Fishing for easy cedar sanding suggestions

[rhull]

This is kind of a silly question. :D

My wife has a whole bunch of those little cedar balls (like 3/4" diameter) that she likes to throw in her dresser drawers and clothes closet.

Well, she pulled them all and was going to throw them out because they don't smell cedar-y any more. I was thinking that rather than spend money to replace them, I could just sand them a little to renew the smell.

She had like a half-gallon milk bottle worth of these things. Aside from hand-sanding them, can anybody think of an easier way to get them sanded so they'll smell again?

Hey, I said up-front that it was a silly question.

[TDHofstetter]

Are you a reloader? I'm thinkin' vibratory tumbler here.

Blender? :7

Practically anything will be more doin' than it's worth... they're cheap, right?

-- Tim --


http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/User_files/474cd4bc11ac2509.jpg
:)

[rrich]

Have you considered spraying them with oil of cedar?

[rhull]

Yes, I considered it, but that would involve spending money on cedar oil, and subsequently risking getting clothes oily due to residue.

[rhull]

>Are you a reloader? I'm thinkin' vibratory tumbler here.

No, I don't gun.


>Blender? :7
>
>Practically anything will be more doin' than it's worth...
>they're cheap, right?

Well, they're significantly more expensive than an equivalent amount of cedar bdft. :) $0.50 worth of sandpaper versus $10+ for replacements when buying the raw wood needed to make the things would cost $2.

I was thinking about one of those stone polisher things, but I haven't had one of those contraptions since I was 9.

As I said, a silly question. Just trying to find a way to save a few bucks. Changing jobs hasn't been kind to my wallet.

[TDHofstetter]

OK, here we go. Cardboard box. Beach (or trunk) sand. Cedar balls. With me so far? Washing machine. Spin cycle. Out of balance. Instant vibratory tumbler. Do it on a real wash cycle & it won't cost anything but the sand & the box.

Got anything else that shakes, in case the washing machine is declared off-limits?

-- Tim --


http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/User_files/474cf4f91ef43154.jpg
:)

[dust_maker]

How about cutting them in half on the bandsaw. You should get points with the wife cuz now there are twice as many.

The best part is no sanding!!!

Of course, building a jig to hold the spheres safely is definitely recommended and will give you more shop time.

JP

"I didn't do it, you didn't see me do it and nobody can prove I did it" - my 8 yr old

[rblusthaus]

one at a time just touched to the belt sander. Tedious, but it will work to renew that "new car" smell.

[TDHofstetter]

You're onto something... you've just triggered a very old memory of mine, reading about somebody who'd done exactly what the original question was about - sanding wooden spheres - by attaching a bottomless box to the top of a horizontal stationary belt sander. They filled the box with balls, put the lid on, and turned on the sander. They self-rotated inside the box, sanding themselves clean & round.

They weren't STUFFED into the box - that'd prevent them from self-rotating. They could only be one single layer, too.

-- Tim --


http://www.woodworking.com/dcforum/User_files/474d8e3f07c4d546.jpg
:)

[dbriski]

Do you have a lathe? Stick it between centers, touch some sand paper to it, done. Doesn't have to stay a perfect sphere.