Bowl Sander Advice?

[Mike Peace]

I have only been at this turning for a few months and I am still trying to master sanding my bowls. Ok, I am still trying to master turning bowls but right now I seem to be struggling more with the sanding. I got a Bowl Sander like this as part of the package deal when I bought my Jet Mini used. Anyone with any experience using one of these things got any advice? I did not get any instructions with it.

The first time I used it on my second bowl, I managed to knock my bowl out of the chuck. I was turning green wood and guess I did not retighten as I should have. It bounced off my concrete floor knocking a hole in my bowl.

[George Guadiane]

I have only been at this turning for a few months and I am still trying to master sanding my bowls. Ok, I am still trying to master turning bowls but right now I seem to be struggling more with the sanding. I got a Bowl Sander like this as part of the package deal when I bought my Jet Mini used. Anyone with any experience using one of these things got any advice? I did not get any instructions with it.

The first time I used it on my second bowl, I managed to knock my bowl out of the chuck. I was turning green wood and guess I did not retighten as I should have. It bounced off my concrete floor knocking a hole in my bowl.

First thing, it isn't about a lot of pressure, but YES, check the tightness of your chuck fairly often...
The idea of that thing is to use an edge of the sander against the rotating bowl, at such an angle that the disc starts to rotate, then to adjust the disc so that while it continues to rotate, you are sanding ACROSS the bowl so that the sandpaper is moving across the bowl. That will help eliminate sanding marks. Many of us use the pad in a drill and force (power) sand across the grain. Try it on the outside first, it's easier.
It's a little tricky, but once you get it, it's a big help

[Patrick Taylor]

I have one of these too, and never got the hang of sanding the middle of the inside of the bowl. Any tips?

[Gordon Seto]

never got the hang of sanding the middle of the inside of the bowl.

The center of the bowl is virtually stationary. With passive sanding, the closer to the center, the slower the linear speed. You have to sand the relatively small center area by hand or use some external power source to spin the sanding disk.

Gordon

[Jack Savona]

Try going to this webpage and clicking on the video for "Spindlemaster".

http://www.robert-sorby.co.uk/movie-clips.htm

Other videos may be helpful for other tools.

Jack

[Bernie Weishapl]

I had one and it is collecting dust. I got frustrated with it I went and bought a 90 deg angle drill. Haven't looked back since.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I bought a Grex 2" pneumatic sander.............

[Patrick Taylor]

I had one and it is collecting dust. I got frustrated with it I went and bought a 90 deg angle drill. Haven't looked back since.

I definitely use my Sioux RA drill far more than the passive one.

[Richard Madison]

Put it on the shelf labeled "Great stuff that I never use", and power sand w/ drill and/or angle drill. Sometimes alternate between power sanding at 100 rpm and hand sanding at 700 rpm lathe speed as you move through the grits to be sure you are eliminating the scratches from the previous grit, or the one before that. Or whatever lathe speed is appropriate for your project. Some power sand bowls at 60 rpm lathe speed, and some hand sand pens at 3,000 rpm. Don't hesitate to back up one or two grits to correct a problem.

[Mike Peace]

Jack, the video on the Sorby model was helpful. I used it on a bowl today and had pretty good results.

The clear consensus is scrap it and use power sanding so maybe that is what I will do.

[Frank Kobilsek]

Mike

Pick up a Harbor Frieght close quarters drill, corded. They are only $20 something. Works fine will last you a year or more. My current one is about 14 months old and yesterday it was getting aweful hot in the handle so I think its about to perish.

Frank