Crisp flat edges

[KellyG]

Would appreciate it if someone could tell me how to obtain a crisp flat edge to the top of a bowl. I used the tile saw to round the flat piece prior to slumping. I don't have a belt sander so attempted to use my angle grinder to smooth and even the top edge. This worked to an extent, but wasn't as even as I'd like.

This has probably been discussed, but I couldn't find anything in the archives.

Thanks ...Kelly

[Brock]

If you don't have some kind of cold working equipment, you cannot get a crisp flat edge. Best you could do is, after the first firing, grind with a stained glass grinder, then re-fire, then slump. This will give you an even rounded edge. Brock

[Bob]

Hi Kelly,

The best tool/machine for getting that lovely sharp flat edge is a vibralap. The bowl is placed top down on a vibrating pan that has loose grit. Going through successively finer grits results in the polished edge.

Marty is the pro.

Cheers,


Bob

[Dee Newbery]

Bob, never heard of this tool/machine. Where do you find them?
Dee

[charlie]

Bob, never heard of this tool/machine. Where do you find them?
Dee

here's a link to one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4843

basically, a flat pan that you put grit, then your object into. a motor vibrates the pan. after a while you change the grit to a finer one. repeat until polished. they're mostly used to flat polish rocks, like geode slices.

[Ron Bell]

Hitech makes a lap grinder that uses a diamond sintered wheel (in addition to pads) http://www.hitechdiamond.com/lapmachine.htm that does a great job on smaller pieces.

[Tony Smith]

You can do a nice sharp polished edge on a wet belt sander by grinding your circle at an angle while the piece is flat... just work your way up through the grits to 600 grit, then slump. The edge looks different than the flat polish from a lap wheel, but it's nice nonetheless... just takes practice.

Tony