soft growth rings

[Dave Fritz]

I'm making my granddaughter a bat from an ash blank and have found it difficult to sand without getting more depth in the soft parts of the growth rings.

Thought I'd better ask for help before I sanded away the entire blank.

Thanks for helping a struggling chip maker.

Dave F.

 

[Owen Lowe]

I suggest you block sand. You want a firm backing to the paper in order to bridge over the softer areas.

Rubber sanding blocks are available at a hardware store or auto parts stores with autobody repair supplies. You can make your own from wood and a thin backing cushion for the sandpaper (I used 1/8" weatherstripping felt).

If need be, I can snap a picture of my home-made blocks.

Here's the hardware/auto parts 3M version:

 

[john lucas]

Ditto on the block sander. I use a wooden block with a thin piece of leather glued to it.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Alternative of a flexible cabinet scraper is excellent, as is a fomed concave-sectioned thicker one. It'll even outdo paper on a block as far as leveling a surface. With a bit of a bend, it'll handle almost any convex surface. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=49548&cat=1,310,41069&ap=1

Downhill is easy on a bat, but watch it on other shapes.

 

[Dave Fritz]

thank you

Thanks for the tips, I'll get right at it today. I have the sanding blocks so we'll go that route first.

Dave

 

[Dave Fritz]

finished sanding

Someone suggested using a chaulk board eraser and wrap the sandpaper around it. I did and it worked out great.

Dave F.

 

[alexc]

http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/wp-content/uploads/thumbs/thumb125-sponge.jpg

I prefer to use a sponge for sanding, just wrap it in sandpaper.