Cross-grain sanding

[John Barnett]

I'm struggling to get cross-grain smooth by sanding. I've tried very light touch with sharp tools without success. I'm open to suggestions and wonder if a cabinet scaper might help with this problem.
John

 

[john lucas]

Are you sanding at slow speed or even with the lathe off. That usually works for me

 

[Doug Freeman]

I’m a bit confused - trouble with eliminating all sanding marks, or difficult to completely remove tool marks? In the end grain portion or all the way around?

For tool marks, shear scraping. For pesky spots revealed after initial sanding, lathe off, and sand the spots, by hand or drill. Sanding or tool marks - raking light, can help to remove all dust, and sometimes wipe with a solvent (dna, naptha, ms) to see marks better.

 

[hockenbery]

I'm struggling to get cross-grain smooth by sanding. I've tried very light touch with sharp tools without success. I'm open to suggestions and wonder if a cabinet scaper might help with this problem.
John

Some turners use cabinet scrapers quite effectively.
Shear scraping works well for me.

The key to easy effective sanding is a smooth turned surface. This comes with time when you are just starting.

Most native hardwood I sand to 320 then sand the first finish coat with 400
Some tropical like ebony I have to go to 800 or higher not to see sanding streaks because these woods have no visible grain lines.

I most often use 3” Velcro discs on a mandrel in a 90 degree makita drill.
I usually only sand dry wood.
Cut rim Bowls and platters I sand on the lathe. Slow lathe speed, relative fast drill speed.
I sand through 220 with the lathe running slowly 30-60 rpm.
With the 220 I stop the lathe and then sand with the grain with the lathe not running
With 320 just sand with the grain.
If each grit has removed the scratches from the previous grit there will be no sanding marks.


I watch a stream of dust being drawn into the dust collector. New sanding disc is needed if you don’t see the dust stream.

All my hollow forms and NE bowls I let dry for a few days then sand off the lathe.
Hold the piece in my lap. Spot sand with 180 then 220, 320. I do most all of this sanding wit the grain.

 

[John Barnett]

Thanks everyone - I have had better results with the lathe off but not complete success. I'll try your suggestions. - J

 

[Dean Center]

John, can you clarify what you mean by 'cross grain sanding'? I must be especially dense today.

 

[John Barnett]

I started to give you my definition but deferred to Wikipedia for a better explanation.
" grain running transversely to the regular grain or not parallel to the long axis of the piece (as in certain wood)"

 

[Rusty Nesmith]

I power sand up to 400. Anything over that I hand sand with the lathe on.