Carving burls...

[Tubwaa]

G'Day All

I have started carving bowls from burls and whilst a couple have turned out ok I am pretty sure I am either doing it the long way or more than likely the wrong way !

I am using an arbortech to do the heavy removal and then after that various grinding bits, down to manual sandpapering and cabinet scrapers.

I would just like to know the process that any of you follow after the arbortech (or even adze) to get it to the finished state. I have not been able to find any books or even articles on this - plenty for woodturning but not for carving.

Also - what is the best method for securing an irregular shaped burl whilst working on it.....any sort of vice work best ? So far I have been using 4 sandbags wedged around the burl

thanks for any help

Andy

[SPIRIT]

there chisels you could use
you could also use 100mm sanding disc on the grinder

[Iggy]

I'm with Spirit there I use a 100mm grinder with a rubber backed sanding disc followed by lots of hand sanding and elbow grease.

[tdhoz]

Hi Andy,

The best way to finish a wood burl is with the Arbortech Mini-grinder. It comes with 50mm sanding attachments that range from 40 to 120 sanding grit. I would use these in a sweaping motion as they rotate at 10,000rpm so it can tend to burn if held in one place.

Although these sanding disks dont last overly long you can make make your own disk using a belt type sand paper and a piece of 50mm sharpened water pipe as a punch. Then all I do isremove the old sand paper and glue the new home made disk onto the plastic backing using super glue.

Once you have sanded down to your 120 git pad it then it all becomes elbow grease to finish the burl to the smoothness you are wanting. Saying that, I would not need to use anything other than just the 120 mini-grinder sanding disk.

Travis

[DarwinStrings]

I polish some very knotty bits of NT ironwood which is similar to burl. 100mm grinder with 40 grit disks on a rubber back. Then I use one of the Triton random orbital attachments on the 100mm grinder, they work great and are very aggressive, you can work from 80grit down to a worn out bit of 240grit then get your normal random orbital on to it. If your going to use those Triton attachments though, treat you grinders as disposable as they do the bearing in, buy Makita or better as they will eat a cheapy in no time flat.

One way you might be able to hold it better is, after you sand bag it then get a old truck inner tube and cut it into one long piece say 40 mm wide by going around and around the long way. Then just use it to bind the work piece to your bench wrapping it round and round the bench pulling it tight.

which ever way you go good luck.

Jim

Life is good when you are amongst the wood.

[Artesano]

Although these sanding disks dont last overly long you can make make your own disk using a belt type sand paper and a piece of 50mm sharpened water pipe as a punch. Then all I do isremove the old sand paper and glue the new home made disk onto the plastic backing using super glue.
Travis

Great idea, tdhoz- I was thinking about it , only wasn't sure about what glue to use.Next step- finer grit sandpaper , since 120 is too coarse.I ' ve never carved burls, so can't say if a scraper is any good- but if it works, best tool I have for removing the marks from the sanding , and to get the bowl perfectly smooth is this: (the curved one)