I have been turning a hollow vessel (vase) of spalted maple, which is by nature, a somewhat ratty wood that derives its beautiful pattern from early rot. I find that it often needs power sanding with a rotary pad while rotating on the lathe. This piece in particular developed high and low spots as the softer portions were sanded away more than the harder portions. I noticed this only as I hand sanded to 600 grit and padded on a friction polish. Firstly is there any way to avoid this? Secondly, is this a common experience? I mean, it’s not easily visible , but it’s immediately apparent when you feel the piece. Thanks a lot.
Jay
Replies
There's a technique we call blocking out in sanding metal where you use a hard block which doesn't follow the contours. The softer the pad the more it dips into the soft spots.
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