really stupid question

[ElizaLeahy]

I've had my lathe since January. I know how to sand and polish something on the lathe - friction easy!

But how do you do it with something flat? Small objects - hair forks actually (decorative, to keep hair styles up). Do I need to buy yet another machine? I've seen little hand sanders, do they get the same sort of finish I get on a turned item? What about finishes? Do I use the EEE and the shellawax, or, if I'm not using the lathe, is there other finishes and way to apply them?

Told you it was a stupid question

Thanks!

[weisyboy]

hand sanding is good exersize.
eee will work with a little elbow grease.
gshelawax wont work verry well i suspect. but im no expert.

[echnidna]

Machines are things made by companies to sell for a profit

You will be surprised how easy and fast hand sanding is.
Always sand along the grain.
Start with 120 grit and then finish off with 160 grit.
You generally don't need to go any finer to get an excellent finish.

Note: - woodturners must go to very fine grits as all of their sanding is across the grain.

[ElizaLeahy]

That's the problem then - I'm starting with 180 grit!

I'll have to get some of the lower numbers.

Thanks!

[masoth]

There is no such thing as a stupid question!! (Some answers may not be clever).
Questions are the POSITIVE way to learn, and good answers are the way to pass on knowledge.

soth

[ubeaut]

That's the problem then - I'm starting with 180 grit!

I'll have to get some of the lower numbers.

Don't you dare get courser grits. You stick with what you've got and go as fina as you like. The finer the better for fine finishing. Especially on profucts like hair forks etc. which are handled and need to have a soft silyk feel.

[tea lady]

There is no such thing as a stupid question!! (Some answers may not be clever).
Questions are the POSITIVE way to learn, and good answers are the way to pass on knowledge.

soth

There's a sign up at the comunity shed that says

"We don't mind stupid questions,
they are easier to deal with than stupid mistakes."

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Don't you dare get finer grits. You stick with what you've got and go as fina as you like. The finer the better for fine finishing. Especially on profucts like hair forks etc. which are handled and need to have a soft silyk feel.

I think Neil meant "Don't you dare get coarser grits." ??

FWIW, what grit I finish sanding the raw timber with depends on the how fine a grain it has. The finer/tighter the grain, the finer the final grit. When hand-sanding with the grain, I'll usually stop at either 320 or 400, but there are times I'll go to 600 or 800.

I usually start at 180 grit, or occasionally 150 if I've left some bad tool-marks during shaping. Anything coarser than that is - in my opinion - for shaping the wood, not finishing it!

(Echnidna's right about woodturner's needing finer grits, but the above is what I use for my basic furniture, not turning. )

[Cliff Rogers]

Really stupid questions don't hurt like really stupid lumps on the shin.

You can also use power profile sanders & power polishers.

Both good Aussie stuff.

[Greg Q]

You can also use power profile sanders & power polishers.

Both good Aussie stuff.

oooh cool! Thanks Cliff for the link- that tool might be what I need for an upcoming project.

Greg