Sanding issues

[Tomanydogs]

So I'm making a bowl and using different woods. A strip of walnut and a strip of I think maple total of seven alternating strips in all. I cut the 2" strips with the scroll saw followed the line but still not perfect. We have a table saw, but I've never used it (scared of it, I should get someone to show me the proper way to use it then I would probally be okay).I don't have a table planer, I do have a hand planer but for the life of me I cant figure out how to get the knife to move to adjust it. Any way, I've got my palm sander pressed in the vise upside down trying to even out the edges of these 2" strips and I'm have a heck of a time getting them flat so that the strips will butt up before glueing. My question is am I doing what I can or is there a better way? At the rate I'm going there might not be much left of these strips.LOL. Any suggestions would be very much adppreciated.

Thanks

Irene

[Sycamore67]

Learn to use the table saw is my advice.  Find someone who knows and understand it and safety.

[trackman]

When I do bowls and need to get rings flat I have a piece of marble with a sheet of 80 gret. Attached with spray glue. 

[Tomanydogs]

25 minutes ago, trackman said:

When I do bowls and need to get rings flat I have a piece of marble with a sheet of 80 gret. Attached with spray glue. 

Thank you It is working much better, I now feel that is is possible. 

[OCtoolguy]

What kind of portable planer do you have? They are very easy to adjust. You DON'T want to move the knives themselves. You adjust the input/output tables. Do you have a Woodshop Store up your way? If so, you might check into their classes. If not, check with the local high school. They should have some sort of woodshop course there. When I first got interested in woodworking back in the 70's I went one night a week to the local high school senior night. It was great, I learned a lot and made a few things. There are many tricks you can learn once you get to using the table saw but if you are scared of it, don't even think about turning it on until you have taken a class.

 

[Tomanydogs]

23 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

What kind of portable planer do you have? They are very easy to adjust. You DON'T want to move the knives themselves. You adjust the input/output tables. Do you have a Woodshop Store up your way? If so, you might check into their classes. If not, check with the local high school. They should have some sort of woodshop course there. When I first got interested in woodworking back in the 70's I went one night a week to the local high school senior night. It was great, I learned a lot and made a few things. There are many tricks you can learn once you get to using the table saw but if you are scared of it, don't even think about turning it on until you have taken a class.

 

I have a ROK I've googled how to use it, how to set it up, I've had it apart so many times trying to understand it, but to no avail. Our school won't let adults learn liability reasons. But yes I need to take a course on planers and table saws.

[SCROLLSAW703]

Excellent advice from everyone here, Miss Irene. With your fear of that table saw, please don't try to use it without some instruction first. They are an awesome tool in the woodshop, I'd be lost without mine, but they ain't called widowmakers for nothin', Ma'am.

When I cut bowls or vases on the scroll saw, I run the rings through my drum sander to flatten them and level them out before gluing them together. Then, once the glue has cured and dried for a couple of days, I set it up on my lathe and cut around the outside with a flat chisel to shape the bowl or vase, and sand and finish it on the lathe. It makes the process much faster and easier to handle the bowl. 

If your shop is not equipped with a lathe, Ma'am, providing there isn't a lot shaping to do, you can also use a dremel and an 80 grit round sander to clean up the overhangs and what have ya, then use your palm sander with 220 grit for the final sanding of the outside. You can also use the Dremel to clean up the inside as well. Your final sanding, if you aren't equipped with attachments for a drill or drill press, can be done either by hand with sand paper, or with a sanding sponge. The sponge will conform to the inside shape of the bowl better, and do a good job of finish sanding for you.

You don't mind me askin', Ma'am, seein' how you have maple and walnut in your bowl, what finish do you have in mind for the bowl?

Best of luck to you, Ma'am. 

Sawdust703(Brad) 

[OCtoolguy]

6 minutes ago, Tomanydogs said:

I have a ROK I've googled how to use it, how to set it up, I've had it apart so many times trying to understand it, but to no avail. Our school won't let adults learn liability reasons. But yes I need to take a course on planers and table saws.

I can't find anything by the name ROK. Are you sure of that? Is it a handheld portable planer like a Makita? I have a Makita like this one.

 

[Tomanydogs]

Oh I have a power planer. But I have wreaked more wood with that thing then I'd like to admit. No I'm just talking about a hand one.

[Tomanydogs]

@SCROLLSAW703

Hi Brad, I know I've heard to many bad stories regarding the table saw. I haven't cut the rings yet I'm still trying to butt the pieces up together to glue before scrolling the rings. I made a couple of bowls with cedar and I really enjoyed that ( that was with one plank of wood no butting required). I wanted to try some thing more creative.

Any suggestions on finish would be great, I'm very experienced with finishes.

Thanks

Irene

[OCtoolguy]

14 minutes ago, Tomanydogs said:

Oh I have a power planer. But I have wreaked more wood with that thing then I'd like to admit. No I'm just talking about a hand one.

Well, there two different kids of planers. One like the picture and then the thickness planers that usually have a 12" capacity. I'm not sure what you have so I can't be of much use in helping. Maybe someone else can.

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Boy I would be very scared telling you anything on a forum about the use of power tools. I suggest you find someone who can either teach you or do some of the preliminary work for you. Sanding edges flat even on flat glass is not easy to do. The pieces can rock and you are sanding edges and not the flat. 

[Tomanydogs]

Sorry Ray I'd post a picture but I can't figure it out on my laptop. I'd need someone to actually show me anyway I'm a visual learner. Thanks for trying much appreciated.

[SCROLLSAW703]

Howdy Miss Irene, 

I'm in tall agreement with these gentlemen about givin' anybody advice about the operation of any power tool. We can explain to you HOW it works, and what its purpose is, but as far as givin' advice on how to operate it, or what to do with that tool, unless I were right there with you, Ma'am, that part is out of my league! I won't even attempt it!

Now your scroll saw, that's a different story. But not other power tools. There are numerous videos on UTube available to look at on the safe operation of all sorts of different power tools, but I ain't a video sort of feller, neither. 

As far as the finish for your bowl is concerned, the first thing I'd ask is what's your plans for the bowl? Is it going to be used for human consumption? Or just sit on a shelf and have some sort of decoration in it? 

Brad

[Tomanydogs]

@SCROLLSAW703 I'd like it for human consumtion, just in case thats how she uses it. I thinking just natural oils like for cutting boards and such. Would I be correct wsith that?

[Tomanydogs]

@trackman I would like to thank you for your valuable advise. I clamped some 80 grit to a flat and leveled surface and with a level and a square I got all my pieces butted up. Just took some determination and patience. Thank you, Thank you!!!

[Tomanydogs]

2 hours ago, Tomanydogs said:

@SCROLLSAW703

Hi Brad, I know I've heard to many bad stories regarding the table saw. I haven't cut the rings yet I'm still trying to butt the pieces up together to glue before scrolling the rings. I made a couple of bowls with cedar and I really enjoyed that ( that was with one plank of wood no butting required). I wanted to try some thing more creative.

Any suggestions on finish would be great, I'm very experienced with finishes.

Thanks

Irene

@SCROLLSAW703 Just reread my response to you. NOT experienced with finishes. OOps, meant very inexperienced. I was wondering why Ray gave my a funny face on my reply. LOL

[WayneMahler]

I have a piece of marble state in my shop that use to even things out. I keep it loaded with 120 grit but I have the equipment to make things easier. A good hard straight surface will correct a lot of things.

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, Tomanydogs said:

@SCROLLSAW703 Just reread my response to you. NOT experienced with finishes. OOps, meant very inexperienced. I was wondering why Ray gave my a funny face on my reply. LOL

That was supposed to be a "confused" face.

 

[Tomanydogs]

1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

That was supposed to be a "confused" face.

 

Glad you did it was necessary. LOL

[SCROLLSAW703]

Howdy Miss Irene,

Yes Ma'am, you would be ok to use natural oils for that. There is another oil on the market, too. I use it myself when I make beer mugs, drinking cups, and bowls on the lathe. I'll have to go to the shop and and look at the label and I will send you a pm with the name of it. It works really well. I usually put on about three coats of it, and then after it has had a chance to get good and soaked in, then I buff it out, and use Thompson's wax on the outer part of the bowl, cup, beer mug, whatever it is.

I have used clear coat too, Ma'am. Once it is dry and cured it is supposed to be ok for human consumption. And I have lacquered and clear coated the outside of different things that were bein' used for human consumption, and not had any trouble. 

Sawdust703(Brad)

[Tomanydogs]

@SCROLLSAW703 Thank you Brad. Irene

[Roberta Moreton]

I may be late to the thread but, do you plug in your portable planer? Is it a hand plane?

[Tomanydogs]

On 11/8/2018 at 7:22 AM, Roberta Moreton said:

I may be late to the thread but, do you plug in your portable planer? Is it a hand plane?

No plugging in.  It's a hand planer, maybe they call it a block plane. Seems like a simple tool. But I can't figure it out.

[Bill WIlson]

48 minutes ago, Tomanydogs said:

No plugging in.  It's a hand planer, maybe they call it a block plane. Seems like a simple tool. But I can't figure it out.

They are a simple tool, but they take a fair amount of skill and finesse in order to get them to work well.  Don't feel bad about not being able to figure it out.  It doesn't necessarily come naturally.

What is the main problem you are having?