AskWoodMan

Ergonomic Woodworking Tool: Here are just of few of the hand positions and handle configurations The Ultimate Sanding Block offers. Much more detail available on YouTube. Here’s a link to one of the videos: The Ultimate Sanding Block

240/365: My tool company VerySuperCoolTools.com will soon be the online seller for VSM Vitex sandpaper. I have used this industrial grade heavy duty E weight paper for over 20 years and have never seen any sandpaper come close to it in cutting action, durability and value. I will be letting everyone know when it will be available at the online store.

218/365: Finishing up my edge sanding of the six cabinet doors. Today I posted two short videos on AskWoodMan.TV showing more detail of this low tech edge sanding setup. This setup is simple, efficient, very accurate and especially great for those with small shops.

218/365: This my favorite low tech way to edge sand very accurately with my half sheet sander. I have the drawer fronts clamped together with spacers so not only can I produce a clean flat edge, but can break and soften the edges as well without having to expend energy holding them in place. A setup that just lets me get on with it.

213/365: The top piece of Baltic birch ply is exactly as wide as one half a sheet of sandpaper is lengthwise. The bottom is just a sacrificial backer. As long as I have a rigid straight edge to butt to, I can cut a sheet of paper in half in about a second. That marking knife was a wasted purchase because it is too thick to scribe accurately with, so it gets to earn its keep this way. I cut with the paper side up for less wear on the knife. I do 95% of my sanding with a half sheet sander. Sheets are a very cost effective way to buy paper.

212/365: My favorite bounded and spaced sanding setup for just getting on with it.

187/365:  Figuring out how to hold the work for the task at hand is a big part of woodworking. Here I am sanding the top edges of 6/24 drawers on my perforated (20mm holes) work table top. I have boards clamped making a boundary on two sides and spacer blocks and boards between the drawers, but all the actual clamping is being done by just the two Festool horizontal clamping elements. The big half sheet sander just rides on top and straddles the pieces and does a really quick and fine job. I can even cut the speed down and use it the break the edges inside and out. 

180/365: I ordered a new pad for my Festool RS2E half sheet sander and put it on this morning. The old one is at least 5 years old and had hard miles on it. Festool products last and perform. They are really in a class by themselves. Note the really clever side protectors that keep the sander from clanking when sanding into corners.

179/365: Finished dovetailing the last few drawers and got all the drawer bottom dadoes cut. Now to power through all the interior drawer sanding. I always sand and finish the interiors and drawer bottoms prior to assembly since trying to do a proper sanding and finishing job into all those corners is a nightmare. After sanding I will just quickly mask off the joints to keep the finish from contaminating the glue surface and lay all 96 pieces out on sawhorses on long boards and get them sealed up. Same for the bottoms.

155/365: This is the best overall sanding setup my small shop has. A good half sheet sander, in this case a Festool R2E attached to a tool triggered vacuum (Festool CT33E). This sander accepts any brand of sheet sandpaper and removes stock with almost no dust. The steel plate with the points is for perforating the attached paper with the appropriate dust collection hole pattern. I can’t stand hook and loop sandpaper. What I love about this setup is the absolute relaxed control. I can sand with one hand on the sander and one managing the hose. The sander does not tip or gouge and just does the best job to make pieces flat and straight with almost no exertion.