Self-made rubber sanding blocks

[Roly Nelson]

As trailer builders, we often have unusual inside and outside shapes that need sanding. Standard sanding blocks or just a hunk of wood the size of the sand paper just doesn't cut it. I found a smooth, black rubber base to a traffic deliniator that was layin in the road with no deliniator in sight. It is about 1 1/2" thick and nice and solid. Someone must have discarded it and was definately a traffic hazard, so I picked it up.

After scrubbing it down, I cut it easilly into various tapered shapes on my bandsaw, into inside and outside curves that work just great for holding the sandpaper in just the right shape. Now I have about a dozen of them to suit whatever condition encountered. Works great, give it a try.

Roly....PS, don't rip them off at a road construction zone, after all, the fines are usually doubled in those areas.

[angib]

Standard sanding blocks or just a hunk of wood the
size of the sand paper just doesn't cut it.

The hardness of a sanding block needs to be appropriate for what you're trying to do with it. There is no one perfect block material.

If you're trying to get a smooth finish all over a workpiece, while not altering its basic shape, then a rubber block is needed so that it conforms to the workpiece's shape and so sands every bit of it.

On the other hand, if you're trying to get a workpiece flat or to smooth filler down to a base, you need a rigid/hard block that only sands the high spots. For this I find MDF is particularly good as it is naturally perfectly flat and doesn't require any other finishing. For this sort of work, a rubber block is nearly useless as it sands the low spots as well as the high spots and so doesn't get the surface much flatter.

The other extreme is when you're trying to get a gloss finish, where you need a really soft pad - even rubber is too hard for that and something as soft as foam is required.

Andrew

[Joanne]

Dang it!!! Just when I thought I was done buying tools.....

Joanne

Standard sanding blocks or just a hunk of wood the
size of the sand paper just doesn't cut it.

The hardness of a sanding block needs to be appropriate for what you're trying to do with it. There is no one perfect block material.

If you're trying to get a smooth finish all over a workpiece, while not altering its basic shape, then a rubber block is needed so that it conforms to the workpiece's shape and so sands every bit of it.

On the other hand, if you're trying to get a workpiece flat or to smooth filler down to a base, you need a rigid/hard block that only sands the high spots. For this I find MDF is particularly good as it is naturally perfectly flat and doesn't require any other finishing. For this sort of work, a rubber block is nearly useless as it sands the low spots as well as the high spots and so doesn't get the surface much flatter.

The other extreme is when you're trying to get a gloss finish, where you need a really soft pad - even rubber is too hard for that and something as soft as foam is required.

Andrew

[Mentor58]

Oh Joanne, you poor misguided soul. One is NEVER done getting tools, there is always one more that will make the job easier, quicker, better, or is just 'cool' and becomes self-justifying. Little things like actual NEED for said tool, storage, cost or even risk of self destruction (ask me about the brush cutter I built from an old lawn-mower and a 20 inch circular saw blade some time) don't factor into the decision process.

A second effect is that just owning ONE of things is no longer enough. If you have a full sized circular saw, that has served you well thru the years, always there when you needed it, and never asked for much other than an occasional new blade, and a little oil doesn't matter. You will start to covet a nice little 5 1/2 saw, for light cutting, maybe with one of those freaking lazers on it. The other saw knows, trust me, but will forgive you your transgressions.

Grins,

Steve W
BTW, it also applies to bicycles, that's why I think I have 5 now. (plus a frame with no parts attached to it)

[Joanne]

Steve,

If I change "tool" to "cooking implement" then I'm guilty as charged. I have so much stuff that I can't find what I need half the time! I'm starting to think I need a big ol' Craftsman tool chest in my kitchen.

Joanne

Oh Joanne, you poor misguided soul. One is NEVER done getting tools, there is always one more that will make the job easier, quicker, better, or is just 'cool' and becomes self-justifying. Little things like actual NEED for said tool, storage, cost or even risk of self destruction (ask me about the brush cutter I built from an old lawn-mower and a 20 inch circular saw blade some time) don't factor into the decision process.

A second effect is that just owning ONE of things is no longer enough. If you have a full sized circular saw, that has served you well thru the years, always there when you needed it, and never asked for much other than an occasional new blade, and a little oil doesn't matter. You will start to covet a nice little 5 1/2 saw, for light cutting, maybe with one of those freaking lazers on it. The other saw knows, trust me, but will forgive you your transgressions.

Grins,

Steve W
BTW, it also applies to bicycles, that's why I think I have 5 now. (plus a frame with no parts attached to it)

[Podunkfla]

A second effect is that just owning ONE of things is no longer enough. If you have a full sized circular saw, that has served you well thru the years, always there when you needed it, and never asked for much other than an occasional new blade, and a little oil doesn't matter. You will start to covet a nice little 5 1/2 saw, for light cutting, maybe with one of those freaking lazers on it. The other saw knows, trust me, but will forgive you your transgressions.

Ain't it the truth! And... when you have one of those little lightweight saws too, and think your home free...
You discover they make neat little rechargable battery skilsaws!
Ya gotta have one of those too! Itsa a slippery slope...