Bolster finishing

Sean Yaw

Sean Yaw

Gold Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Messages
417
I usually finish bolsters on my slipjoints with 1200 grit sand paper on a rubber backed block so that I can touch the entire bolster in a single pass. Hopefully that all makes sense. I am working on a bolster (see picture) that I am unable to do that with. Given the "finger curve", I can't concoct a way to touch the entire bolster in a single pass. When I sand it in multiple passes, working my way down the bolster, it looks a little smudgy near the edges of the passes where they overlap. Any recommendations or advice for how to proceed? Thank you.
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Cut your paper into a strip about 6" long.
Put the paper on the area and put your thumb on top of the paper, pull the paper with one hand and use the thumb of the other hand to apply pressure. Do this over the entire area.

Doing it this way you do not need to try and do the entire bolster all at once
 
AVigil said:
Cut your paper into a strip about 6" long.
Put the paper on the area and put your thumb on top of the paper, pull the paper with one hand and use the thumb of the other hand to apply pressure. Do this over the entire area.

Doing it this way you do not need to try and do the entire bolster all at once
Click to expand...
Thanks, Adam. I tried that, per Bill Ruple's video, but I was still getting that uneven streaking. I'll give it a better attempt today.
 
AVigil said:
Get some 3M polishing paper and use that instead of sandpaper
Click to expand...
Ha, I was just going to say this. Sometimes when my Rhynowet in the 1200-2000 range is acting up with smudges, I can polish with the pink 4000 3M sheets and clean it right up. I find that the sheet carries away some of the residue that keeps getting created and causing the smudge.
 
I'm wondering if scotch brite belt would really help here I'm just not sure with the wood scales... You would probably need to remove and put in a sacrificial material so you didn't get any rounding at the metal/wood transition point... I would probably try some moldable plastic beads (heat them up to a low temp and they melt together and you can form to whatever shape you want)
 
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