Anyone use a sandblaster for sanding 3D???

[dollarbill165]

I'm still searching for the fastest most efficient way to remove machining marks from my projects. I get the marks on my Vectorart dish style 3d projects.

Has anyone used a sandblaster cabinet with say... walnut shells?

[dubliner]

I dont think theres a "more" efficient way, it seems like you use a small stepover or you hand finish afterwards. Sanding or blasting risks the detail so for me its the smallest stepover I can afford to wait for. Material strategy & material selection can help too(no surprise), I guess its better to have the machine do the tedious work.

[dubliner]

Meant to say Machining strategy

[dollarbill165]

I'm using a 9% step-over now... do I need to go even lower?

[dubliner]

No thats just right, I get excellent results at that. The only thing I have to do is usually define the edges manually as you typically get that stair step effect. Cherry, mahogany, Oak, and others are pretty good to cut, grain direction is important. Cutting with the grain is generally the best, & needless to say sharp cutters, http://beckwithdecor.com/index_files/Cutters.htm, (drop Gary a line he is very knowledgable about 3D )
has excellent cutters made by Onsrud, but slightly cheaper.

[dollarbill165]

You know... I never really paid attention to grain direction when setting up my work. Also I'm at the point that I don't care how much a cutter cost if it will get the job done right. I'll give them a try. thanks!

[rcnewcomb]

3M makes a Scotch Brite Combi-Wheel that attaches to your drill that is the perfect tool for sanding curved surfaces and edges like the disked portion of a relief carving. I used it on hard maple and was able to sand an 11"x11" dish to smooth-as-glass in under 5 minutes. Shop around because there is a lot of variation on pricing. I was able to find some at a local hardware store (Menards) for $4.99


7352

[dubliner]

well theyre not cheap, but they will last a long time if you treat them right, well worth it in the end.

[jseiler]

3m radial bristle discs are nice for finishing small details without blowing them away. They are a little pricey, but they work when nothing else does. They makes larger 2" ones and ones with bristles that come out the front (instead of radial). I've only used the radial 1" ones in a dremil. I'd practice on scrap before working with something valueable, as they are sensitive to grit and operating speed.

http://sculpt.com/catalog_98/abrasives/3m_finishing.htm

John

[jseiler]

Depending on how bad the marks are and how you want to finish beall buffs can do a nice job too. If you have deep machining marks, this will polish them in, however, if its just to remove fluff, sometimes buffs work really well. They are also nice for putting a beautiful finish on hardwoods.

http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php

[myxpykalix]

Although i didn't want to spend this much, I went ahead and bought a Sanding Mop from Klingspor with the various grits 80, 120, 220, 320 for sanding and 4 mandrels (spent about 80.00 bucks i think) because the 3d files i was making had a lot of fibers hanging on (mostly on the poplar) and i just ran them under the 320 on my drill press and that cleaned them up pretty good. I still found myself with the pocket knife chiseling in a few hard to reach spots.
The cherry i had needed almost no sanding as well as the walnut so i think the sanding mop is one option for you.

[dollarbill165]

I use the sanding mops now. They work great! My biggest problem is on the bowl portion of the work... not with the intricate 3d part. It seems that the bowl is curved just enough that I can't use a small random orbit sander and the grooves deep enough that the mop sander won't take it out. Also, I use about 3 different methods to sand each piece. I'm looking for one way to sand the whole piece... and of course save time. I may have to try the 3m radial bristle discs suggested by John Seiler above. I wonder how aggressive they will be in wood?