Safe padding for friction or vac chuck?

[Dan Forman]

I've been using a friction chuck to fine tune and sand the outside of bowls. One uses 4" PVC pipe, another smaller one I turned from a piece of wood. I used a piece of router pad for non-slip padding to protect the inside of the larger bowl from the pcv, but it left an oily ring on the wood (like the mark some plastic jaw clamps make on wood), which may or may not be visible after finishing.

On a smaller bowl tonight using the wood chuck, I tried covering the pad with a blue shop paper towel, but it was too bulky, and wouldn't turn true, so I went with just the paper towel folded several times covering the chuck. As I was fine tuning prior to sanding the outside, I could feel the bowl slip a few times, and when done sanding, sure enough there was a ring scuffed into the inside of my nicely sanded bowl.

So my question is, what is a safe padding material that won't slip, and won't transfer any bad boogie to my work? I'm sure that some of the high friction rubber or plastics are safe, but which ones won't leave an oily sort of mark?

Thanks,

Dan

[Mike Lipke]

Mouse pads, carpet padding.
I have a supply of old beer can coolers which I cut up and use.

Office supply stores sell sheets of mailing padding, not the stuff with big bubbles you can pop, but about 1/8" thick, with millions of bubbles.
Soft leather is good.

[Steve Frederick]

I've been using two Hook/Loop Sanding disks, 5", abrasive sides against the bowl and chuck. Works pretty well.

[Randy Privett]

Dan,

Go to Wally World and buy Foam-eze, it's in the craft area. Comes in an 8 1/2" X 11 sheet and has sticky backing. Cut it and put it where you want it. I have one on a chuck that I've used for 2 or 3 years.

Randy

[Steve Schlumpf]

I use sheets of closed cell packing foam. It's about 1/8" thick and does not compress or leave any marks.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

+1 on recycle the 5" ROS pad. For the jam chuck. Too poor to buy a vac.

[curtis rosche]

the rubber foam padding for the bottom of tooltrays. also the rubber gasket from the toilet bowl to tank works very very well.

[Dan Forman]

Thanks guys, will try the foam ease, as I like the idea of the sticky backing, and the packing foam until I can get to Walmart. I used to have a ton of that stuff, hope I can still find some.

Dan

[Curt Fuller]

I don't vacuum chuck but for friction chucking I use some of that stuff you put under rugs so they won't slip. I can't think of what it's call right off. But it grips really well and you buy a pretty big of roll of it for cheap.

[Brendan McAreavy]

I use that non-slip router mat stuff, no marks.

Brendan

[Thomas Canfield]

The thin rubber shelf lining similar to the router pad works well and is much thinner (about 1/8") and can be picked up cheap at the dollar type stores or Harbor Freight. Good also to improve grip to remove bowls blanks from screw chucks.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use closed cell packing foam also. Doesn't mark or marr.

[Toney Robertson]

Dan,

Go to Wally World and buy Foam-eze, it's in the craft area. Comes in an 8 1/2" X 11 sheet and has sticky backing. Cut it and put it where you want it. I have one on a chuck that I've used for 2 or 3 years.

Randy

Just a FYI, I went to my local Walmart and they did not have Foam-eze. The lady looked at me like I had two heads.

[Dave Carey]

I started using Foam Eze or something like it after seeing it used at an AAW demo in Richmond last year. I got mine at Michaels but would think any craft store might have it. My sheets are smaller than 8.5 x 11 but a package lasts forever.

[Mike Lipke]

Just got back from buying some at Michaels.
Called "Creatology" Fun Foam.

8 1/2 x 11 with sticky back
11 x 17 plain back

Both are 99cents ea. Lots of colors too.