How to smooth out 4x4's?

RicoJa · #1 07/18/2007, 11:32 PM

I want to build a stand to match my bed frame. My bed frame is build with 4x4s. So I want to build a stand with the four corners with 4x4s. I went to home depot and lowes and I found some 4x4s but they were all rough. Can anyone suggest the best way to smooth out the 4x4s? I am thinking of using a belt sander to smooth out each side.

Any suggestions?

Ambro

dhogan · #2 07/19/2007, 12:27 AM

Get one of these:

RicoJa · #3 07/19/2007, 12:34 AM

Ummmm.. NO!! But thanks for the bump. Anyone else?

dhogan · #4 07/19/2007, 12:36 AM

Well that's a sander, so I'm recommending a belt sander. The only good thing about the above is you don't have to worry about creaing uneveness with the belt sander.

iansfishy · #5 07/19/2007, 03:23 AM

um i think thats a planer. look around -other places will have planed wood

0 Agios · #6 07/19/2007, 05:27 AM

You can laminate 4x4 s for a better look like oak etc

0 Agios · #7 07/19/2007, 05:29 AM

Or get a cheap home depot sander for about $ 35.00 it will do the job with some skill, its a must when you do wood work.

BeanAnimal · #8 07/19/2007, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by iansfishy
um i think thats a planer. look around -other places will have planed wood

Um no that is a thickness sander...

BeanAnimal · #9 07/19/2007, 06:52 AM

What do you mean by "smooth them". Are they rough, or are they warped?

hemi18 · #10 07/19/2007, 07:00 AM

if they are warped..get better ones...if they are rough...strap some sand paper to a sanding block of some sort..and use good old fashion elbow grease.

belt sander will work well for removing large amounts of material but bot very good for precision work. if elbow grease is not an option and you want a suitable power tool, use one of those B&D Mouse things. If you don't want to keep it....use it and then take it back. tell them it didn't work they way you thought.

Also 4x4's are usually treated lumber so there will be a high moisture content in the wood. This moiture is also toxic and will make the sanding more difficult.

if they are treated, then i would go with laminating them with matching 1/8" material.

BeanAnimal · #11 07/19/2007, 07:07 AM

Quote:

use it and then take it back. tell them it didn't work they way you thought.

That my friend would be theft, no different than shoplifting. Crap like that is why the rest of us pay so much for items and the quality is so low. What a freakin dirtbag move.

I suspect if you are advocating the practice, then it is something you do regularly. It speaks volumes about your character.

It is amazing what some of you folks consider acceptable behavior. Who in the world did you get your values from?

hemi18 · #12 07/19/2007, 07:19 AM

relax bean...this is not something i advocate or do, i guess my statement came across looking this way so let me clarify...

if you buy a tool to sand your 4x4's (which are treated as a standard practice) the sand paper is going to get clogged with wet wood (pulp) and will not work properly...soooooooo

buy it and keep it, or buy it and take it back b/c it didn't do what you wanted.

BeanAnimal · #13 07/19/2007, 07:27 AM

Thank you for clarifying your statement... If that is truley what you meant then I apologize.

It really burns me up when people buy items and use them with the intent of returning them after they are done with them. Not a week goes by here at RC without somebody advocating the practice for some tool or piece of equipment.

Just two weeks ago, I had to exchange (4) wet tile saws to the local big box store. EVERY ONE OF THEM was used and returned.

Stand at a local HD or LOWED or Wal-Mart one day and watch the number of returns they get per hour. Notice how many of them are used items and the person wants the money back. They do not go shop for another replacement, they just turn and leave the store. The practice has become epidemic.

hemi18 · #14 07/19/2007, 07:37 AM

when i buy tools i keep them..even if i don't need them anymore, heck i buy tools and never use them but think someday i will need them. maybe this is why i can't move in my garage...

anyway...sorry to anyone if my statement came across as advocating this practice.

BUY FROM THE BACK OF THE SHELF! returns will NEVER be put there...

hemi18 · #15 07/19/2007, 07:43 AM

when i buy tools i keep them..even if i don't need them anymore, heck i buy tools and never use them but think someday i will need them. maybe this is why i can't move in my garage...

anyway...sorry to anyone if my statement came across as advocating this practice.

BUY FROM THE BACK OF THE SHELF! returns will NEVER be put there...

FUA · #16 07/19/2007, 07:46 AM

are your 4by4s treated, if so that is why they are so rough looking. HD sells a non-treated 4by4 that is sanded and doesn't have a lot of knots. they are like twice the price of a treated one because they are made out of a harder, denser pine than most of the typical treated stuff.

samtheman · #17 07/19/2007, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
Thank you for clarifying your statement... If that is truley what you meant then I apologize.

It really burns me up when people buy items and use them with the intent of returning them after they are done with them. Not a week goes by here at RC without somebody advocating the practice for some tool or piece of equipment.

Just two weeks ago, I had to exchange (4) wet tile saws to the local big box store. EVERY ONE OF THEM was used and returned.

Stand at a local HD or LOWED or Wal-Mart one day and watch the number of returns they get per hour. Notice how many of them are used items and the person wants the money back. They do not go shop for another replacement, they just turn and leave the store. The practice has become epidemic.

Where are your getting your data? How many is an epidemic?

BeanAnimal · #18 07/19/2007, 09:50 AM

Yet another childish quip from Sam... Did mommy let you use the computer again today?

Come on Sam your moronic insults and attempts at witty jabs are usually a little bit better than that. Please don't let us down like that... why not try a little harder to show us all what an *** you are.

BeanAnimal · #19 07/19/2007, 10:08 AM

Ohh btw sammy...

If you do a little research on "refund fraud" or "refund theft" you will find more than you want to know.

There are warehouses full of the returned goods. They can not be sold as new. In the past the goods were sent back to the OEM for repackaging and recertification as "refurbished". However the volume of returns has exploded exponentially and these goods simply cost to much to recertify, so they are dumped at auction to be sold at discounters and on eBay, etc. We the consumer pay the cost of this "dumping".

Most large retailers have implemented software to track the return patterns of consumers and flag those that fit a profile of fraudulent activity.

Sam if you are honestly interested (You did ASK where and how many didn't you?) why don't you talk to a few big-box store managers. They will be glad to explain the problem to you. Ohh wait, you don't really care about the answer, you just asked to be a troll.

Fiziksgeek · #20 07/19/2007, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by samtheman
Where are your getting your data? How many is an epidemic?

Its completely true...former Lowes employee here. People will try and return anything and everything regardless of its condition.

Once, I even had a guy try to return 2 or 3 pcs of siding from a bundle of 10 pcs, and wanted to get a full refund for all 10. He was complaining about the quality of the finger joints. I got called over to deal with the complaint. My response was "Sure, the customer is always right, let me send someone out to your truck to help unload the remaining pcs immediately! We will process the return, and have the money waiting when you come back in, just sign and go". Well...he forgot to mention that the other 7 or 8 pcs of siding were on his house and he had no intention of taking them down, but yet he still deserved a full refund....

Used tool return is an epidemic. Big box stores like Lowes and HD have relatively low margins, and rely more on volume than pricing to make a profit. For an average store, the losses from things like returned damaged good that cannot be returned to the manufacturer can be in the hundreds of thousands per year.

Of course, dont get me wrong, I am not saying that if there were no losses to the company that all of that savings would be passed on to the customer, but some of it would!

BeanAnimal · #21 07/19/2007, 10:17 AM

Fizi...

Sam only posts here at RC to be a jerk. The guy is either a young child or a sadly misguided adult who finds comfort in trying to belittle others with attempts at witty insults and profound statements. Kind of amusing isn't it

Fiziksgeek · #22 07/19/2007, 10:19 AM

Anyway, back tot he issue at hand. There are only 2 ways to get a furniture like finish on the 4x4s. You have to either buy them that way, or make them that way.

Buying is simple, just gotta find the right ones, but expect to pay more $$ for finished wood, and they will still likely need a little sanding.

If the 4x4s you looked at just have a rough finish, but are straight (now bowing or twisting) then sanding or planing is the way to go. A planner would be nice, makes the job quick, and then just a final finish sanding on top. You might be able to find a local shop that will do this for you for a small fee. If its not too rough to begin with, sanding might not too too difficult right from the get go.

Fiziksgeek · #23 07/19/2007, 10:22 AM

Edit: probably not appropriate for this site, but I think Bean saw what I wrote!

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
Fizi...

Sam only posts here at RC to be a jerk. The guy is either a young child or a sadly misguided adult who finds comfort in trying to belittle others with attempts at witty insults and profound statements. Kind of amusing isn't it

BeanAnimal · #24 07/19/2007, 10:26 AM

Could we possibly see a photo of the furniture you are trying to match? That would help us send you in the right direction.

samtheman · #25 07/19/2007, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BeanAnimal
Fizi...

Sam only posts here at RC to be a jerk. The guy is either a young child or a sadly misguided adult who finds comfort in trying to belittle others with attempts at witty insults and profound statements. Kind of amusing isn't it

You are amazing! I am either a young child or an adult. How many other choices are there?