So I finally decided to move to something other than a simple hardwood slimline and I think I'm going to have trouble finishing it. I chose a spalted blank, expecting to have to stabilize with CA as I went, but it's been trouble. I suspect my tools aren't as razor sharp as they could be (I touched them up before starting, but I think I need a good, long sharpening session), so that would explain why I'm digging out the softer spalted wood and getting micro-blowouts (what do you call it when tiny bits break off the ends of the blanks?), however I am also having similar trouble when sanding it.
I tried stabilizing with thin CA (it takes a LOT of CA, this stuff is porous!), but I was still digging out with my tools, so I switched to 100grit. Didn't really help, I'm still sanding the lighter parts down faster than the denser stuff. I took the blanks off the lathe while they are still ~3/16" wall thickness and I've liberally doused with thin CA again, I'll try again tomorrow.
Am I doing this right? Is spalted wood just harder to turn than I imagined?
daniel
I tried stabilizing with thin CA (it takes a LOT of CA, this stuff is porous!), but I was still digging out with my tools, so I switched to 100grit. Didn't really help, I'm still sanding the lighter parts down faster than the denser stuff. I took the blanks off the lathe while they are still ~3/16" wall thickness and I've liberally doused with thin CA again, I'll try again tomorrow.
Am I doing this right? Is spalted wood just harder to turn than I imagined?
daniel