HELP! What is the best answer to this segmenting question?

[ed4copies]

I have a customer who asks me for the best way to keep the colors from running together on a segmented wood blank.

My usual answers would be:
A) Use an air gun to blow off the dust while sanding
B) Use a sanding sealer before beginning the sanding process
C) Use a couple of coats of thin CA before beginning the sanding

The most important part of my answer is I have not turned segmented blanks for some time!! There may be MUCH better answers now. So, I am asking all of you for some guidance.

Please respond if you have good, reliable methods that will allow the dark and light woods to retain just THEIR color, not their neighboring pieces' colors.

Thank you in advance for your help!!!
Ed

 

[wood128]

I would use steel wool after sanding to get off all the fine dust ....then use sanding sealer before final sanding.

 

[jttheclockman]

I have a customer who asks me for the best way to keep the colors from running together on a segmented wood blank.

My usual answers would be:
A) Use an air gun to blow off the dust while sanding
B) Use a sanding sealer before beginning the sanding process
C) Use a couple of coats of thin CA before beginning the sanding

The most important part of my answer is I have not turned segmented blanks for some time!! There may be MUCH better answers now. So, I am asking all of you for some guidance.

Please respond if you have good, reliable methods that will allow the dark and light woods to retain just THEIR color, not their neighboring pieces' colors.

Thank you in advance for your help!!!
Ed

Hello Ed

If you look in the segmenting section of the forum I have answered this question many times. my way and I have done alot of segmented blanks with different colored woods, is to turn the blank with a skew and stay far away from sandpaper. Can't go wrong.

Now for those that can not handle a skew or even a carbide cutter to do the entire blank and need to use sandpaper then the answer is thin CA glue. But do not wipe it on. Drip it on slowly to cover the blank or at least the colored woods. Turn the blank slowly by hand as you do this. The CA will soak into the wood. Problem with this method is need to do it often because you turn away the CA. I suggest do this when you get close to finished size so not to waste your time. Any bleeding prior should be turned away easily because it will not penetrate too deep.

Now there is another caveat to this. If the woods used are too poorest and they tend to bleed together when glued, then I suggest use different woods because nothing will cure it because the effect happens with the glue. That is why I use titebondII whenever gluing woods to woods. The consistancy will not allow what I described. CA will.

Not sure if any of this helps but that is my 2 cents worth.

 

[jttheclockman]

I would use steel wool after sanding to get off all the fine dust ....then use sanding sealer before final sanding.

Oh I would stay away from steel wool!!!!!!!!! If you want to go that way use the nonwoven pads that are synthetic steel wool. Steel wool today is for metals only. Too many products out there for wood. Just an opinion.

 

[BRobbins629]

As usual JT is right. The best thing that I can add is that in my experience the species makes a big difference. For light woods I find hard maple to be the best. Holly not so much.

 

[Woodchipper]

I agree- no steel wool. I keep a couple of cans of air for blowing dust and dog hair off my computer. I find they do a good job of blowing off sanding dust and wood chips off the blank and even the mandrel to prevent "contamination" of the blank.
As I mentioned elsewhere, Santa brought an air compressor. It will be useful.