# Sanding chips



## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

I'm making stave drums and I'm struggling to sand them. I've rounded off the outside with a router. I'm left with a few lines (which aren't too deep) and some small chips (approx 0.5mm deep). I'm using P40 sandpaper (on a block going with the grain) and it's taking me ages to get anywhere. Are there any better ways?

I have a Bosch sander (with the moving plates). Is this likely to work or is it likely to cause more problems?

The wood I'm working with is Oak and pine (two shells). I haven't tried much with the pine yet, it's the oak that's the problem at the moment.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Sorry Peter,this is a hard lesson for a woodworker to learn,you probably will have to bit the bullet and hand sand it.
Lesson here is be more careful not cut to deep with round over bits, when dealing with hardwoods, always test your cut on scrap before making the finished cut.
The fewer mistakes you  make building it the less sending you have to do in the end.


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## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

This was a straight bit, it was the outside of the shell, not the bearing edge. My last pass was very small (probably less than 1mm), my others were fairly small too, no more than a few mm.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Some hardwoods can be prone to chip out. Try not to not to work into the grain, try to work in the same direction. That should help some. The pine should be way more forgiving that way but it tends to plug sandpaper up because of the resin in the wood but at least it is much easier to work.


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## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

I'm going to try my sanding machine (a simple palm sander thing). It should help to start with and then I can do it by hand once I'm closer. I don't know how long it's going to take me.


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## routergieck (Feb 11, 2013)

I would use an orbital sander to start with and Blueline sandpaper which will cut better and last longer than the 3M or Norton products
Dennis


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## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

Good news, I've got rid of the chips. I used my router, and there aren't any chips now. I took off tiny amounts and moved it very slowly. There are a lot of rough patches but they are with the grain and I don't think they could be avoided.

There are a few burn marks too, but I can't feel them so hopefully these will sand off easily. It's very hot today, so that probably didn't help.

How smooth should it be after sanding? Should it be completely smooth, should I still be able to feel the grain or does it depend on what finish I want? I'm hoping to have a lacquer finish.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

We will need pictures.
My maple shell was completely smooth.

For my maple shell I messed up the finish a number of times. I used my bench top belt sander to get back to just wood.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

rwl7532 said:


> We will need pictures.
> My maple shell was completely smooth.
> 
> For my maple shell I messed up the finish a number of times. I used my bench top belt sander to get back to just wood.


After all that fuss I just went with Watco and wax.


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## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

I've been sanding for a week now. The burns and chips are all gone. I'm now left with a few rough grainy bits. I think it may be the pores. I'm doing 120G now and hoping to get the whole thing smooth, and then I'll work up to 240G.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

At this point, what is the outside diameter of the shell?
13.875" is your goal. (13 7/8")


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## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

rwl7532 said:


> At this point, what is the outside diameter of the shell?
> 13.875" is your goal. (13 7/8")


It's about that.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Have you chosen the hardware for your shell?
Adding heads, hoops, lugs, rods, snares, strainer and butt makes it a drum.
About $100 roughly to outfit a shell.

I use Drum Foundry - Drum Shells, Finishes, Veneering, and Hardware for the Custom Drum Builder and drum parts, sticks, drumheads, cymbals, stands, drumfactorydirect.com

I'll post a pic of my lug hole drilling template when I get home. Lots of chances to mess up when drilling 32 to 40 holes in a round object!!


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## DrillingThrough (Apr 29, 2014)

rwl7532 said:


> Have you chosen the hardware for your shell?
> Adding heads, hoops, lugs, rods, snares, strainer and butt makes it a drum.
> About $100 roughly to outfit a shell.
> 
> ...


I know which hardware I'm going for, but I've got a while to go before reaching that point. I'm in the UK and there's a UK based website that sells the bits I need. There's also a good local drum shop that will have heads and anything else I need.

It would be a shame to spoil it when drilling the holes, but if I don't go too crazy, then I can probably rub it down and re-lacquer it.

I've just measured the diameter of the shell, I think it's slightly too small, but by no more than 1mm. It's very hard to measure accurately with a tape measure. It'll probably be 1mm too small by the time I've finished, but then the lacquer will add a bit, so I'm sure it'll be fine. It's looking great, but a bit frustrating that it's taking so long.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

My drilling jig.
Simply a thin aluminum bar attached to a piece of wood. Pine in this case, later I upgraded to maple.

And a picture of the simple support attached to the drill press.

That's a carbon fiber shell.

And a pic of the reward for using the template - the inside shot of precision.


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