I really stepped in it this time!

[MorganGrafixx]

I decided it was time to step up my game and create something that looked to be a little more difficult than my self-perceived talents could pull off. So I started looking around for ideas and found a really nice candle holder with spiraling ropes around the outside of it. I thought, why not...I'll give it a shot. How hard can it be right! Here are some pics of my progress so far.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=495187011999&set=a.300927136999.156574.727086999

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...999.156574.727086999&pid=6575456&id=727086999

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...999.156574.727086999&pid=6575457&id=727086999

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...999.156574.727086999&pid=6575459&id=727086999

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...999.156574.727086999&pid=6580753&id=727086999

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...999.156574.727086999&pid=6580754&id=727086999

Well folks, I'm here to tell you, if you ever decide to try this one out, choose a little softer wood than the one I picked. After almost a week, progress has slowed to a crawl. You can't imagine how hard it is to try to round these spirals on the inside when the wood is Purpleheart! For the last 3 days and nights, I have tried every possible power tool in my arsenal and I haven't found anything that works quite as well as the trusty old hand chisel, sandpaper and some elbow grease.

So here's my question to all of you out there. How in the world would you go about sanding the inside of these spirals? I've used strips of sandpaper (80 grit) and did the whole shoe buffing motion trying to round the inside faces of them but it is VERY slow going. I've got a dremel with the pen extension thing and about 4 million tiny attachments, but Purpleheart just laughs at that thing. Anyone out there got any ideas.

 

[MorganGrafixx]

Sorry ya'll. I couldn't get the pictures to attach to the post. If someone could help me out with that too, I'd be much obliged!

 

[PaulDoug]

Is it something like this? I made this several years ago and oh ya, a lot of sanding. :mad-tongue: I have a second one sitting in my work shop about 1/2 finished. Some day I hope to work on it again.

 

[MorganGrafixx]

Is it something like this? I made this several years ago and oh ya, a lot of sanding. :mad-tongue: I have a second one sitting in my work shop about 1/2 finished. Some day I hope to work on it again.

That'd be the one! I modified it "slightly". Mine is going to have 2 tiers of different diameters, both with spiral ropes and a solid section in the middle. What did you use to sand the inside of the ropes on yours? And what did you use for finish?

 

[MorganGrafixx]

Lets try this...

 

[MyKidsDad]

Made 19 of them for Christmas presents about 10 years back. Definitely a lot of sanding but well worth it IMHO. Every once in a while, someone still picks one up and asks "how did you do that?".

 

[PaulDoug]

Is it something like this? I made this several years ago and oh ya, a lot of sanding. :mad-tongue: I have a second one sitting in my work shop about 1/2 finished. Some day I hope to work on it again.

That'd be the one! I modified it "slightly". Mine is going to have 2 tiers of different diameters, both with spiral ropes and a solid section in the middle. What did you use to sand the inside of the ropes on yours? And what did you use for finish?

I did all the sanding by hand with cloth backed sandpaper, we use to call it enerycloth (?). I didn't have a dremel tool at the time. I think you could smooth it out more with a dremel tool.

I don't remember the exact finish I used but I think it was a mahogany color Minwax stain on Brazilian Tiger Wood. followed with tung oil.