Greetings,

Building segmented vessels has produced the need for yet another tool.

Using a 1/4" sheet of plate glass and PSA sandpaper works - but eats
up a lot of time and energy, and the results aren't _quite_ perfect.
The tiny segment edges tend to round over very slightly - even using a
supporting jig/fence. I'm not certain if it's the sandpaper deforming
slightly under pressure or the wood tilting slightly on successive
strokes, but it was there nevertheless.

I looked at available Disk Sanders and their predictably poor Chinese
construction, and built this instead. Not particularly difficult to
build, but using a piece of perfectly flat plywood scrap is important.

http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...skSander01.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/videodoc...skSander02.jpg

All you need to know to replicate this idea is contained in the
photos. No, we don't use no steenkin plans... ;-)
Total cost was about $25.00, excluding the PSA sanding disks.
The majority of the cost was the extra 6" faceplate.

Pundits may notice that the platform height is a little low, but I
have reasons for this. There are other jigs, with both single and
compound angles, that ride on this table.

The wooden sanding disk is held to a trued 6" faceplate by imbedded
T-nuts and machine screws from the back. I don't trust wood screws
enough to do otherwise. The T-nuts were then covered with a thin
layer of epoxy/filler and lathed smooth. I placed an outer rim of hot
glue around the disk/flange junction so that subsequent disassembly
and reassembly would result in proper alignment. The glue doesn't
stick to the cast iron.

Although I used a geared protractor to tune the platform to _exactly_
90 degrees to the face of the sanding disk, if you simply flip the
opposite ring half over, they will mate perfectly even if your angles
are off slightly.

As always, use common sense using this or any other power tool.
Shoving a piece of wood into the rising rear edge of the disk is
liable to result in it flying across the room. Keep a firm hold on
your stock and don't press too hard. Either way, I've not had a
problem with insufficient power or the lathe slipping when sanding
much of anything, much less small segments. It does produce massive
amounts of dust, however. A DIY dust hood is in order.

Does in seconds what was taking _many_ minutes otherwise.
The nicest thing about this setup is that the speed is variable,
rather than being stuck at 1750 or 3600 RPM.

FWIW,


Greg G.

Very nice, Greg. Any chance you'd put up pics of the jigs too?

H

Seems like alot of fuss.

I got a steel disk, 10" in diameter, at an auction with a box of PSA
sandpaper for $5. It is intended to go on a table saw or RAS, but works
fine on the lathe.

Toller said:

Seems like alot of fuss.

Yeah, 15 minutes of time is a real bother.

I got a steel disk, 10" in diameter, at an auction with a box of PSA
sandpaper for $5.

Good for you - but I didn't. I would have had to wait a week on a
mail order shipment and still make a mounting. Last time I checked,
my lathe didn't have a 5/8" arbor.

It is intended to go on a table saw or RAS, but works
fine on the lathe.

And you still need the platform.

:-p


Greg G.

Sat, Dec 24, 2005, 4:53pm (Greg*G.) doth get it:
snip built this instead. Not particularly difficult to build, snip
No, we don't use no steenkin plans... snip

And, it probably works better than anthing you could buy. An added
plus, if you need to make any future changes to it, you probably won't
hesitate to modify it. I find it more fun solving problems like that.
The rest of you guys, pay attention to Gred once in a while. LOL



JOAT
You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you
"know"?.
- Granny Weatherwax

J T said:

Sat, Dec 24, 2005, 4:53pm (Greg*G.) doth get it:
snip built this instead. Not particularly difficult to build, snip
No, we don't use no steenkin plans... snip

And, it probably works better than anthing you could buy. An added
plus, if you need to make any future changes to it, you probably won't
hesitate to modify it. I find it more fun solving problems like that.
The rest of you guys, pay attention to Gred once in a while. LOL

Well, when I figure out who Gred is, I'll be sure and listen to what
he has to offer. ;-)

Thanks, JOAT, and have a Merry Christmas - or whatever politically
correct holiday you chose to celebrate. ;-)

As for me, I'm spending most of it in the shop piddling around.


Greg G.

Sun, Dec 25, 2005, 11:53am (Greg*G.) doth sendeth
greetings:
snip Thanks, JOAT, and have a Merry Christmas - or whatever
politically correct holiday you chose to celebrate. ;-) snip

No prob. I'm willing to celebrate any holiday that comes along.
Have a Merry, and say hi to Gred for me.



JOAT
You'll never get anywhere if you believe what you "hear". What do you
"know"?.
- Granny Weatherwax