Small wooden cube

They look so smooth and uniform! I realize they are simple forms, but you can see the amount of work that has gone into them.

I was wondering if you would have been able to use something like a rock tumbler that polishes rocks to sand them? I have never used one, but it was just a thought, as it seems that it might be able to accomplish the same thing.

In any case, you and your wife should be commended!

Sheila

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"

Ok that looks like to much work but I think sheila has a good idea with the rock tumbler.

-- Tim - I usally measure twice after I cut......then I know for sure that I cut it short.....

I think the rock tumbler idea is probably a very viable one. I remember seeing a post somewhere on making wooden spheres by cutting a rough shape like a dodecahedron and then tumbling it round. Should work to smooth a cube’s edges as well. Speaking as someone who has tried to make perfect cubes of wood before, it’s NOT EASY, and I was using a milling station to make mine. Nicely done!

-- Make it, hack it, break it, fix it.

Thanks for the idea Sheila. I found the old topic of sanding small pieces of wood in a rock tumbling machine http://lumberjocks.com/topics/9848. Here in Serbia there are no such machines. How I saw the machine can be made relatively easily. But the big question remains – abrasives. Tomorrow I open the forum topic maybe someone has a good idea. Mightywombat your milling station may make a real nice cube but it is uglier than my wife, no chance to make a pot of coffee, but on the plus side, there is no mother-in-law. Just kidding. Based on your story I looked around for topic. And when I grow up I’ll buy milling station…

-- My English and my woodworking are matching skills.

There is a blog post about making a tumbling machine
http://lumberjocks.com/Filinvested/blog/18675
It is on my list of things to do this summer.

-- ----- www.KNWoodworking.com ----- --

Funny, I suggested Jeff a couple of days ago exactly this tumblig thing Sheila recommended. But couldn´t find the blog. Thank you for the research.

Yes, sanding those blocks seem to be an inmate labor, LOL ;-)

-- Back home. Fernando

Besides the rock tublers, I wonder if something like the reloaders use to polish shells would work, too

-- Rod ~ There's never enough time to finish a project, but there's always time to start another one.

I read about sanding objects like this in an old Fine Woodworking Magazine. This person created a cage for the squares that was positioned over a belt sander. When the blocks were placed in the cage they would tumble around and sand the corners smooth. I suppose if you left them in too long they’d become spheres instead of cubes :-)

-- Marty, https://www.MyChipCarving.com, 866-444-6996

Small sander was hit in the center of the target http://lumberjocks.com/projects/48102. Unfortunately it is not big enough for larger pieces. I am currently in a rehabilitation center, enjoying the spa life.
Upon return I plan to make a drum sander. Big drum filled with parts for sanding and steel wool or other abrasives. Without the help of colleagues from LJ my wife and I would still sand blocks. So simple machine as that but great help.

-- My English and my woodworking are matching skills.

They look great! Now to go read up on this tumbler of yours…....

-- Dale, Oregon