Basic Guide To Tabletop Finishing With a Bowl

When considering all the fundamentals of vibratory finishing, you’ll need to do some calculations to fit the smaller-sized load and bowl you’re preparing to use. Aside from that, the outcome will be determined by the media that goes into your project and how long you decide to run your vibratory finishing bowl. So here is a basic guide to tabletop finishing with a bowl for those in the industry of vibratory finishing.

Waterflow and Drainage

Understanding the scale you’re working with will influence your results when finishing on a tabletop. If your measurements aren’t in place and there’s too much water present, the amount of cutting that takes place when finishing will be reduced. Not enough water won’t get the job done either. You’ll have to consider the cleaning and polishing phase of production, too. If you install a drain to your bowl, then you can regulate a lot better as you carefully flush each batch.

Measuring Your Medium

Just like with the amounts of water used in your small vibratory bowl feeder, you’ll also need to be careful of the medium amounts used. If you add too much cleaner to your mixture, then you’ll end up with a mess full of suds that will greatly take away from your production as you won’t be able to see what’s happening and it’ll take longer to rinse and finish.

Most smaller units perform their best when they are at ¾ capacity. If they have anything less than this in a load, the product can easily become ruined due to a lack of measurements.

Choosing Your Medium

Don’t forget that the medium you decide to go with will influence the finish you want. If you mix equal parts or mix uneven amounts, then you will suffer from less clumping. Whenever there is too much sediment or smaller-medium present mixed with the compound, you’ll encounter clumping, which can deter your project altogether. Also, adding a compound with slight acidity will help to lessen the lubrication that water gives for a more even grind and polish.

Tabletop finishing can be an enjoyable and highly productive means of finishing projects—if you have the right understanding before you begin. Having the proper measurements of water, compounds, and mediums all play a role that will make or break your outcome. So having a basic guide to tabletop finishing with a bowl is something worth having for your smaller hands-on projects.