Help sanding deep(ish) concavities?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I'm carving a fist-sized piece of 100yo redgum as a nest of brambles to support an egg shaped box I turned from lemon and would like some suggestions with regards to sanding.

FWIW, I'm no carver by any stretch of the imagination, I'm making it up as I go so I'll trust you'll make allowances if my methods seem... awkward.

I turned the redgum to an egg-cup shape, then marked out the brambles in pencil and took to it with a fret-saw. I then used a 1/2" bevelled dovetailling chisel (not having any dedicated carving tools) to rough out the 3D form and a Dremel to round everything off and give it final form. Sanding the exposed surfaces was easy enough, where my fingers wouldn't reach I used the Dremel with a small drum-sanding attachment, except for a few deep(ish) concavities. These are irregular holes between brambles, approx 1/2" in diameter, which are larger inside as I carved out the "backs" of the brambles, if you can understand what I mean? :confused:

The drum-sander attachment smoothed the edges/sides alright but I'm at a loss as to how to sand the flats facing the hole. ie. the bits you first see when you look in! I can't find any sanding disks for the dremel that're small enough to get into the holes and I've tried a bit of sandpaper taped to the end of a dowel, but... any suggestions?

[multinut]

skew
have you tried diamond files or jewellers files
even a good set of rifflers
also i find that if you use cloth backed belt sander belts you can fold small pieces of this into different shapes
hope these ideas help
cheers
multinut
:cool:

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

skew
even a good set of rifflers
also i find that if you use cloth backed belt sander belts you can fold small
rifflers?? :confused:

I don't know why I didn't think of cutting up sanding belts for myself; I've literally dozens of 'em lying around. I think that if I size a strip to the width of a small bolt head and tied off the ends to the shank, that might very well do just what I need.

Thank you!

[multinut]

Riffler Files-
Ideal for filing unusually shaped or hard to reach areas

cheers
multinut
:cool:

[schaf]

I do not know the size of the hole that you want to through.
I use the valve stems from push bike tubes to glue sand paper to .The stem has a harder rubber base but is still pliable to sand curves and fits into the chuck of a drill.
Works for me.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I do not know the size of the hole that you want to through.
I use the valve stems from push bike tubes to glue sand paper to .The stem has a harder rubber base but is still pliable to sand curves and fits into the chuck of a drill.
Works for me.
The access is about 1/2" so your idea might work for me too. The bolts worked, but being rigid didn't conform very well. Now all I have to do is lie in wait for the paper-boy and... Hehehe.

[HandyAndrea]

Oh...I'm sooooooooo intrigued......do you have pics yet??? :)

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

To be honest, I've done very little to it since. :o It's one of those things that takes time'n'patience; I've little of either at the mo so I've simply put it aside until I'm in a "whittling mood." One of these days....

But here's what it looks like as things currently stand, you'll need quite a bit of imagination to see what I eventually hope to achieve. ;)

[Auld Bassoon]

A wooden Faberge egg?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Actually, you're not far from it... that was the original influence :D

The initial idea behind the egg was to hold a tea-candle. 'Twas planned to cut fretwork around the sides & top, filling most with coloured epoxy to give a stained glass effect.

But it turned up so nicely as is that I couldn't bring myself to butcher it further.

The original base was also completely different, very much like the small faberge pedestals and didn't suit the plain egg at all. :rolleyes:

[NewLou]

You'll need quite a bit of imagination to see what I eventually hope to achieve. ;)

Keep going Skew I reckon your doing great here ........................

Can't wait to see THE GOOG once shes finished. I've got to ask what its like working with redgum ssssssssoooooo old.

I love this often underrated wood and consider it one of the best I've had the pleasure to work with so far.

Regards Lou:)

[ozwinner]

First up, well done Andy for giving it ago.

Secondly, when ever ( not often ) I have carved the chisels have been surgiclay sharp.
When your carving chisels are soooooo sharp, there is no need to sand as the cut is polished.

Al :)

[CameronPotter]

Ahhh, interesting advice Al. Although it may be tricky if you are cutting away at a base, but can't get the chisel/gouge down at the right angle for a smooth cut.

Also, I meant to write and say I am very impressed, but I got as far as firing off a greenie and lost track of what I was up to because I had to do some work. :(

:cool:

Cam

[masoth]

........... and I succeeded in gluing 280 grit aluminium oxide sanding sheet cut-offs to pop rivets which enabled me to use them in a cordless drill to get into small holes.

soth

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

?? How? Something like a small flap-sander?

I keep coming back to the goog, but haven't progressed far. The outside's almost finished, but the inner crannies give me soooo much grief I tend to put it aside again fairly quickly. :o

[masoth]

Was this for me?
"?? How? Something like a small flap-sander?"
Depending on the size of the rivet, I sometimes wound the sandpaper round to fill the flange depth - If I needed to reach deeper into a cavity I filed off the flange and was then able to widen the sandpaper. I never used high load of pressure but the VISUAL result has been good.

You can use this as a flap, but I have not needed to.

soth

[echnidna]

Have you ever noticed that a lot of carving on furniture has a textured background (so the carver didn't need to sand in a recess)

You should be able to lightly texture selected parts with a centre punch.
It could also be used to add a pattern.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Soth, 'tis worth a try. I tried slotting a dowel for a flap-sander but just didn't have the room to use it properly. Ditto for Dremel sanding drums. Who knows... I might be pleasantly surprised.

Bob, yeah I'm beginning to wish that instead of actually carving the concavities I'd just "sketched them in" with suitable texturing. Unfortunately, I don't think it'd look right with what I have. Next time, perhaps... if there ever is a next time. ;)

[CameronPotter]

How about sandblasting the wooden base? It might look terrible, but it might actually work? Never tried this or heard someone suggest it on wood, so don't blame me if it is an awful idea.

;)

Cam

[echnidna]

I have an old clothes dryer with the heat element and fan removed.
I fill it to the bottom of the door with coarse sawdust.
Put items in there and let it rumble.
Very slow but it does smooth things nicely.
Sharp sand would be a lot quicker but I don't have any, It might be a little severe too.

Suppose I shouldn't be lazy and I should build a proper tumbler but .....

[CameronPotter]

Even better would be to build a "rumbler" - where a eccentric weight causes vibrations (instead of tumbling). Most jewellers who have used both swear by the rumbler - less damaging to you piece, and gives a better finish.