
Michael
 
Last edited:

BSea

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Joined
Dec 28, 2009
Messages
4,628
Location
Little Rock, Arkansas
For acrylic, I don't dry sand at all. I wet sand to 600, the 1st 5 MM pads. As Michael said above, sand the blank lengthwise with the lathe stopped to eliminate radial scratches, then triple E and white diamond on the buffing wheels.
 

campzeke

Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2015
Messages
577
Location
Tampa, FL
You have some great advice above Ken. My condolences to you for having to put up with Windstream. Ben there done that. No desire to go back.
 
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