I’m probably not using the right key words in my search so I’ll ask Somewhere I saw a sanding disc/ball on a powered drill or air gun of some type that the person was sanding the inside of a turned bowl or vessel. I have been doing it by hand with cloth backed grit and am curious about the aforementioned tool. I’ll go ahead and see what I can find on Google but would like to know what some of the turner’s are using.
King Arthur makes this pneumatic sanding ball that I have heard good things about but have never tried. They have a whole system but is a little spendy for my cheap side.
They also have what they call their scuff and buff balls seen here.
The last option and the one that I have actually tried is a one that David Reed Smith talks about in this article with instructions are making your own. Make sure that you download the pattern for cutting your own sanding disks. Lots of other good articles on his website too.
As for disks, I found some sanding disks on Peach Tree USA (about half way down the page) that I use a lot.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
I use a 2" foam backed sanding pad from Klingspor and 2" scalloped sanding discs from them too. I put it on a 90 degree right angle drill from HF and it works great!!!!!!!!!
Cheers, Jim ........................ Variety is the spice of life...............Learn something new every day
I bought something once, so long ago I don't have a clue as to it's name, but it felt spongy, and gritty at the same time. They came in coarse, to very fine IIRC. I got a coarse, and it wasn't worth a hoot to do anything. I abandoned the idea.
I bought something once, so long ago I don't have a clue as to it's name, but it felt spongy, and gritty at the same time. They came in coarse, to very fine IIRC. I got a coarse, and it wasn't worth a hoot to do anything. I abandoned the idea.
George, the operative word is abandon and I’m pretty sure that’s where I’m at. I’ve found that even a spongy disc won’t do what I want because of the angles involved. Literally every turned bowl I’ve seen has a smooth transition from the ‘bottom’ to the side of the bowl. My bowls have a flat bottom with an acute angle up and because of the way they are made and the curve on the riser even 2” discs won’t fit right. I think I’ll just have to continue hand sanding with paper such as belt sander paper
With my Ringmaster bowls, I will sometimes create a rounded transition from the bottom to the side. The rounded corner makes using a sanding ball or disk work a little better. It is easiest to make that rounded transition after you glue on the first ring, though that requires about a day of wait time while the glue on the first ring dries so I am not always that patient.
BTW, I do have a small 1" sanding disk which is a little easier to get into tight corners. I also have a soft foam pad (came with a set) that makes it a little easier to sand the transition.
Here is an example where I slightly eased the transition. With thicker sides, I will make the transition even more rounded.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
Thanks Nathan - I saw that foam pad somewhere and thought about trying it but I don't remember a 1" pad. I have a ton of 2" velcro discs that I use on the drill press to sand the bottom after I glue in the plug. Also, I don't care for the thick walls, it makes the bowl look like it was turned. I going to look around for the 1" disc and foam pads - a 1" and a 2"
