A technique for power flattening segmented rings

[SceneryMaker]

I tried another idea to easily flatten rings.

1. I put a ring on the spindle of my 16" lathe with Cole jaws. I straightened up the sides of the ring but I'm not good enough to make a glue-ready joint with a bowl gouge. Then I scribbled on the cut face with a pencil.

2. I mounted a 12" flat sanding disk to a tailstock from a 12" lathe through a live center onto my 16" lathe. then I could press the sanding disk against the ring, getting 4" of stroke for each rev of the headstock. At 500 rpm, it only took a few seconds of time and no effort at all to erase all the pencil scribbles.

I've never before flattened a ring this easily and quickly.

[charliez]

Just put a sandpaper on a flat item and hold it against the ring as it turns. You can make it as big as you want to sand any size ring.

[SceneryMaker]

Just put a sandpaper on a flat item and hold it against the ring as it turns. You can make it as big as you want to sand any size ring.

A project that requires 196 rings like I completed just before Christmas is enough work that you go looking for an easier way. I did that one with sandpaper on a board and vowed "Not the next one!" Turning a tailstock wheel is a lot easier.

[RustyN]

What am I missing here. Why does the height of your tail stock not lint up with the head?

[iclark]

What am I missing here. Why does the height of your tail stock not lint up with the head?

Good catch. I missed that.

The tailstock from a different sized lathe to hold the sanding disk on a live center lets the sanding disk spin at a separate speed than the headstock and spreads the wear on the sanding disk across more of the sand paper.

[charliez]

I think he's using a tailstock just for his sander. Not a bad idea if you can find one.

[RustyN]

Thanks. Great idea. Looks like it works very well.