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Internal Tube Sander

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ant...:
Hello

Im making aluminum moulds on the lathe, they are just alloy tube but i turn a slight taper on the inside.
To get rid of the tooling marks its easy to use any rotating sanding device and stick it in the tube but this isnt great for removing marks going round the inside of the tube and their is nothing on the market (so far as i know) that will do a lineal sanding action inside a tube.  This lenghtways sanding action is best for removing the rotating tooling marks left from the lathe, at the moment its taking me about 4 hours by hand.

Yesterday my mini compressor died but it left me a good motor which has a functioning piston action, although not long enough to stick in a tube.  So I intend to remove the piston and replace it with a long metal rod, the only problem I have is how to support the rod so it travels straight and friction free.

Is their some bearing system which can hold a rod? or what do you recommend?
Thanks

Gadget:
Could you use a brake or cylinder hone instead. It is rotary but would polish the inside pretty smooth  in short order.

ant...:
Hi Gadget - thanks for your input

Truth is ive never tried a cylinder hone but i assume it would be the same as all the other rotating abrassives ive tried, not so good at removing grooves which follow in its direction of travel.  Plus im not sure it would like the slight tapper, one end is slightly larger to help release the part, unlike an engine cylinder.

The inside of my tubes need to be polished to a perfect mirror finish or any marks get transfered onto the carbon parts.  The normal method is to sand in one direction until you have removed all marks, then go to a finner grade and sand those marks out from the other dirrection, until finally you are at 1200 grit and ready to polish.  This is how i finish my tubes but to sand down the tube always has to be done by hand.

Divided he ad:
Hi Ant,


Just looking at the drawing you have and thinking about holding the rod so that it travels true, well oiled bronze bushes in a larger tube that is well secured should do it I would think?

A bit like the peck drill that I made (on hear somewhere?)


Then all you need is a device to clamp your tubes at the correct angle and turn them slowly as the abrasive piston pumps away.... Easy eh?!  :scratch:


If I get any brain farts today I'll draught a Crap-O-Cad.... But that's only if I think it'll work  :scratch:




Sounds like you're having fun though :thumbup:






Ralph.

Gadget:
Ant,
The cylinder and brake hones are spring loaded and will follow the taper just fine. They will leave a smooth surface and if you move them up and down while honing will remove the groves left from turning the bore. Brake hones are fairly cheap, it might be worth a try. I'm betting it will be at least as smooth as the piston type sander you are considering.
Dan

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