Mike Jackofsky: challenging dogma

[Alan Weinberg]

I had two superb one on one days with Mike this last week learning to turn hollow forms through small openings. He is brilliant at this and has his own tool line.

But I wanted to write this thread to mention two things he did that worked very well but went against the woodturning dogma. First, he sands at high rpm using at least half of the 3 inch pad, using significant pressure while having the sanding drill spin opposite the direction of rotation of the lathe. After sanding to 180-220 or so, further sanding is done off the lathe after the piece is complete, using random orbital sanders to 400 grit.

The other “violation” of standard teaching was making a large tenon that attached to the chuck with the jaws wide open so it gripped only in the 8 corners, saying it gripped better than the traditional “perfect circle” most recommend. This allowed him to measure the bottom more accurately with his calipers while the piece was still mounted. He said he’s never had a piece come off the lathe with this technique.

In summary, there appears to be no absolutes and many ways to do something.

 

[Richard Coers]

Of course there are no absolutes, but I will never build a ton of heat from sanding fast and hard. It's hard on the velcro, the abrasive, and the wood if there is any moisture still in it. Sanding like that is famous for cracking exotic wood.

 

[hughie]

Alan I have always sanded at high speed inside and out using inertia type sanders, light touch is the way to go for me.

 

[Tom McDonnell]

Interesting stuff. When I first started turning I gripped many sized tenons with my then one chuck and jaws and never had one come off. Size tenons to jaws now.
I've noticed a number of turners sanding at higher speeds, Richard Raffan for one. Have always wondered if they are burnishing as much as sanding.

 

[Kent Reisdorph]

After sanding to 180-220 or so, further sanding is done off the lathe after the piece is complete, using random orbital sanders to 400 grit.

I do that, more or less. I sand the piece with a ROS while still mounted on the lathe, but stationary. The advantage to doing it off the lathe, is you wouldn't have to worry about blending lines after removing the tenon. The disadvantage is obvious: I'm too clumsy or lazy to do sanding in my lap.