Advice on retaining chamfer definition

[bp122]

Hi all

For the first time, I used a router table to do rounded corners on a 40mm thick Oak chopping board, followed by a small chamfer which goes around all four sides and the curved corners.

When I did them on the router table, the edges of the chamfers were nice and crisp. But when it came to sanding the edges with my ROS, the chamfer definition is diminishing and is no longer crisp, no matter what speed I sand Iwith and however light the pressure was.

I even tried a solid sanding block, it still doesn't have the crisp edges.

Only difference from my previous chopping boards is that I used a hand plane on them to put the chamfer on and there were no rounded corners.

How do you guys sand small chamfers?

 

[craigs]

normally a block of wood with sandpaper attached, but seeing how small that chamfer is, id make something specific.

 

[marcros]

it is difficult to do, but in short you can't really sand them. you can get a Festool sander with a very hard pad which gives you a chance but that is expensive and I am guessing that you dont have it!

I would sand the edges and then chamfer them, either with a router, a block plane or even a block and sand paper

 

[bp122]

You are right, I don't have a festool sander and can't afford it either.

I shall persevere with the sanding block, then.
At least now I know there isn't much I can do about it.

Thanks for the swift response, fellas. It is really appreciated.

 

[marcros]

the board looks good though, even if the chamfer becomes a roundover

 

[bp122]

Cheers. That is what I was thinking. Although, with the sanding block, I was able to get a chamfer, just not an ultra crisp one.

 

[bjm]

Nice looking board. Unless you are going to put this on display I would stick to a roundover for the simple reason that, after prolonged use, your chamfer will end up as a roundover (as marcros says^^^) through wear.

 

[Sheffield Tony]

IMHO - the best way to retain crispness, and retain the most life from the wood, is not to sand anything. Well, maybe just to break a sharp corner. But otherwise stick to plane and scrapers.

But as has been said, a round over looks good and is more practical.

 

[pe2dave]

Straight off the plane, but take care when planing, grain direction can mess you up.
Veritas do a gizmo for their small planes meant for this job, but unless you have that plane.... Here the plane and gizmo.

 

[bp122]

Straight off the plane, but take care when planing, grain direction can mess you up.
Veritas do a gizmo for their small planes meant for this job, but unless you have that plane.... Here the plane and gizmo.

Interesting, however I don't have that plane.

Would it work on rounded corners though?

 

[Dee J]

If crisp chamfer are important you could finish the surfaces and edges of the board first - by whatever process. Then chamfer with plane and spokeshave or router. Then do any minor final finishing sanding by hand using a hard backed sanding block.

 

[pe2dave]

Would it work on rounded corners though?

Yes, so long as the radius is less than the cut off the 'corner' - There are shims to adjust to cut depth.
It is a good plane to have without this, though, I found it very useful as a low angle plane.

 

[Mark Karacsonyi]

Nice board. Sand first stopping prior to the final sanding. Chamfer, then the final sand applied with a block.
That’s the closest you are likely to come to it.

 

[bp122]

Thanks for all the responses, fellas.
As per a few suggestions here, I might use roundover instead, as it appears to be a practical break edge.

 

[bp122]

This is interesting.

The chopping board I made with the chamfers which lost definition during sanding and became roundovers looked way better than my second chopping board made exactly the same way except I used roundovers from the get go.
I think it is because when I did the chamfer, I could go as small or as large as I wanted, with roundovers I had my limitations to the success of the bits I had. Despite choosing the smallest one, the results weren't as pleasing to me as the first one. Live and learn I guess.