My methods received poor reviews last time I presented them here, but none of the people disparaging them had actual experience, since they used words like "I can see" and "I can imagine" in their critique. Given a trial run it is obvious that you are continuing the process of turning with a broad but somewhat flexible edged scraper. These are of full contact sanding, but there is both motion and sound.
http://s108.photobucket.com/albums/...t=SettingBottom.flv&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch3 Note I can use the center of the paper on a convex surface to equalize the wear. Can't avoid using the edge heavily on concave surfaces.
You tilt for contact center and below center on the disk when sanding interrupted edges, for obvious reasons, and the support of the toolrest makes it easy to sand with the lightest of touch and tightest control. You don't get the bounce you can get with no support as you transition from wood to air and back again. You let slight flex in the disk take care of that, which keeps you from rounding edges. I use the Power Lock disks, and would not recommend sanding lathe off with them, as they're extremely aggresive, albeit long-lasting. If you use softer stuff it's really important to guard against hitting them on top, because you can ruin the paper with one catch.
Great benefit of the method I use is preserving circularity, because the lathe is running and the pressure is just enough to make dust. Great drawback is if your piece has started to warp significantly since last pass with the gouge, you'll pass over some spots untouched.
Almost embarrassed to show this, as it seems to show me sanding a hogged surface, but my photographer, ever impatient, wanted to get the pictures and go. Normally I would make a couple of smoothing and fairing passes with the gouge, of course. As I did with this piece after SWMBO went upstairs. Second picture is of the flexible edge version of Power Locks, used in closer quarters and against tighter curves.
