Sanding laser-cut kits

[GaryMadore]

Folks,

Let's say we have a laser kit that is composed of purpleheart or bloodwood set into maple.

So, we have some red/purple wood "inlaid" in some pretty light, yet dense wood.

Are there any precautions to take when sanding? Do we have to seal the wood with something (CA glue?) while sanding, or just have at 'er?

I guess you can see what I'm worried about is the red dust discolouring the white maple.

I've been known to ruin a blank or two by (ahem) incorporating metal dust from bushings into the wood during overzealous sanding and so am sensitive to this possibility

Anybody?

Thanks,

Gary

 

[ZanderPommo]

when i do bloodwood/maple combos i have a hard time, but once reduced to a certain level ive found that slightly reddened maple has quite a cool look to it. but no i have not had success completely eliminating it, as i don't have the reqired talent with a skew

 

[ldb2000]

The only way to avoid the red sanding dust from getting into the grain of the light colored is to not create any dust to begin with . If your good with a skew then use it and take very light shearing cuts to smooth the woods . when done right you will have a surface ready to finish . You could also use a scraper like Hank Lee did on his " thirty pieces of silver pen " . Here's the link to that post http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=38213