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A dry run clamp up can help you figure out your clamp attack, reduce your stress (!!!), and reduce time to clamp up. Nice Besseys!

Andy

First I thought I might have to terminate our friendship.
Then I remembered, people often have tremendous success going against my advice. Just ask my wife and kids.

I don't think it makes much difference in a rim set, which motion is used. However, the rims are more circular than linear so a circular sanding stroke will probably deflect the sides a bit less than back and forth sanding.

Circular motion also probably minimizes the number of strokes where part of what is being sanded is not under the dish.

I built a motorized dish thingamabob, so I don't have to drive the bus, wax on/wax off, sand the floor, paint the fence, or whatever euphemism for dish sanding we use. It's a lot of heavy lifting I would rather not do too much of.

Just another thought to add to the mix.

As far as profiling the sides go, using a profile to cut the sides is great but I do too many one-off designs so I don't bother. I just sit the glued up side-block assembly in the dish, orient it the way I want it to be then scribe a line with a pencil. Sides get cut down close to the line with an oscillating saw and blocks are trimmed with a plane. It's quick although I usually do it in two steps so there's a rough cut step to get close then remark and a fine cut step. Really saves on the bus drivin' time and that's important to me since one of my shoulders is titanium

For the oscillating saw I use one of these, surprisingly useful little tool https://smile.amazon.com/Milwaukee-2426-20-Cordless-Multi-Tool-Tool/dp/B004M8R9VE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1515161982&sr=8-5&keywords=milwaukee+oscillating+saw)

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"