Replies

1. 
   koikid | Jan 03, 2005 05:24pm | #1

   Dino,     The rings you see are from their quick duplicator bit or very quick sand job that was done at the factory.   Since you don't have a lathe to make this go quicker you can make two jigs to "capture" the leg like it was in a lathe. Once in the jig sand it by hand with the grain to try to remove and smooth out the legs.  Don't know how much beading is on the leg but you will have to rotate the leg by hand while you sand in and around them.

   The jig would be to make two "L" brackets from plywood or pine, some scrap of anything.  you would have a base and a riser. Screw, glue, nail the 2 parts together at a right angle.  The riser would have to be tall enough to support the leg above your bench and the base sized so you could clamp it to your workbench or table.  On each riser you will need to run a nail through each riser at the same height so it goes through the wood far enough to but in the "Center" holes on the leg where it had been mounted on the lathe.  Clamp each base to the bench capturing the leg between the nails. This way you can rotate the leg as you sand.

   Hope I explained OK

   Good luck happy sanding.

   KK 

1. 
   andbiond | Jan 03, 2005 05:42pm | #4

   KK; Thanks!! great Idea and explanation of what it is I'm working with! any idea on the sandpaper (type).. should I use a wet / dry to get in the grooves?

    

   Dino

1. 
   koikid | Jan 04, 2005 02:20am | #7

   Dino, don't need wet or dry!  Don't know how rough the turning is at the time but hopefully is not bad enough that you couldn't start with  220 grit. Remember to keep turning as you sand so you don't make  any "flat spots"  You shouldn't have to use anything finer than 320 to finish out with.   Also pay attention to the transition points during your sanding to try to keep them crisp and defined.  They may not be very crisp coming off a duplicator, but fold your sand paper to give it some rigidity and if needed bow it to get into the coves if there are any.

   I usually take my sand paper and  "Quarter it" ( cut/tear into 4 equal parts) then fold the 1/4 sheet  1/3 over and the other side 1/3 back over the other way so you have a rigid piece now about 1.5" wide and 4" long then once you use up the tow outside parts you still have one unused to fold out and use.

   Clear as mud??

   KK

2. 
   douglas2cats | Jan 03, 2005 05:28pm | #2

   If you have a drill press, and the length of the legs would fit, you might be able to jury rig something to take the place of a lathe long enough to get the job done. You'd probably have to buy a cheapo lathe spurred drive center to mount in the business end of the press. The other end could be a simple as a nail through a scrap block. It just needs to keep the leg centered and allow the leg to turn freely. Drill presses aren't really designed to spin large pieces of wood (although anyone who's had a piece get grabbed by a bit and start spinning can tell you that they can do it if necessary). So unless you have a press with a VERY SLOW speed, I wouldn't even try this.

   The alternative is probably buying some sanding cord or sanding tape sold on a roll and buying a big can of elbow grease.

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 03, 2005 05:39pm | #3

   If you're willing to buy a spur center, you could use any acceptably sturdy drill as a lathe. Just clamp it to something fairly stout and improvise a tailstock as douglas2cats described.

1. 
   andbiond | Jan 03, 2005 05:44pm | #5

   Great advise everyone! I like the drill idea, as I dont "yet" have a drill press....Thanks again.

    

   Dino

3. 
   Steinmetz | Jan 03, 2005 06:01pm | #6

   Dino, Drill a short hole in the center of each end. cut the heads off two wood screws, (#12) so you have the screw's thread and shoulder to work with.

    Take an uncut screw of the same size, and drive it in up  to the shoulder to create a thread in each spindle end. Then remove the screw.

   For each spindle, hand screw the two 'Studs'i nto the threaded ends with a pair of pliers. Place one stud into your electric drill and the other into a piece of metal held upright in a vise. (Of course, you must drill the appropiate sized hole in the plate)

   By pressing the aft end of the spindle's stud in the hole , you can operate the drillmoter with one hand, and with the other hand sand the revolving workpiece with a sanding block

   The sanding Cubes are 'Friable' (That is, once applied to the moving workpiece, it will wear into and take the  shape of the turnings and make quick work of removing any tool marks.)

   Put a little oil on the aft stud to reduce heat and wear.

   If your son/daughter/wife/or friend wishes to hold the drill, you can do this operation more easilly. Steinmetz

    

4. 
   walnutjerry | Jan 04, 2005 03:01am | #8

   Hi Dino-----If you have an electric drill, go buy a flap sander with shaft that will fit in your drill--------and go to work.

                                   Regards, walnutjerry