Hand sanding blocks

[Dr.Al]

Not really woodworking this one, but it's FOR woodworking, so I'm deciding it counts...

I made some simple blocks for hand-sanding. I've got one I bought many years ago, but it's impossible to get the sandpaper under enough tension.

I saw this design on a video sometime a long, long time ago and making some has been on my list for ages. I was casting around for something to do and put my hands on a few blocks of plastic that came out of a skip a while ago, so I thought I'd just get on with it. Bars are 10 mm mild steel; o-ring grooves are 4 mm and the o-rings are a random size out of the selection pack that seemed to fit. All the blocks are a slightly different size to one another as each is the biggest I could get out of the chunks of plastic I had. From how easily it machined, I think it's probably acetal.

The two that aren't assembled in the picture aren't quite finished yet: I need to make the steel bars (basically cut them to length and stick a groove in them for the o-ring) and file the corners of the o-ring slots so the o-rings aren't going over any sharp corners.

 

[RogerS]

Elegant idea and elegantly executed. I too had this problem with sandpaper but TBH ever since I started using the Mirka handpad with vacuum extraction, that's all I ever use for sanding these days.

 

[Woodbloke]

Elegant idea and elegantly executed. I too had this problem with sandpaper but TBH ever since I started using the Mirka handpad with vacuum extraction, that's all I ever use for sanding these days.

...and me most of the time. Mirka sandpaper's no good for detail sanding though as it can't be folded up very tightly - Rob

 

[RogerS]

Elegant idea and elegantly executed. I too had this problem with sandpaper but TBH ever since I started using the Mirka handpad with vacuum extraction, that's all I ever use for sanding these days.

...and me most of the time. Mirka sandpaper's no good for detail sanding though as it can't be folded up very tightly - Rob

I agree. But then. I only seem to do 'big stuff' these days

 

[Cabinetman]

Oh dear, I am so old school, cork blocks still work fine for me, not that I use much - six bits a year?

 

[clogs]

I was given a US Marshaltown flat block sander as my friend said what I was using was rubbish....
just a glued up MDF block I made.....

what a revelation.....now Lidil's has just got something as good but smaller for €4's....

sorry cant post any photo's as still havent found out how....

 

[Mike G]

Oh dear, I am so old school, cork blocks still work fine for me, not that I use much - six bits a year?

I grab an off cut out of the scrap box if I need to sand anything. But I do so little sandpapering that I am still on the same box of sandpaper I got 32 years ago.

 

[Cabinetman]

It’s all down to how you approach the design and methods when woodworking I think, knowing what you can achieve with the equipment that you have. Also when you have a wonderful shiny surface that has been left by a sharp plane why scratch it? The only thing I would say Mike is that sandpaper isn’t like it was, The stuff I really couldn’t do without is the de-nibbling. it’s quite incredible how it works, even better when totally worn out. Ian

 

[RogerS]

It’s all down to how you approach the design and methods when woodworking I think, knowing what you can achieve with the equipment that you have. Also when you have a wonderful shiny surface that has been left by a sharp plane why scratch it? The only thing I would say Mike is that sandpaper isn’t like it was, The stuff I really couldn’t do without is the de-nibbling. it’s quite incredible how it works, even better when totally worn out. Ian

And don't ever, ever, ever, ever buy the Titan rubbish sandpaper from Screwfix. Running a close joint top for Not Fit For Purpose.

 

[Cabinetman]

I ordered some more recently for the first time in about eight years from Allan Calder's, Rhinogrip, good service and you can buy it by the 1 m length which is good for somebody like me. Ian