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tumble sanding

D

dave J

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north cent. indiana
I have had brief thoughts about how one might tumble sand some items simular to polishing rocks or deburring metal parts. any one know of some ways to do so with wood items? just thought some one may be doing it some way. I have been turning wood balls and it seem a way to reduce and take out some tear out. I am in process of doing at least one Kendama like on the cover of the last journal. I too have made a spalted ball but it is just slightly oversize.
 
As an experiment a few years ago, I tumbled some wood blocks in a small concrete mixer loaded with dry sand (and maybe some pebbles). After about an hour or so, the corners had been rounded to about 1/32" radius, if that. Hardly seemed worth the effort, although I suppose production of wood beads might use a similar process.

Unless you have hundreds to produce, cup centers (both ends) on the lathe, and ordinary sanding, would probably be a better way. Sanding sealer can also alleviate tearout.
 
I've read one time about how to polish small wooden balls. You make a box with no bottom and lay this over a vibrating sander. then just drop the balls in and run it for a while. I sort of remember trying this many many years ago for some 3/4" round balls. Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me remember the results.
 
john lucas said:
I've read one time about how to polish small wooden balls. You make a box with no bottom and lay this over a vibrating sander. then just drop the balls in and run it for a while. I sort of remember trying this many many years ago for some 3/4" round balls. Unfortunately I cannot for the life of me remember the results.
Click to expand...

Dave/John:

I have never done this, but remember adding this hint to one of the many woodworkers club newsletters I've edited over the past 16 years.....

John's recollection of making a box to sit atop a sander is correct. The tip I read was to cut cubes of an appropriate hardwood about the diameter for which you need spheres, and then place these in a shallow box which sits atop a horizontal belt sander (not a vibrating sander), and then turn on the sander (with some form of cover on the box to keep the wood pieces contained, and dust collection) for a length of time to be determined by how much progress has been made in rounding the cubes into spheres. Experimentation would be needed to determine the grit(s) required to shape and then smooth the spheres, as well as the amounts of time needed to accomplish the job at each step.

I doubt this would work very well for non-sphere-shaped pieces to try to tumble sand them, given the irregularities of surface features and likelihood of wearing-down high spots first, missing low spots altogether, etc.

Good luck,

Rob
 
Considering that early wood is softer than late wood and that end grain and face grain respond to sanding differently as well as variations in hardness overall (sapwood vs. heartwood, spalted areas, knots, bark, and other stuff), the whole idea seems like a good way to make wood dust and kindling. 😉
 
So there is no periferls I realize but a particular Porter Cable vibrating finishing sander, a reversed rim bottomless wooden bowl shape is kinda what I had in mind. certianly would not want the peices to be able to get hung up. The Balls I have been doing are very round at first because I have recently bought a lath mounted ball cutting tool/attachment. I am seeing typical wood change to where some of the balls gets slighty outa round after some time. so I am not looking to make balls this way, only finish. if I come up with something that works I can post about it later.
 
well anyway I am just considering the idea for already round balls, and in the 1" to maybe as big as 4" diameter. thanks for any/more replys guys !
 
Dave,
I think you will get better results sanding the balls on the lathe. This is easily done holding the ball between centers with a cup on the headstock and 1/2" flat point on the tailstock. These can be made from wood. Rubberchucky.com has a nice cup and a cone tail center cover you can turn the tip flat.
Sanding the balls on the forty-fives and rotating them refines roundness and goes quite quickly. I sand with 120, 220, and 320 on the lathe.
Then use 400 after the first coat of finish off the lathe.

When I demo I turn a 3" ball in about 30 minutes with a side ground bowl gouge. I usually only sand with 120 in the demo. I've turned a few hundred balls so I've has a lot of practice. I've seen michael Hosaluk turn a 3" ball in about 20 minutes and finish it with 400 grit.
Michael has more practice than I do.
With practice you can turn and sand a ball quite quickly.

The ball cutting jigs work best on really hard wood. The scraping cutters tend to tear softwood quite a bit.

I can give you more info on my process which is a modified version of what I was taught by Christian Burchard 15 years ago.

send me a PM if you want more Info,
Al
 
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