Chuck them in a drill and apply the sandpaper with the drill running.
WARNING: Wear gloves to do this as the sand paper can get very hot !
WARNING: Wear gloves to do this as the sand paper can get very hot !
I learned the hard way to wear a pair of heavy duty leather gardening gloves. Be careful to go slow a d stop frequently to measure with digital calipers. Rotate the mast or spar while sanding. I used a piece of dowel to practice with at first. Came out like a Sharpened pencil, so go lightly and slow.even with that it is a lot faster.
I did try the drill method and can confirm the dowel gets hot, but I found the chuck leaves indentations so I tried the belt sander upside down. There was also a fair amount of wobble in the mast as it turned. For me it worked better than the drill.
Great ideas. Much simpler than buying a lathe.
I've also shaped dowels using your recommended "drill motor and sandpaper" method before (I forget why). Heat was definitely an issue! Not sure if gloves are the best solution or if too much heat will ultimately ruin the workpiece and/or sandpaper?
Thoughts?
I've also shaped dowels using your recommended "drill motor and sandpaper" method before (I forget why). Heat was definitely an issue! Not sure if gloves are the best solution or if too much heat will ultimately ruin the workpiece and/or sandpaper?
Thoughts?
Wrap the dowel in leather or multiple layers of paper towel to prevent the indentations. Of course you need to still be careful how much you tighten the chuck too.
I think I can go with that. Thanks!
Don’t grip the sandpaper too tight. The tighter you hold it, the more friction you create, thereby creating more heat. Measure frequently !
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Tapering methods.... I used to gradually shape them down by using an x-acto knife until it was close to size, and then hand sand them into round and final required diameter. That's painful, and prone to problems. What I do now is much simpler and considerably faster. Tools required: cordless drill with a good sized chuck (like you'd use for handyman projects around the home), a caliper (or some other measuring tool to keep track of your diameter reduction progress), a couple of grades of sandpaper (coarse and fine), double sided tape, and some leather surfaced work gloves (because things are gonna get hot). Plus a scrap of plywood as a sanding base. Sounds like a lot, but its really easy.
My current process: I adhere a sheet of coarse sandpaper to a scrap of plywood using double sided tape. Then I chuck the dowel material into the drill, and using a slow speed and wearing gloves on my left hand... I press the dowel against the sheet of sand paper with the gloved hand and start the drill. I simply apply more pressure towards the tapered end that's away from the drill chuck, which gives me a decent taper over the length of the dowel. Don't run the drill fast... a decent slow and constant speed will work best. Go too fast, and not only will it become painfully hot on your hand, you'll risk charring the dowel. Check the taper diameter as you progress, until you're very close to the desired diameter. Then switch out the coarse sandpaper with fine, and continue to the process till you reach the desired diameter.
When I first started this hobby decades ago, cordless drills weren't in existence, and variable speed corded drills were out of my price range. Fast forward, and I now have a SunJoe "el cheapo" cordless variable speed drill with adjustable torque. It's perfect for the job and set me back less than $30. So much easier, and so much less frustration. Whatever process you decide to go with, just remember that it's all about what you're comfortable with and suits your modelling budget. Happy building! (BTW, you'll see I've built a Harvey as well, but it's the Artesania Latina kit that's a much larger scale.) It's a great ship to build, and I love the hull lines. Enjoy!
My current process: I adhere a sheet of coarse sandpaper to a scrap of plywood using double sided tape. Then I chuck the dowel material into the drill, and using a slow speed and wearing gloves on my left hand... I press the dowel against the sheet of sand paper with the gloved hand and start the drill. I simply apply more pressure towards the tapered end that's away from the drill chuck, which gives me a decent taper over the length of the dowel. Don't run the drill fast... a decent slow and constant speed will work best. Go too fast, and not only will it become painfully hot on your hand, you'll risk charring the dowel. Check the taper diameter as you progress, until you're very close to the desired diameter. Then switch out the coarse sandpaper with fine, and continue to the process till you reach the desired diameter.
When I first started this hobby decades ago, cordless drills weren't in existence, and variable speed corded drills were out of my price range. Fast forward, and I now have a SunJoe "el cheapo" cordless variable speed drill with adjustable torque. It's perfect for the job and set me back less than $30. So much easier, and so much less frustration. Whatever process you decide to go with, just remember that it's all about what you're comfortable with and suits your modelling budget. Happy building! (BTW, you'll see I've built a Harvey as well, but it's the Artesania Latina kit that's a much larger scale.) It's a great ship to build, and I love the hull lines. Enjoy!
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2023
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- 113
Rotation speed and hand pressure are the two variables for controlling the heat generated. It's all about friction, and managing how much is being created. Once you do your first taper, you'll have a feel for what you're doing and it just becomes easier as you do more. One other small tip... as you're applying the dowel against the sandpaper, make sure you're constantly moving the dowel back and forth lengthwise. Otherwise you risk creating recessed rings around the mast that will be more work to sand out when you migrate to the finer sandpaper for final finishing.
Wrap a dowel with masking tape at the end which goes into the drill chuck. Wrap around three or four times. Put the dowel in the chuck and tighten down just snug enough to turn the dowel without it slipping in the chuck. Get a 2x4 and wrap it with the sand paper so you can lay the dowel horizontally on the sanding block and start slowly rotating the dowel. You can press the dowel with the hand that isn't running the drill but only gently. Keep a sharp eye on the dowel so you don't sand too much off and then swap ends to do the other end of the dowel. This is how I made all the spars for the Cutty Sark and it works well as long as you don't over do it. I think a lathe is the best way to do these spars but I don't have one right now. The sanding block had to do. Hope this helps. Pete
Yep, this is the build that I have, and I am just about that far along. I have one side planked, and am working on the other side. I have been impressed with the quality of the lazer cut parts and the fit.
I am a retired hardware design engineer (International Space Station components, OEM-automotive), so I can appreciate a good design.
So far its been fun.
CDR
M, welcome to the forums and have fun. Greetings from Texas! Magic Mike