Managing/Sanding Bubinga

[c_dwyer]

Looking for advice on managing tearout in bubinga, besides sanding ad nauseum.

I'm working on a small bench using a 90 on rotex, then random working from 40 through 120 and still can't seem to get it right. Switched over to 5" random and kept going, but no cigar.  Am I simply giving up too soon between grits?

 

[tjbnwi]

Explain the issues you're having----pictures help.

What are you trying to accomplish? (Sounds like a dumb question.....)

Tom

 

[monstrol]

Bubinga is a hard wood. I have had good luck filling tear out on bubinga with 5 minute epoxy and sanding and refilling until flush with the surface. As long as you are not planning on using stain and are using a film top coat like lacquer it can work.

 

[c_dwyer]

Sorry Tom, it was late when I finished up last night and I wasn't able to grab any photos.  I'm in the process of making a small bench similar to the one pictured in oak (26" long x 12" wide x 16" high). The bubinga I have has some tearout that I'm trying to address, and I wasn't having much luck last night.

Tonights effort required 45 minutes of sanding with a 5" random orbital using 2 disks of 100 grit before I went to finer grit, and that seemed to work.  Although most folks refrain from tipping the sander, shallow tipping seemed to be an approach that worked for some of the trouble spots.  Once I reached 180, I drilled pocket-holes to attach the legs (cut at a 6 degree angle) to the top, the same as the oak bench. I quit tonight after snapping two pocket screws that wouldn't go the full way into the top. I was almost home with one that I drilled a pilot hole for, but another quarter turn and it gave out.

I'll try using the Domino after testing on joining some offcuts, but I imagine my bit will never be the same. It was just so much quicker with the oak version, again, based on the 6 degree cuts for the legs.

 

[tjbnwi]

I'd try reversing the feed direction of the board through the planer with very small cuts. If that didn't work I'd be sanding it like you are.

Tom

 

[ear3]

Stupid question, but have to ask -- did you adjust the torque settings on the drill?  Never worked with Bubinga before, but I've snapped screws in Hard Maple by not remembering to adjust the clutch.  Speaking of pocket hole screws, do they make any that are more durable?  I've occasionally substituted thin Spax screws when I was using harder material, but wondering if Kreg makes a more robust version (haven't been able to find it on the site)?

Sorry Tom, it was late when I finished up last night and I wasn't able to grab any photos.  I'm in the process of making a small bench similar to the one pictured in oak (26" long x 12" wide x 16" high). The bubinga I have has some tearout that I'm trying to address, and I wasn't having much luck last night.

Tonights effort required 45 minutes of sanding with a 5" random orbital using 2 disks of 100 grit before I went to finer grit, and that seemed to work.  Although most folks refrain from tipping the sander, shallow tipping seemed to be an approach that worked for some of the trouble spots.  Once I reached 180, I drilled pocket-holes to attach the legs (cut at a 6 degree angle) to the top, the same as the oak bench. I quit tonight after snapping two pocket screws that wouldn't go the full way into the top. I was almost home with one that I drilled a pilot hole for, but another quarter turn and it gave out.

I'll try using the Domino after testing on joining some offcuts, but I imagine my bit will never be the same. It was just so much quicker with the oak version, again, based on the 6 degree cuts for the legs.

 

[Birdhunter]

I built a wine chest out of Bubinga and Ebony. Even with a helical head carbide cutter planer, I had trouble with getting a good surface. I ended up using a drum sander to flatten the wood and then my 5" RO sander working from 80 to 320 grit. I did all the joinery with Dominos. I used alcohol on all the glue joints and mortises before applying the glue. Titebond III worked well.

 

[c_dwyer]

Ed - I didn't think to adjust the torque on the drill, but I do think a different washer head screw may have worked. For kicks, I'll try that on some scraps to see if it will work, but all I have at the moment are Kreg's.  Birdhunter - thank you for the isopropyl tip, I'll do that for sure before using the titebond.

As it turns out, using the Domino was the trick for joining the legs to the top - hands down. I made some test cuts, which was a good thing.  The mortise into the top was 90 degrees, but I had to set the mortise into the legs at 84 degrees to compensate for the 6 degree cut. Once I set it up, it went much faster than drilling the pocket holes and everything fit together perfectly. I didn't care much that it didn't exactly "fold" on the line, just that it was at a consistent distance from the ends.

Much thanks for Half-inch Shy's video on joining mid-shelves which provided a very good review.

Thank you all for the encouragement also.  A few more steps to go, and a lot more finish sanding in store.