What Grit for thinning riser fades ?

[Forwardhandle]

Hi Fellas Im working up a riser for a kennym style bow & the fade tips will be made out of Mozambique wood never had working a glass bow riser I figured I would practice on the last wood bow I made so I pre tappered the riser and tried to get the fade tips paper thin on the end ,I used my oscillating spindle sander and 36 grit tube and a backing peace of wood but ended up with some minor tare out on the ends of the fade so I was wondering what grit everybody uses to tapper there fades or any other tips ?

[monterey]

I use 80 and even 120.  Use the largest diameter spindle that you have.

Even with some wood the 120 seemed a bit coarse.  I messed up a wenge riser with 120 because it was so porous.

[fujimo]

i use 50 to 60 grit- but the oscillation does more damage than anything else- i "de-oscillated " mine    :D

[kennym]

You will get a little tearout . I use from 36 to 60. A backing block and working toward thin tip helps.

[Forwardhandle]

Kenny is your sander oscillating ?  I have a sanding head for my drill press but I see a lot of fellas using the oscillating one ?

I use 60 grit...  I have about a 9"dia sanding drum that I made...  Works great...  

   Yeah learn how to use that backing block... The Backing Block is your friend...               True up your table best as you can then true up your block to the drum...  And if you are flipping your riser to sand it, you better make sure that your riser sides are dead parallel to each other when looking at the end of the riser...  If not perfect you can somewhat fake it in with your backing block as long as one side of the riser is 90* to the back of the riser...

Don't forget to go long and lean...  1/16" thick at the 1" mark...

[Forwardhandle]

I was just thinking about seeing how to true up that sander I think I will just do the ruff sanding close with the 36 grit and switch to 120 grit to get final thinness dont want to glue up a footed riser and botch the fades   :rolleyes:

[mikkekeswick]

60 grit.
Use your sander to get close then switch to hand sanding.

[Forwardhandle]

You know Mike thats a good idea Im turning into to much of machine head these days , cant see the forest due to the tree's....lol

[monterey]

I do the hand sanding too.  Lay the riser on.a piece of thick glass or other hard, flat surface and sand with a flexible sanding block.  A piece of .08 lam with 60 grit glued to it works and will also get any minor waves out of the ramps.

[Bvas]

36 grit spindle in the drill press to get close. Then finish by gently pressing the fade on a hard flat surface and hand sanding with a block and 60 grit.

[arachnid]

Originally posted by fujimo:
i use 50 to 60 grit- but the oscillation does more damage than anything else- i "de-oscillated " mine     :D  

I also use an oscillating sander. Can you explain why the oscillation makes more damage?

And how did you de-oscillated yours? I might give it a shot too.

[fujimo]

i use a backing block like said above- but when i am trying to get down to that transparent feather on the ends of the riser, i find the up and down movement can damage that fine wood at the ends.

when i worry about the sleeve wearing in one place- i either flip the sleeve- or i have a few pieces of nice smooth birch ply, that i put on the deck of the sander- and my piece can contact a new area on the sleeve.

i had to take my sander apart- and figure out what was causing the oscillation- and then remove those parts-
required me to turn up some metal bushings as spacers to replace the oscillating discs that i removed.

mine had two discs one was static the other rotated-the sleeve was connected to the rotating disc.
 and the two discs had hills and valleys on them- so when the hills ran over the other hills- that moved the discs further apart, and the sleeve moved up- and valley to valley the sleeve moved down.
 i removed the rotating disc- and put a spacer in there- now shes just beautiful!!

[Crooked Stic]

Here is another way if you have a profile sander.
60 grit.
 

[C. Johnson]

I have an oscillating spindle sander with a 3" drum.  I like 50 grit sleeves for pretty much all of my shaping needs.

I use a 2" square rubber belt cleaner block as a backer to feather out my fades.  Works like a champ.

[Forwardhandle]

I wish I had a profile sander the only thing I have is a so called flush trim sanding drum for my drill press its really not flush trim but gets you with in 1/32 probably would work fine for a radius like the riser , Im probably over thinking it like I do most things but you guys have given me some good ideas Im trying to get my form and riser done together so I can get a good fit on the form , defently different project from a self bow  :p

Pretty Slick there Mike...

[Forwardhandle]

Crooket stick what are you using for your profile sander ?

[Crooked Stic]

I have the 6 x 80 Grizzly. with a table and guide roller at the bottom of the drive drum.