Beltsanding....

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 4:13 pm

I just finished my first pipe ever...did the trimming on a band saw and finished the rest on a beltsander. Does anybody here work there pipes on a beltsander. The pipe looks good to me as it is my first pipe. There are a lot of things that I need to improve on...just curious to know if anyone has any tips on working with beltsander.

bscofield · Post by **bscofield** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:26 pm

I work with 2 different belt sanders. One with a backing (it is 3" wide) and one with no backing (1" wide). Any tips... ? Hmmm... keep the block moving, go slow. Figure out the best way to obtain your shape based on this: You can always take more off, but can't put it back on :thumb:

Post by **KurtHuhn** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:35 pm

I do all my rough shaping with a belt grinder - the kind marketed toward metalworkers. I love it.

There's not really any tips that I can think of. Just "grind away what doesn't look like a pipe". If you use a 80-grit belt (or coarser) you need to be sure to leave some meat left over so that you can sand out the scratch marks with finer grit paper.

When I'm finished with the belt grinder I typically use a flex-shaft tool and a carving bit to clean up the tight areas, then I take it to the sanding disc for finish sanding.

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:11 pm

Cool thanks guys....my first bowl kind of looks like an alien head but i love it. I definitely have a lot to learn, but for my first pipe it doesn't look all that bad.

Post by **Tyler** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 3:38 pm

flea1 wrote:Cool thanks guys....my first bowl kind of looks like an alien head but i love it. I definitely have a lot to learn, but for my first pipe it doesn't look all that bad.

Pictures, man, pictures!

:thumb:

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:14 pm

I will try to get some pics posted...don't laugh!

LexKY_Pipe · Post by **LexKY_Pipe** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 8:07 am

If there was a first pipe pix gallery, there would be much laughter. For many, the first pipe didn't even resemble a pipe, so nothing to be embarrased about.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 9:29 am

What a great idea! A "First Pipe" gallery!

flea1 · Post by **flea1** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 3:54 pm

If i can get around to it this weekend i will try and post a few pics...the funny thing about it I bought a $30 basket pipe till this pipe was done and my pipe smokes nicer...no shi'!

my cousins wife said it looked like E.T. from behind

windigofer · Post by **windigofer** » Fri Apr 29, 2005 4:01 pm

*LOL* Yes, a First Pipe Gallery is seconded :3

(Although my "first pipe" is an old clay that wasn't *technically* my first, but is the oldest pipe I've done that I still have around that I've made...before I knew ANYTHING about pipemaking...)