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See pic.
Thanks

I would be concerned with that method....you don't have consistent feeding, you'll end up with ripples....at worst, you pause accidentally in one spot, you'll send most of the way through in one swoop. It's a lot different than feeding a flat plate.

While I find the "air cushioned rolling pin" sander (Grizzly about $80) to be a wonderful tool for rim leveling -- because you can keep it moving, I agree with Ken H. this device could make mess in an instant if the work piece stalls. $.02

Yes I see what you mean.
Ken, your KMG v.2 binding channel router - I was thinking of a set up like that, with a jig that adjusted around the sanding sleeve like the one you provide to adjust around the 1/4" bit. Using the sliding foam fixture, pulling the guitar into the sleeve but having the jig adjusted to just kiss the side of the instrument.
Stupid idea? C'mon, I can take it!!! :-)

Seems like you need to do some R&D -- the (my) hand held tool has instant on/off/reverse functions. Plus if you don't apply "hold back" and down pressure the tool simply runs off the work surface. So -- the trick will be preventing the rim from dwelling in one location too long creating a ridge.

I use an oscillating drum sander . They seem to have better control. Any of these type of tools take a touch to learn to use. You do need to keep them moving no matter which you use . Don't use too much pressure . I don't like the drill press for this type of work as the drill press can whip .
The hand held units work also just use a light touch and same as with the oscillating sanders , a light touch and let the tool do the work.

Okay, you've forced me into spending hours on a multi-media presentation. That's actually not true, but do you see what I'm getting at? There would be no danger of the body sanding too deep, and the amount sanded would be completely uniform. Wouldn't it?

Like this principle - just sized for a spindle - pull the instrument into it like we do when cutting binding channels.

deadedith wrote:Like this principle - just sized for a spindle - pull the instrument into it like we do when cutting binding channels.

In your setup what are you indexing on? Without something stable for the depth stop to ride on you will just keep sanding more of the side. I trued the sides of my first parlor guitar with a spindle sander mounted on a buffing arbor. I just had to be very careful with light even pressure on the spindle but also a good grip on the guitar. I made a set of hatched pencil marks and just sanded them off. The setup did not have real aggressive sandpaper and the buffer does not turn super fast so I always felt in control.

At this point, John, I'm just toying with the concept. But at that level only, would it not make sense to move the instrument into a stable depth stop beyond which the side could not go, thereby insuring that I could not oversand? There would be just a tiny radius exposed to the wood.

The principle would be the same as Ken's v2 binding channel system; there, only as much of the bit is exposed as is wanted. Here, only as much of the spindle would be exposed as wanted. I think it would be fairly easy to fabricate the stable depth stop, and in fact I would use Ken's binding table set-up as the base, modified to use a spindle set up rather than a laminate trimmer.

Edited to add pic - basic idea. Of course, the fence would have to wrap around the spindle so that waist curves etc could work around it. The pic is of someone's jointing system using a spindle sander.