Help with sanding end grain cutting boards

[eyekode]

I am located in Apex and have a couple end grain cutting boards that need to be sanded for Christmas presents. Anyone in the area around this weekend and willing to let me run them through your sander?
I am more than willing to throw in a couple bucks for supplies.
Thanks!
Salem

 

[Bill Clemmons]

Salem, I'm not exactly local, but if you don't get a better offer you are more than welcome to come to my shop. Just let me know.

 

[Charlie]

Salem,

I live just south of Lake Wheeler. I have a Jet 22/44. Send me a PM if you are interested.

 

[junquecol]

Flatten them with a router and bridge. Then sand them.

 

[jazzflute]

Also happy to help; you know where to find me. About three minutes work on the widebelt. We can take them up to 220 if you want to.

Are you coming to lunch? We could do them after that.

K

 

[eyekode]

Thanks for all the offers guys! This is a wonderful community .

 

[merrill77]

FWIW, I got good results running mine through my planer (spiral carbide cutters). Barely any sanding needed. You must plan for a little blow-out on the trailing edge, though.

 

[Bas]

FWIW, I got good results running mine through my planer (spiral carbide cutters). Barely any sanding needed. You must plan for a little blow-out on the trailing edge, though.

If you round over the edges first, that helps a lot with the tear-out.

 

[eyekode]

FWIW, I got good results running mine through my planer (spiral carbide cutters). Barely any sanding needed. You must plan for a little blow-out on the trailing edge, though.

I have a spiral planer too but don't have the guts to do this .
I also sometimes get a little snipe and would hate having to sand that out by hand!

 

[jazzflute]

The pros deal with the tearout by glueing on a sacrificial board on each end and then rip it off after the final planing. I think if you take fairly thin cuts a spiral head will have no problem with a finishing pass, but I would be wary of a pass where there is significant differential among the various block heights.

K

 

[merrill77]

I have a spiral planer too but don't have the guts to do this .
I also sometimes get a little snipe and would hate having to sand that out by hand!

If your rollers are set for very, very light passes (e.g. not for processing rough stock), I've found that really helps eliminate snipe. That's how my planer is set up at the moment. Unfortunately, that means there is not enough roller pressure to feed rough stock reliably...I have to push it a bit sometimes. The only thing that would ever make me upgrade my planer would me a feature that quickly allows me to switch the roller height and pressure between two settings for rough and finish work.

If you round over the edges first, that helps a lot with the tear-out.

I beveled my edges, but still got tear out. I simply plan for taking 1/4 to 1/2" off the trailing edge when I'm done planing. With my simple rectangular boards and random-ish pattern, that is trivial. But with more sophisticated designs, Kevin's suggestion would work better.

The pros deal with the tearout by glueing on a sacrificial board on each end and then rip it off after the final planing. I think if you take fairly thin cuts a spiral head will have no problem with a finishing pass, but I would be wary of a pass where there is significant differential among the various block heights.

Agreed. When I did this, there was very little variation. So little that I started doing it by hand...but that was too much work for me

 

[Jeremy Scuteri]

If your rollers are set for very, very light passes (e.g. not for processing rough stock), I've found that really helps eliminate snipe.

+1 to that.

I have found that reducing the feed roller pressure really helps to reduce the snipe to the point where it is generally tough to detect. (15" 4 Column Planer)

 

[USMCSergeant]

I made a lot of end grain boards with just a regular belt sander, it worked great but it took some time. Now I have a tiny open ended 10" drum sander and that is like heaven... I tried the router sled thing a few times, but I had bad results, probably because I used a straight bit, I've heard bowl bits work better.

 

[SubGuy]

I used a router sled on a big project last winter. I used this: http://www.freudtools.com/index.php/products/product/04-140
Manageable, but not good by any means. I have heard the surfacing bits for spoilboards are the best.

I made a lot of end grain boards with just a regular belt sander, it worked great but it took some time. Now I have a tiny open ended 10" drum sander and that is like heaven... I tried the router sled thing a few times, but I had bad results, probably because I used a straight bit, I've heard bowl bits work better.

 

[eyekode]

The best answer is finding a fellow NCWW with a drum or wide belt sander and donating a couple dollars to their sandpaper fund . Plus you get to see another WW'ers shop.
Seriously this community is wonderful!
Merry Christmas all!!

 

[farmerbw]

Salem, glad you got them sanded, ain't NCWW'er great when you're in need of a little assistance? :thumbs_up Now we're just waiting for some finished pics! :gar-Bi

And for anyone thinking of going the router sled path.... Per a recommendation from FredP, I used a bowl bit on my big maple cookie and it worked well.

B.

 

[eyekode]

Here is a horridly dark picture as I am applying mineral oil and paraffin:


I will post real pictures when I am done.

Thanks Charlie for sanding the boards and for the grand shop tour!! I couldn't have finished them I time without your help!

Merry Christmas!
Salem

 

[USMCSergeant]

They look beautiful already!

 

[Charlie]

Salem, Glad I could help out. It was good seeing you again and I enjoyed our visit. The shop is always open.

 

[KenOfCary]

Sorry I didn't see this earlier - you could have used my 19/38 drum sander. But you got er done so no harm no foul.

They look very good.