Sanding rings

Cue Crazy

Cue Crazy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I usually hand sand My rings on a flat surface, no matter if they look like they need It or not. Recently I made some new billet for rings by inlaying aluminum strips into phenolic in the butt size, cut It all up into rings, and after I had sanded quite a few of them, I started developing some pretty good rasberries in the middles of a couple of fingers. Bad enough that I was bleeding all over the rings and sandpaper. I've never been one to mind a small loss of blood, but It was starting to get alittle messy. Anyway I made It through the butt rings right before it really got out of hand, but I just made some to match in the joint size, and there are alot more of those to sand.

I thought about turning something on one of the lathes, to sand rings, so My fingers don't take all the abuse. I was just going to turn something to round & face off, but the problem I see Is It slipping off the rings when I try to use it. (In other words- It would not grip the rings). Unless I leave a lip around the edge of the tool to hold the rings secure, and in that case I would need to turn down 2 different tools, one for each diameter.

I was wondering if anyone else has made something for sanding rings by hand this way.

I was thinking maybe glue a piece of rubber to a flat face, but I don't know If that would just peel up or sand away, that's if It would even work at all.

Seems like I've seen a tool for sale for this, but I don't recall how It worked or where I saw It.

Any Ideas?

Thanks,

Greg
 
i dont like using a tool to hold the ring bc if you tilt it a hair you ruin the ring. i made one but dont use it anymore i suck it up and hand sand them like you do with 220
 
are you sanding them to get them flat?what are you cutting them off the billet with?
 
RocketQ said:
prather sells one. I would make it the same od as the ring I was sanding though.
Click to expand...


You mean bored out slightly with lip around It like I mentioned?
 
Ring Sander

I use a rubber bumper to to hold the ring while I figure 8 them on a lapping
plate. Just use your lathe to cut a slight 3/4 (or whatever) tenon that will grip the ring. Takes about 2 minutes to make one.

Bob Flynn
 
dave sutton said:
i dont like using a tool to hold the ring bc if you tilt it a hair you ruin the ring. i made one but dont use it anymore i suck it up and hand sand them like you do with 220
Click to expand...



That's My prefered way, and I get some pretty good abraisions, although I usually don't have any troubles this bad, maybe It's the materials I'm sanding making things worse, not sure, but If it were a maple based ring, It would be ruined, stained with blood. I have no issues sucking It on something like that when It comes to any pain, If You saw what My finger looked like, then that would be obvious, because I didn't stop at the first sign of blood, but It getting everywhere the way it was bleeding is another story, and the more I sanded the more blood that started getting everywhere. I did finish that set of rings in the same setting.
 
Cue Crazy said:
I usually hand sand My rings on a flat surface, no matter if they look like they need It or not. Recently I made some new billet for rings by inlaying aluminum strips into phenolic in the butt size, cut It all up into rings, and after I had sanded quite a few of them, I started developing some pretty good rasberries in the middles of a couple of fingers. Bad enough that I was bleeding all over the rings and sandpaper. I've never been one to mind a small loss of blood, but It was starting to get alittle messy. Anyway I made It through the butt rings right before it really got out of hand, but I just made some to match in the joint size, and there are alot more of those to sand.

I thought about turning something on one of the lathes, to sand rings, so My fingers don't take all the abuse. I was just going to turn something to round & face off, but the problem I see Is It slipping off the rings when I try to use it. (In other words- It would not grip the rings). Unless I leave a lip around the edge of the tool to hold the rings secure, and in that case I would need to turn down 2 different tools, one for each diameter.

I was wondering if anyone else has made something for sanding rings by hand this way.

I was thinking maybe glue a piece of rubber to a flat face, but I don't know If that would just peel up or sand away, that's if It would even work at all.

Seems like I've seen a tool for sale for this, but I don't recall how It worked or where I saw It.

Any Ideas?

Thanks,

Greg
Click to expand...

I would just take a round of any hardwood turn it to the OD of the billet ring and then turn the bottom to the ID and thickness of your standard Billet rings. Make one for joints and one for A-joints and butts, with use you may have to increase the length of the tools ID as the bottom is sanded off.

I have been using this design for a couple of years and they work very well, require little maintenace, and they are easy to make and cost nothing.

Take care
 
manwon said:
I would just take a round of any hardwood turn it to the OD of the billet ring and then turn the bottom to the ID and thickness of your standard Billet rings. Make one for joints and one for A-joints and butts, with use you may have to increase the length of the tools ID as the bottom is sanded off.

I have been using this design for a couple of years and they work very well, require little maintenace, and they are easy to make and cost nothing.

Take care
Click to expand...
Delrin's cheap.
OR freeze rubber and machine it.
 
masonh said:
are you sanding them to get them flat?what are you cutting them off the billet with?
Click to expand...


No, not really to get them flat.

I'm plunge cutting them with about a 1/16 endmill, and It is set up square to begin with. I deburr the ID's, but that still leaves a slight lip. I'm more less kind of honing the rings, although without as fine as a grit as would normally be associated with honing & no cutting oil used. It makes them look seamless when stacked on top of one another. I guess it does kind of flatten them out, but what I'm saying is the rings are cut off square, so I'm not relying on the sanding for that. Just cleaning the faces up.
 
QMAKER said:
I use a rubber bumper to to hold the ring while I figure 8 them on a lapping
plate. Just use your lathe to cut a slight 3/4 (or whatever) tenon that will grip the ring. Takes about 2 minutes to make one.

Bob Flynn
Click to expand...


Duhhh,:thumbup: I should have thought about that, here I'm thinking about grabbing the OD with a bore, when It's just as easy to cut a tenon and grab the ID instead. Thanks Bob, I'll give It a try. That will probably help. I'll try a bumper first though, that's sounds promising also If I can get used to the feel.
 
I was watching Cue Components DVDs awhile back and Joe showed the delrin ones that he made, using the ID of the ring, it was the simplest idea. I made one, with the .750 on one side, and .625 on the other. Works great, especially on the real thin rings.
Dave
 
Dave38 said:
I was watching Cue Components DVDs awhile back and Joe showed the delrin ones that he made, using the ID of the ring, it was the simplest idea. I made one, with the .750 on one side, and .625 on the other. Works great, especially on the real thin rings.
Dave
Click to expand...




Never seen the dvd's, but Funny You should mention that, because I took alittle bit from what each person mentioned earlier,and this is what I came up with. I used delrin with a snug fit on the ID of the ring. It grabs the rings really well, but as can be seen these rings are alittle thicker, I have some thin ones too but they are so thin that I would have to make one with a shorter tenon. Anyway I put a couple of grooves near the bottom to make it easier to grip, and I have way more control over the ring then By hand. It works very well, makes sanding the rings faster and easier. It's a real breeze to use.

My pictures are poor quality, but......

It's in the first picture on the bottom right hand side.

The second picture is of the butt sized billet before chopping rings.

I guess I'm gonna try to find some sterling strips to try out next time. First time I've used any kind of metal in the billet I make. I just wanted to try something cheaper at first, and this fit the bill nicely for that. The SS should come out even nicer.:)

Want to thank everyone here for Their suggestions. I'm happy to say I won't be sanding my fingers to the bone as much or doing involuntary blood transfusions on my rings now, and for that I am very gratefull.:grin-square:

Thanks again,
Greg
 

Attachments

  • blacksilverrings18.JPG
    blacksilverrings18.JPG
    92.9 KB · Views: 255
  • blacksilverrings1.JPG
    blacksilverrings1.JPG
    33.1 KB · Views: 265
I make mine out of Delrin, they seem to work OK. Has anyone tried the rubber finger protectors to keep the sandpaper from cutting the fingers?
 
aphelps1 said:
I make mine out of Delrin, they seem to work OK. Has anyone tried the rubber finger protectors to keep the sandpaper from cutting the fingers?
Click to expand...



Don't know If I've seen those, but I tried wearing latex gloves, and not only did the paper wear through them, but the latex kept getting caught under the side of the ring & rolling up under It while sanding.
 
HIGH TECH RING SANDER and FINGER SAVER

ringsander004.jpg

ringsander002.jpg

ringsander001.jpg


Bob Flynn
denalicues.com
International Cuemakers Assoc.
 
You probably already have a tool made for sanding rings but didnt know it. Masking tape.

Just wrap a few layers around your first second and third fingers with the sticky side out and go for it. Makes it easy to pick up the rings too.

Patent is pending by the way.
Cue Crazy said:
No, not really to get them flat.

I'm plunge cutting them with about a 1/16 endmill, and It is set up square to begin with. I deburr the ID's, but that still leaves a slight lip. I'm more less kind of honing the rings, although without as fine as a grit as would normally be associated with honing & no cutting oil used. It makes them look seamless when stacked on top of one another. I guess it does kind of flatten them out, but what I'm saying is the rings are cut off square, so I'm not relying on the sanding for that. Just cleaning the faces up.
Click to expand...
 
TellsItLikeItIs said:
You probably already have a tool made for sanding rings but didnt know it. Masking tape.

Just wrap a few layers around your first second and third fingers with the sticky side out and go for it. Makes it easy to pick up the rings too.

Patent is pending by the way.
Click to expand...



Yeah, That's a thought. Due to the fact I was bleeding like a stuck pig:grin-square: , I did wrap some green masking tape around one of My fingers to stop It, but It kept slipping off the rings when the dust got inbetween It and the ring. It did slightly cross My mind to roll up a cone reversed with the sticky side out, but I guess I counted It out too soon. I just figured It would gum up the paper, so never gave It a chance. Maybe I should have tried that at the time.

As It stands now I couldn't be more happy with the tool I made from the delrin, so I guess all's well that ends well.:) I just used It again today, and the results were better then expected.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top