Disaster Strikes!!!

[cypher]

Lessons learned the hard way!!!

I was turning my newest segment vessel and had it nearly complete. I decided I needed to sand the inside better since I had created some rough patches with my hollow master. My dilemma was that I did not have a good way to do it. Therefore, I improvised. I took a little dowel I had and taped on a piece of sand paper and proceeded to sand the inside. That is when it happened . . . the dowel slipped out of my hand and shattered the top 2 layers off my piece. I was a little upset but I decide I could fix it. I remade the top two rings and while they were drying, I thinned out the walls a little more and sanded them down. Unfortunately, I thinned them a little too much and the entire vessel shattered apart. So, after 20 hours of work and 145 separate pieces cut and glued I ended up with an nice pile of rubble.

Below is what it looked like before it blew up. Inspired by Curt Theobald’s Blood Brothers

http://www.curttheobald.com/photos/BloodBrothersLg.jpg

Attached is what it did look like and what is left now.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to CORRECTLY sand the inside of a hollow form??

 

[GeeSeaWhy]

Oops!

I do very little segmented work but for a shape like that I would use an inflatable bulb sander on a flex shaft. I got mine from Woodworkers Supply but Klingspor's also has them (item 140R is the bulb sander, I don't have the drum style).

Graeme

 

[john lucas]

I've only blown up 2 segmented vessels. Both of them while sanding the inside. I often make them in 2 halves so I can sand and turn 2 bowls instead of a hollow vessel but these were done complete and then hollowed. I'm pretty sure what happened was touching the wood too agressively with the sandpaper. The piece then pulls the sandpaper and dowel down and then over to the right very rapidly and blows out the side of the vessel.

 

[David Somers]

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to CORRECTLY sand the inside of a hollow form??

I don't know if this is correct or not, but what I have been using for the inside of hollow vessels is a homemade device that consists of a hollow ball (racquet ball, handball, ping pong ball, etc.....various sized hollow balls). I drill a hole at one end big enough to snuggly accept a length of threaded rod as a handle and insert the rod in roughly 3/4 of the way into the ball. I like the rod long enough that I can hold it with two hands easily for control. I have also made shorter versions that I use mostly on a drill at low speed. I drill a larger hole at the opposite end of the ball big enough to pour epoxy or fiber glass resin into the ball until it is flush with the hole. I then let that cure and finally glue the j side of velcro onto the ball. To make the handle comfortable I have been using appropriate sized shrink tubing where my hands are, and I also leave the very end of the handle uncovered so I can insert it into the chuck of a drill if I want.

After making my first one I saw a very similar idea in Craft Supply, though I don't remember who had done it. Looked like a nicely made product. I kept making my own though since I could make various sizes to suit my needs.

Haven't toasted a bowl with this approach yet......of course yet is the operative word here!!!!

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[Ron Sardo]

I know how you feel, my last segmented piece blew off the vacuum chuck when I was cleaning up the bottom.

Luckly, it was a clean break along a seam. I could remake the top. I even made a new set of jaws so I can chuck the piece back up.

The problem is matching up the wood so the color is the same.

 

[georgetroy]

I work from the inside out off of a plan. The rings are finished as I go. I do not have to return or sand, it's done. All you need is inside calipers for this. This is the way Curt Theobald does it and I do the same as shown by him in his classes. It works try it. GT

Lessons learned the hard way!!!

I was turning my newest segment vessel and had it nearly complete. I decided I needed to sand the inside better since I had created some rough patches with my hollow master. My dilemma was that I did not have a good way to do it. Therefore, I improvised. I took a little dowel I had and taped on a piece of sand paper and proceeded to sand the inside. That is when it happened . . . the dowel slipped out of my hand and shattered the top 2 layers off my piece. I was a little upset but I decide I could fix it. I remade the top two rings and while they were drying, I thinned out the walls a little more and sanded them down. Unfortunately, I thinned them a little too much and the entire vessel shattered apart. So, after 20 hours of work and 145 separate pieces cut and glued I ended up with an nice pile of rubble.

Below is what it looked like before it blew up. Inspired by Curt Theobald’s Blood Brothers

http://www.curttheobald.com/photos/BloodBrothersLg.jpg

Attached is what it did look like and what is left now.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to CORRECTLY sand the inside of a hollow form??