Cleaning up a live edge
#10
What's some good ways of cleaning up a live edge for a table top?
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#11
(08-29-2022, 11:40 AM)DaveBozeman Wrote: What's some good ways of cleaning up a live edge for a table top?

The best way I've found to remove any bark is with a draw knife.  I use it to remove any protrusions and nubs, too, and even to recontour the edge, if needed.  After the bark is off, I sand the edges with a small ROS.  You don't want burrs or rough spots that can snag clothing or skin.  

John
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#12
+1  with John on the drawknife.
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#13
It depends on the species. For example, with something like sassafras, all of the bark needs to come off. With walnut, you can leave some of the "inner" bark since it's pretty firmly attached.

A draw knife isn't the best tool. A chisel, even a dull one, will get most of the loose bark off. After that, I use a nylon wheel. Some of the preferred methods are the PC Restorer (mostly used for stripping paint) and even a power drill attachment. I usually remove the bark by hand, and then use a nylon wheel in an angle grinder. Do this outside, because it's extremely dusty. You want to get to the point where it's more akin to sanding than anything else. This lets you keep the contour of the wood.

Whether you keep the nubs or not is up to you. For that matter, how much bark you keep is up to you. It just needs to be attached.
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#14
I haven't done it very often (handful of times), but I always used a grinder, then cleaned up with a pad sander and/or sanding wheels on a drill.  

Not sure you can say a draw knife would or wouldn't be better.  Personal preference.
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#15
Guy on Youtube --"Blacktail Studio" IIRC -- uses an old rotary drum "restorer" that's no longer made when he's working on live edges.

I've seen a similar tool from Eastwood https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-contour-sct.html that has several different drums.  Harbor Freight also has a version and cheaper drums.
"Truth is a highway leading to freedom"  --Kris Kristofferson

Wild Turkey
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(joined 10/1999)
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#16
Assuming the bark has flaked off, I'd go with 40 grit on my belt sander to start with. That will knock off the loose and sharp bits Then a more sensible 80 and the onto some hand sanding to tidy things up.

Anything live edge is going to take some work to get any perfect finish on it. But start out aggressive, the last saw that touched that edge was probably a chain or band saw, basically a 2 grit.
Laugh
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#17
i could see a mop sander being pretty useful for this  --  Amazon.com: LINE10 Tools 4-inch Moulding Flap Sanding Wheel Kit, Sander Mop for Drill Press, Pack of 3, 80, 120, 240 Grit : Industrial & Scientific
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#18
For Tanoak anyway, I use a wire wheel on an angle grinder, after peeling off the bark.  Leaves a very smooth, tactile finish.
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