Sanding tree rings for viewing under a microscope

[Doug Miller]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Not a planer, a plane. A planer is a power tool for surfacing wood, a plane is a hand tool.

[jcoruddat]

I meant the hand tool.

[dadiOH]

Corundum IS aluminum oxide. The black is silicon carbide (AKA carborundum) or - maybe - emery (AKA corundum) which is ALSO aluminum oxide. Why did you suggest garnet?

[dadiOH]

After you have sanded to a fine grit, what did you do to remove the residual dust? Try washing with mineral spirits and - when dry - wiping with a microfiber cloth.

[Swingman]

I have actually used a Hyde scraper (with a new blade) to make half round stock out of off-the-shelf, wooden dowel rods.

Amazing how quickly it worked.

While the grain direction is different with a tree ring core, and as long as it has been dried, I would at least try a careful application of a properly scrapper, it might now work with some woods.

If that didn't work, a sharp razor/exacto blade.

AMMOF, in a botany course in college 50 years ago, I used a sharp knife to do the same thing the OP is agonizing over.

[Doug Miller]

"dadiOH" wrote in news:njutbc$big$ [e-mail]:

Yes, you're right, I meant carborundum, not corundum. I suggested garnet because IME garnet sandpapers wear *much* better than aluminum oxide papers. Garnet seems to stay sharper a lot longer.

>

[John Grossbohlin]

The "wood experts" in my club either use a plane or chisel to clean up end grain as part of the wood identification process. They use a loupe in their work and look at the cell structure to help make a determination as to species.

Unless you are trying to clean up the whole end of a log, for example, I'd think that a half-way decent 1/2" chisel, properly sharpened, would suffice for your purposes. If the wood is smooth to begin with, and relatively large, even a properly prepared card scrapper may suffice as all you need to do is remove the oxidized surface.

Quite frankly, crosscuts of dried wood made with my freshly sharpened Forrest WWII are very clean. Under magnification I can generally see the cells of most species without any further preparation effort...

[Leon]

Keep in mind that Garnet seems to stay sharp longer because it re- fractures with use and therefore creates new cutting surfaces.

The drawback however is that as the garnet breaks down it also tends to change to a finer grit so sanding to a consistent smoothness with several pieces of paper over different surfaces might be tricky.

If you are looking for a long lasting paper the Festool Granat, lite blue colored, sand paper lasts a very very long time compared to any paper I have used. It is very resistant to loading up, even when removing cured finishes. I have had a single piece of this paper last over the coarse of 2~3 complete projects and still remain sharp. It is now what I use exclusively.

[J. Clarke]

Is there an auto parts store near you? If so try them. They should have sandpaper to thousand grit or higher. If there's a Woodcraft they have it to 12,000.

[Jack]

I have Garnet paper that has lasted over 40 years, because about the only time I use it is for facing jigs I don't want to slide. Garnet paper is hard to find because it wears poorly and has all but been replaced with aluminum oxide. It doesn't last long enough to worry about staying sharp, both I guess is due to it's easiness to fracture. Its main claim to fame is it's cheap, and it is.

[jcoruddat]

I found aluminum oxide up to 400 grit. Since aluminum oxide does not seem to go above 400 grit, would silicone carbide last for wood?

[Spalted Walt]

Are you serious? (or trolling...)

800 grit: 1200 grit: 1500 grit:

[Just Wondering]

[Spalted Walt]

Apparently you totally missed the "aluminum oxide" part. :-/

[Just Wondering]

Did you see jcoruddata's original post? "Is there anything wrong with [the] type of sandpaper I use?" "What type of sandpaper would provide the cleanest finish? The query obviously is not limited to an aluminum oxide solution.

[J. Clarke]

Works fine. 1000 grit shouldn't have a lot to do--you should have been through 600 and 800 first. If you want 1000 grit specifically for wood and can't find it elsewhere, Klinspor is a good source