Wanted: Advice from experienced sanders.

[Mark Gudschinsky]

I need some experienced opinions.

What is the best tool for sanding all of the nooks and corners inside of a Weekender?

I’m considering one of those smaller detail sanders. Any better ideas?

[Craig]

A mouse sander. They look like a flat iron. Nice point on the front end. Everyone sells them.

[Frank Hagan]

Sand, sand, sand! That's the MOST FUN! :roll:

For epoxy, I found out WAAAAY too late that using a scraper eliminated a TON of sanding. I found one with a handle at the local flea market for $3 that works great; it can get into a lot of the little nooks and corners. Its one of my "Soul of the Woodworker" tools; I bought it from his daughter who was selling off all of her dad's stuff, and she told me a dozen stories of the woodworking projects he had done, how they represented love to her family because he gave the projects away as gifts.

Anyway, I'm not sure they sell them at the Borg stores, but places like Woodworker's Warehouse would have them.

You can also get them on-line from places like Lee Valley and Rockler; the Sandvik scraper shown below is $21.99 at Rockler (its 2 1/2" wide, but they also make a 1" wide version ... Click Here for the Rockler page on it:

That's a pretty fancy one; a lot of guys just buy the steel scraper blades in sets of three for $12 to $20. The three that are in the upper center of this picture, on the board, run $16.99 at Rockler (Click Here for their page on this set):

They also have a .pdf file on it located at http://www.rockler.com/tech/45260.pdf which describes how you sharpen them and use them.

Now, I always reach for a scraper rather than the random orbital sander. You'll end up eliminating about 70 - 80-% of the sanding time, and its unusually rewarding to use these things. Can't explain it (maybe its the "Soul of the Woodworker" thing).

Gotta' go. Now I'm all misty eyed.

[Barry Pyeatt]

Funny thing about sanders...they quit rather quickly when they get exposed to epoxy/resin dust. First replacement is generally covered by warranty if it is new. After that....crap shoot!

I figure that a few scrapers will save a sander, sandpaper and a lot of extra work.

[ken connors]

i just use a regular hardware store scraper, you know the one with four blades that you can keep flipping to a fresh blade. before i use it tho, i take the sharp corners off. just put your belt sander in your bench vise and round off the side end of each blade, then use the sander to sharpen the rounded edges. good for scraping corners, fillets and bowed surfaces without gouging.

[tdrown]

I faired the bottom of the hull today, I will be glassing tomorrow. For nooks and crannies I used a detail sander I bought a while ago, it has a triangle top peice where the paper goes. For removing drips of resin and chaulk and whatnot I just used a utility knife and it worked fine, sometimes I need a little leverage so I just get under the drip and twist. My friend who was helping me sand today brought a nice dremel brand detail sander with very specific attachments for corners and things. A Dremel rotary tool would probably work nice also. Of course if your really sick of corners you could just radius them all with Bondo!

[Mark Gudschinsky]

Thanks everybody. I tried out most of your ideas today they all worked.

I was hoping someone had a secrete sander powered by something like a chainsaw motor. Not that I'm afraid of a little work I thought it might take a day or two out of the process.

[capt jake]

I think you are refering to the inside corners?? They are a buggar! I short piece of pvc pipe, the appropriate radii, with some paper areound it works pretty well. fingers, thumbs, they all work too!

I had a detail sander once, but found the paper went away way too fast.

I use a scraper when ever possible, then switch to the RO sander. A vacuum atachment will help in longevity of the sander, as well as taking it apart and cleaning it every so often.

During the course of building my Weekender, I had to replace a switch and the main bearing. Not too bad since I worked the you know what out of it (Porter Cable 5").

Very careful application of the epoxy will help out also. Don't glop it if you can avoid it!

Now sand on!!!!

[Pat Mellema]

Mark

If you have a Menards the tool shop ssanders they have are great .

The bearings go out about half way through the sanding on the boat but they give you a 1 year warrenty. I had them replace mine about the time I finished the bottom of the boat. You just have to bring it back to the store . If you are using epoxy you will go through at least one of this type of sander. I have used up one and the second one is getting tired so I may take it back as well.

[Guest visitor]

I am a bloke who has had mostly sedentary (=shinybum) jobs. A few years back I got a job as a tradesman's assistant at a big boat-building company. They mostly built their new boats of wood/epoxy laminates and sheathed with glass and epoxy. I learned in a practical way, far more about the actual skills of boatbuilding there in six months than would be possible with home projects in decades. a lot of it was about sanding. They use and abuse power sanders and simply accept the fact that they burnout, wear out or get broken. Whatever it takes to get the job done quickly, because wages cost more than tools.

The real secrets are in the hand sanding. Even the way the paper is folded is important (3 parts ie 2 folds). Above all the way the paper is moved over the curves. It must cross, not follow the line of the curve. It is difficult to describe, which is why it doesn't appear in books I guess.

There is no escaping the fact that it is very hard work. I didnt seek any more jobs after being laid off after a launch which is a fact of life for a boat-buider, I was too tired and sick of breathing dust and glass particles. But the skills I picked up are invaluable for my amateur projects.

cheers Ian.