Cleaning up Stabilized Blocks?

Daniel Rohde

Daniel Rohde

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys! I just got back a fairly large order of stabilized wood from K&G and I was wondering how some of you go about cleaning them up? Belts seems to be the logical answer but would like to here what you guys think. Thanks Guys!
 
Abrasives are generally the best way to go. Most of the time I use a disc grinder with a table.... I don't get too wrapped around the axle about finely finishing the blocks..... just enough so I can judge how nice or how poor each individual block looks.

I'm pretty picky on my woods, so if I don't think a given piece is gona be "killer" prior to sending it in for stabilizing.... it just doesn't go. :)
 
Thanks Ed! I don't have a disc grinder but I'll use abrasives. I really should get one....Just another thing to save up for.....

Unfortunately I can't completely afford to be as picky about my wood as you can but I do try to make what I've got count.

Thanks again Ed!
 
Abrasives seems to clog too quickly for me with all of the dried gunk on the blocks. It may sound odd, but I make a quick pass with a face-mill first... then I can touch the blocks up quickly on the disc grinder. It helps to keep the shop-vac in position during the face milling to avoid a big mess.
Erin
 
I just knock the majority off with a 36X belt and then throw on an old 220X to finish them up. I find that 220X is fine enough to see the figure clearly but doesn't take a lot of time. Just keep your rubber belt cleaner/eraser handy to keep the belts clean. If you really wanna make em look nice at 220X just give em a quick buff with pink rouge on a soft wheel.
 
I bought some cheap 24 grit belts, that don't work well for anything, so I've been using them to just grind the excess resin off, then I sand them with 220 and 320 AO belts. I use the belt grinder instead of the disc because I have a better dust collections system on my belt grinder. I'm usually finishing the blocks to sell them, so I finish them to a higher grit than most makers will who are just finishing the blocks for their own use.
 
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