Sanding Machines Addended 11-8-2013

Some of the sanding machines. Left to right, a random orbit with a flexible velcro pad for sanding curved objects. Another random orbit sander, with a stiff pad for flat surfaces, again velcro. Next, an oscillating multi-tool, velcro pad., as discussed here. Right, a belt sander with a sanding frame. Sanding frames let you adjust the depth of the belt, and stabilize the tool for sanding broad, flat surfaces. Mostly I use the random orbit sander with a stiff pad to clean up the backs of frames, or when they have inlet splines, to level the splines. Search "splines for several posts about the process.

The random orbit sanders and the belt sander can also be hooked up to the shop vac via an inch and a quarter hose, seen at the rear of the black sander. Another handy feature, as it really does remove the bulk of the dust. It is, however noisy, having both a sander and a shop vac running at the same time. Earplugs.

Well, I just spent some time looking for belt sanders that offer a sanding frame, and not much out there; Bosch might have one, but I couldn't track down an actual product. My sander, a Ryobi offered the frame as an optional accessory, but I can't find one now. Too bad, as it was a useful addition in terms of efficiency and preventing the belt from gouging the work surface.Belt sanders excel at rapid removal of material; the frame added control. Maybe I should save the Ryobi for resurfacing my bench tops, and get a cheap belt sander for the occasional "wood butcher" job. Using the links at right will send a few pennies my way, at no cost to you.

Addendum: 11-8-2013

When using a sander with velcro attachment, especially when sanding edges, or thinner parts, it is important to keep the sander moving. If you hold it in one spot, you can melt the velcro hooks, rendering them useless. Porter-Cable does offer replacement pads, around $20.00 the last I checked.

Sunday

The morning Basswood, some bracks turning brown and some of the leaves yellow.

The morning rodent, in a maple tree.

A vanishing species, the once ubiquitous water tower.

Sunday afternoon sun. Thats all; have a nice start to autumn!

Recent project

A recent project, one of three deeply ornamented plaster frames, circa 1900, give or take a few decades. The original finish was water gilt karat gold high lights, and then bronze powder for the body. Either painted or dusted over an oil size. Two of the frames were at some time completely over painted. One, had it's original finish; the gold still visible but the body had tarnished to a deep brown. I've seen the deep brown, but also various shades of a muddy green, and a dull greenish gold. The frames had been stored in a basement for many years, with a lot of moisture damage. Corner ornaments were loose or missing, because of separated mitres, and much of the running ornament at the outside back edge of the frame was beyond repair, needing replacement.

These two images are of one of the frames installed as a "frame" for a wide screen TV. The TV is in a recessed area in the wall over the fireplace.The bright windows are due to a foggy day out over Lake Michigan. We're 40 some stories up.

This one, with a mirror, was installed into an alcove, that was not quite an 1 1/2" wider than the frame.  Just one of the many challenges. Here, trying to not smash fingers was the trick. 

Hanging hardware was plywood cleats, attached to the hollow wall with either 1/4"  x 20 zip toggles, or in the case of the TV frame, fine thread drywall screws anchoring into the metal studs of the recessed area. All of the frames were heavy, and this, with mirror was quite heavy. I chose plywood cleats because then I could build out the frame cleat with full size spacer blocks, of various thicknesses of plywood, to accommodate the inner frames sticking so far out the back. 

The painting was not hung, as I, having not seen the space, brand new construction, did not know that the customer desired it to hang in a stairwell. I found this out the afternoon before delivery and installation. Stairwells require special equipment, and hanging a painting and frame, 4'  x  7', and that probably weighs a hundred pounds, is very special. This job requires a 24" wide plank rated for a minimum of 500 pounds; not something that I keep in my tool kit.

The restoration of the frames was originally to be repairs, then regilding in metal leaf. As I got into them, I decided to remove the overpaints on the two frames that had been overpainted. Under the paint, there was a lot of the original gold. Rather than cover that over again, all of the highlights were cleaned of overpaint with acetone and sometimes paint remover, and sometimes lacquer thinner. New water gilt gold was applied to repairs, and bad areas of loss. The body was finished with a shellac based paint, using both mica pigments, and a small  amount of bronze powder pigment. Couldn't achieve the gold I wanted with out it. Most of the frames with the bronze powder finishes for the body, were at their glossiest, only semi-gloss, to achieve the look of matte and burnish gold. I tried for the same effect, a soft, matte body with the mirror like highlights. I was trying for 120 year old frames, with some wear and tear, but in very good shape.   

New Tool

Update 8/27/13

Now that I've actually used the tool I 'm very pleased. Not the fastest, but for unusual cutting tasks, it'l be fast enough. I have removed the depth gauge, and it's holder, as I don't feel a need for it yet. One allen screw holds the whole assembly on. Blades are expensive, though there are some aftermarket ones now. Multifit is one company; and the savings are significant. They have a section just for Porter Cable.

New toys! Well, actually I think this is going to be a well used new tool. It's an oscillating multi-tool, capable of cutting wood or metal, etc., sanding, especially hard to reach corners, and scraping, such as wallpaper, or various adhesives.

The tool was originally invented by the German Fein co. as a means of cutting casts off of broken limbs. The oscillating blade won't cut skin. I've seen a video of somebody touching a moving blade; said it tickled. I think I'll wait until I accidentally touch a moving blade. 8-) Fein's patent has run out, so there are a lot of different brands making these tools.

Some projects that the tool will be used on:

Cutting into a trim board on the house without removing said board to stub in a new piece of trim because of rot.

Scraping wall paper. I've played with it a little in the studio; it will probably be as efficient as steaming off wall paper, and probably far more pleasant.

Cutting between two porch floor boards that have buckled, to give them some room to be laid back flat.

I'm also looking forward to trying it the next time I need to enlarge a rabbet.  I'm thinking this might be the right tool for the job. It can plunge cut, so the corners of a joined frame will be square, and the model I have has a depth gauge, though a masking tape line on the blade would work also.

The machine pictured, Porter-Cable PCE605K, link at right, I chose for several reasons. Good reviews on the interwebs. (We know if it's on the interwebs, it's true). Corded, as I thought the need to own and keep charged multiple batteries, was less convenient that just plugging it in, and running until the job was done. (Which, should the need arise, not preclude me from buying a cordless one). I own several Porter Cable tools already, and have been very happy both with the design of the tools, and the availability of parts and accessories. That last is huge. The Porter Cable, with a nice case, and a good, though mostly sand paper, assortment of accessories was $99.00 on Amazon. The box stores have them at $130.00. Harbor Freight has their brand at $20.00. Fein has some as high as $400.00

As I've played with the tool I've decided that it will be as precise as I am; it is a hand tool, with out any real provision for guides or fences. I'll need to be patient, as forcing the tool is just going to ruin the blade, and they are expensive, though as more adopt these tools, blade prices will come down.

So, keep calm, carry on, and sally forth to cut something ... 8-)

Bron

The Moon and Basswood

Moon Over Basswood

The Morning Basswood

Leaves, bracks, and nutlets.

Basswood with rodent, also the volunteer shoots from the base of the trunk.

Gluing Ornaments

Above, another of the plaster ornamented frames. I'm using the plastic syringe, foreground, to inject glue into the cracks at the bottom of the ornaments. Directly under the miter is a blob of glue that has dripped. The frame is resting on a support stand at an angle so the glue can run into the area needing glue. 

The crack is visible under the ornaments. This side of the frame has suffered some damage from moisture, and has been overpainted, obscuring the original finish.

Heavy, plaster ornaments.

I'm working on some frames from late 19th. century or early 20th. The heavy, deep, and severely undercut ornaments are in plaster. In order to make replacements, with the materials on hand, I'm basically molding and casting just the tops of the missing ornaments. In the picture above, a top has been positioned with the help of some screws.

Here, I've built a dam of masking tape, prior to filling, through the front, with plaster, the undercut parts. There are wire reinforcements through the "top' castings.

Another ornament top, showing the positioning screws, and the reinforcing wires. The "tops" are resting on the screws, glued into position with cyanacrylate glue.

And the above ornament with the masking tape dam. When the bottoms are filled, essentially I'll be carving the replacement ornaments, using the tops as a guide, along with the remaining parts of the original ornaments.

What you are seeing in the above photos is the original finish applied to this frame. Water gilt karat gold for the highlights; then a bronze powder pigment paint for the body. The bronze powder has tarnished  to the point of being dark brown. Sometimes they tarnish to a dark, earthy green. I'm going to restore the karat gold as needed, and then repaint the body, using non-tarnishing mica powders for the gold pigment, in a shellac medium.

In the last two photos, plywood overlaid splines are visible, to reinforce the miters. I've added hide glue where I could, but these are very difficult frames to disassemble, as the ornaments, and wood substrate are often cross nailed, and there are numerous reinforcing nails for the cast ornaments. So, the add on splines.

Musing on the technology to produce these type of frames, I'm assuming that the ornaments were cast using rubber molds, that could be pulled free of the undercuts. Corner ornaments were probably cast last. Interesting frames, and somewhat rare compared to composition ornament frames, though this methodology is the only means to produce these heavy, and undercut ornaments.

Attic windows.

Nice triple window.

The old No. 6 Firehouse

And, just a garage.

Free Form Carving

In a previous post, here, Studio Scenes III, I mention a random orbit sander. There are actually two, except for color, identical machines. The one in the back, light gray, has a flexible pad, for sanding curved forms. The black one has the standard pad for flat surfaces. Below, some other tools for free form carving, both for furniture and picture frames.

Left to right, a small electric chain saw, an industrial grinder, that has grinding heads, cut-off heads, sanding pads, and just in front, a chain saw wheel. To the right of that, an air die grinder, fitted with a large carbide burr. There are a variety of cutters, grind wheels, cut off wheels, etc., available for it. I have a slightly smaller one that has different size collets allowing me to use some of the same tools for my Foredom tool, here. Then, the random orbit sander with the flexible pad.

Some examples of frames and furniture that used some or all of the tools mentioned above:

Apropos rants.

Andrew Sullivan has a nice response to the President of the United States remarks the other day, appropriate to my own thoughts:

http://dish.andrewsullivan.com/2013/07/21/the-defuser-in-chief/ 

Studio Scenes III

Another corner of the studio. Previously, here, and here. At the bottom, black hump is a shop vac, which is connected to a random orbit sander by that white hose. To the left, a belt sander, which is a handy tool to have in any shop. Grind things, shape wood ...etc. A little higher on the right, a magnetic tool holder holding metric allen wrenches, and old brad driver, and some hemostats, another tool that comes in quite handy at times. Above, and to the left, my joining vise and the two support boards.

Here the combination at work, with the vise being obscured by the frame being joined. I'll take some better pics showing the set-up, soon, not now. 8-) , and a post with some more clarity about mitre joining.