How do you cut a belly contour?

[phreddy]

I have a Pine Tele body and I want an elbow and belly contour. How can I do it at home without buying a Home Depot?

 

Thanks for your help.

[WRGKMC]

Pine should be soft enough to just use an electric sander on it.

A belt sander would take it down like swiss cheeze.

I've even use a circular disk for an electric drill. They make those

ones where you buy the sand paper disks in different grits.

Start heavy for the bulk of the work and work down to super fine.

 

Harder woods you can use a wood plane and rasp to take the wood down.

Scrapers too have their place but that stuff really takes some skill to use.

I'd be worried with pine using manual hand tools cause its got hard and soft pulp.

You can easily cut too deep in the soft areas.

 

I go with power tools like sander whenever possible. Its slower going which makes it

more forgiving to screwups.

[MahaloVision]

Main problem I have with sanding is the dust, but if you're using dust collection and wearing a mask, no problem. The other challenge with sanding is getting an even surface if you haven't done a lot before. If you work systematically and have some experience, then it usually comes out OK.

 

I use a spokeshave, surform rasps, violin planes, shaves, scrapers, or whatever it takes (or whatever I feel like using at the time). It helps if you mark out the limits on the side and back as to where the contouring will be, then cut almost to the lines. Finish up with some coarse paper on a flexible sanding block to help keep things even.

[Mr.Grumpy]

I was going to suggest a Surform rasp. Pronounced "sure form" it's a product of Stanley tools, and is available with a half-round blade. Basically it's a cheese grater meant for wood, it removes a lot of wood fast for a hand tool, and won't kick up dust like sanding will. There's always a possibility of splintering the wood, especially a softwood like pine, so watch the grain and your direction of cutting. (The surform only cuts in one direction). It leaves a fairly rough surface so you'll need to sand it anyway.

[tedmich]

along the lines of the previously suggested surform

microplane cuts great!

http://us.microplane.com/300412rotaryshaperdrillattachment.aspx

these units cut little chips, not dust! And if you are careful with the end grain you can use them to rough out a concavity (which you will need to then sand)

I like the scotchbrite/sandpaper combo units made by 3M

 

I sand out doors on my balcony on a sunny day

[Bryan316]

Microplane Coarse and Fine Snap-in Set

 

 

 

I have used my Microplanes on damn near every woodworking project I've started since buying these. I use them for Halloween to carve and shape blocks of foam for tombstones and props. I use them for repair work, construction, fine woodworking, guitar building, furniture construction and everything in between. You'll be amazed how often you reach for this when you have to sculpt or carve something. They make plenty different insert shapes, so peruse their website. Don't buy these. INVEST in these.

[tedmich]

microplanes are SS and thus used in kitchens for nuts, lemon zest and hard cheeses too!

[Bryan316]

Yeah I've seen these on cooking shows while flipping through the channels. Made me stop and think. Then I saw them in the kitchenware at Target and thought, "I remember paying $35 at the woodworking store for mine, and these are $18 now?!?! BUYING EXTRAS..." and stockpiled some spares for me now. heh heh....

[tvvoodoo]

Angle grinder, palm sander combo works well - careful though, the grinders move a LOT of material fast.

 

 

 

 

[Bryan316]

Excellent. Damn fine work there, for such brutal, industrial tools, no? Amazing what a huge honkin grinder can do when you have a gentle hand and plenty of patience.

 

And +1 for DeWalt palm sanders and random orbit sanders!!!