Sanding the round parts

One option:

Before Upscale gets to it, get one of these LVT sanding grips. That's what I use.

Those are some interesting looking sanding sets. I didn't even know they existed.

Quality sanding sponges work really well.

A light quick pass or two with an finish sander.

I looked them up. They're called Dynamic. The sponge part is firm enough to wrap around on small radii and the abrasive (usually I get Medium/Fine) is very effective. Beware of imitations.

Yup. Last time I had a similar job, I clamped my 1/2 sheet finishing sander in the vise and went at it.

option:

There used to be a similar foam set that was more flexible--nobody seems to be carrying them anymore though.

Flap wheel

I bought some of those elsewhere a long time ago. IIRC, they were called, or nicknamed "tadpoles" from the end profiles.

Luigi Zanasi wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b25g2000prb.googlegroups.com:

That looks like it'd tend to cause cramping. For details where contour is essential, they'd probably be the way to go.

Puckdropper

Puckdropper wrote in news:0018616c$0$1921$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

I appreciate the suggestions. After thinking about it for a while, I took a piece of scrap material and cut a V-shaped notch out of the center. After that, I stapled a piece of sandpaper to the non-bearing edge.

To sand the round edges, I simply move the sander up and down the piece and side-to-side. Done quickly, it doesn't bother the profile much at all.

Puckdropper

"Puckdropper" wrote

What?!?!?

You turned down the opportunity to buy some expensive shaped foam sanding blocks? And made one yourself out of scrap?? That is unamerican!

I get "sympathy cramps" just looking at them, but it probably depends on how tight you'd have to pinch it to keep the sandpaper from slipping on the rubber form.

Never having used one, I can't say it would be a problem, but I suspect it would be, especially for anybody with a touch of arthritis. Maybe some repositionable spray adhesive would reduce the pinch pressure required. And/or inserting/gluing that thin, flat grip in a longitudinal slot in a large diameter dowel would make a handle that's a little more ergonomically friendly to these old hands..

Tom Veatch Wichita, KS USA

Use sticky-back sandpaper with them, either store-bought or make your own with spray adhesive. They aren't nearly as bad as they look.

I don't have that set, I have the Porter Cable detail sander, which item is pretty much worthless, but it came with a substantial set of formed widgets very similar to but a little smaller than the 6 buck sets at Woodcraft. and it turns out that they work a treat. If I had it to do over again I'd skip the sander and just get the widgets.

UnCanuckian too.

Tanus

Fabric/craft stores will have this green foam-ish stuff for real cheap, which is used for floral arrangements.

It's very mushy and holds shapes very well. I push it against a shape in a piece of wood to mold it, then place sandpaper in between, and voila! instant custom profile sander.

It also has a certain sanding quality when used by itself, without paper. I don't know what grit.

I've also seen moldable sanding blocks similar to this foam, that are supposed to be able to conform to a profile and sand away.

"Lee Michaels" wrote in news:001dd301$0$1965$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:

Oops! I forgot I gotta put my hard earned money into getting more things. Gotta get this economy going again, right? The $10 I'd spend on those blocks means a meal for a congressman. I'll have to correct the error straight away.

Puckdropper