SOS

[Hippie3180]

Any suggestions for a blank that is out of round? Long story, but again I'm attempting hemp. Because of so much chip out I resorted to sanding. This made a flat area where the chip out was. I'm still a bit out from the bushings, but of course if I continue to sand that area will reach the bushings first. I don't want to resort to the carbide again as this material is prone to chipping,and a chip at this point would be bad news. Need ideas how to get it more to round.

I made it through the cap and am currently trying to get the body to the bushings. I really don't want to lose it now.

 

[EricRN]

Can't you just sand radially with the lathe running? Should round up just as using a tool and no chance of readout with the sand paper. I have to confess that I've resorted to the old 60 grit chisel on occasion.

 

[egnald]

It sounds like a situation I've had in the past. If it is, I sanded with the lathe on but with a stiff backing behind my sandpaper like a plastic pen blank. It helps sand the high spots without sanding the low spots as much.

I hope you are successful in whatever you wind up doing.

Dave

 

[leehljp]

Getting it to round when it is not - is more or less and experience thing, and it can be accomplished in 2 or 3 ways. AS Dave mentioned above, sandpaper on a solid flat back. Don't be aggressive and rush the sanding. If I were doing this, I would use High RPM; Patience in sanding should even things out. Too much pressure too quickly will result in vibration as it hits the flat spot.

Is the blank stabilized? Either way, yes or no, A good solid coating of CA will help, particularly with the next suggestion:

High RPMs and VERY sharp (razor sharp) tool with very light touches. Dull and or too slow, plus slight aggression in tool feed cause more chip problems. Patience with tool feed should help. Sandpaper will do similar to this suggestion.

 

[Hippie3180]

Getting it to round when it is not - is more or less and experience thing, and it can be accomplished in 2 or 3 ways. AS Dave mentioned above, sandpaper on a solid flat back. Don't be aggressive and rush the sanding. If I were doing this, I would use High RPM; Patience in sanding should even things out. Too much pressure too quickly will result in vibration as it hits the flat spot.

Is the blank stabilized? Either way, yes or no, A good solid coating of CA will help, particularly with the next suggestion:

High RPMs and VERY sharp (razor sharp) tool with very light touches. Dull and or too slow, plus slight aggression in tool feed cause more chip problems. Patience with tool feed should help. Sandpaper will do similar to this suggestion.

Thank you for the advice, we did end up using a carbide to even out the roundness, and also utilized sanding. I'm happy to report we are now at the bushings just a hair more to be even with them on one end and we'll have made it through the turning aspect and can breathe a bit.

And yes, it is a dyed and stabilized hemp blank, was the hardest blank I have ever dealt with. I'm new to this and am trying to get the experience of the various blanks and this was by far the most challenging.

 

[Hippie3180]

It sounds like a situation I've had in the past. If it is, I sanded with the lathe on but with a stiff backing behind my sandpaper like a plastic pen blank. It helps sand the high spots without sanding the low spots as much.

I hope you are successful in whatever you wind up doing.

Dave

Thank you, we did utilize sanding with a backing some, but still the flat spot was an issue. We did work through it with a carbide just shaving the high areas the best we could and sanding as well.

 

[Hippie3180]

Can't you just sand radially with the lathe running? Should round up just as using a tool and no chance of readout with the sand paper. I have to confess that I've resorted to the old 60 grit chisel on occasion.

Thank you, in the end we utilized a couple of methods one of which was sanding ( a LOT of sanding.)