Making a heirloom sanding block
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- This topic has 18 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 5 months ago by Salko Safic.
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5 November 2014 at 7:17 am #120538
I decided to make a sanding block and something a little bit nicer than your usual block after all just because it’s for the shop it doesn’t mean it cannot be nice.
Feel free to copy it if you like I’ve actually never done a step by step by tutorial before so bear with me.
I found a small piece of timber about 6″ long and 2″ wide in a dumpster at a lumber yard, I get embarrassed when I go through there bins but such is life. I really don’t know why I picked it up and I wish I had of taken a photo of it before I planed it. I had no idea of what it looked like and what species it belongs but I do like surpises. it’s straight grained similar to rosewood but it isn’t. Maybe one of these days I will research through my books and try and find it.
I resawed it straight down the middle so as to get the top and bottom of the sanding block.
After resawing I began to plane it and being only a small piece I was able to judge by eye where the high spots were before check it properly with a straight edge.Attachments:
You must be logged in to view attached files.5 November 2014 at 7:33 am #120543Next I had to now make them 5/8″ thick, I used my marking the thicknessing blade to lay out the markings. That specific blade is flat to the face that will planed. How much of a difference is between the two very minute, the english language is very confusing that word minute also mean 60sec.
I used my scrub plane for this purpose but when I saw the amount of break out I couldn’t risk anymore and finished the rest off with my hand plane. Once that was complete they were flush. I might add using a scrub can work but I don’t think that’s what they were designed for, I know the tool makers advertise this but it’s much too small to be a true scrub plane. The ideal size is a no.5 or even 5 1/2 may just be over kill but 5 would surfice. When ver you can resaw that is always a better option than scrubbing, it’s less work and your risk of ruining your work is minimised provided you can resaw straight.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.5 November 2014 at 7:48 am #120548In the next series of photos I used my no.95 Bronze edge plane it joints the edges perfectly. You can only use it on stock 3/4″ and thinner, would I recommend you buyng this well no not really but it’s one of those things that are nice to have.and has helped thanks to it’s skewed blade on end grain as well. Both LV & LN sell it for the same price so if you really wanted to have one I would go for the LN because it’s brinze so no rusting. They do sell it in both LH & RH versions this one is right hand. I don’t use it often but I do still use it when the needs arises.
So now I’ve marked the stock and ripped it to 2 1/4″ wide
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You must be logged in to view attached files.5 November 2014 at 8:15 am #120560Now here’s a piece of ceder, I roughly ripped it along the sides and planed them flat. Then I thicknessed it by planing down to 3/8″. The idea here is to use contrasting timber to add visual effect. There isn’t much contrast though I could of used a very light coloured timber for the base and it would of worked out great or I could of used a very dark timber instead of the ceder like cambia white ash if you remember from the commissioned clock I made but all that timber is very expensive and is much needed for commissioned work and it’s better to use these small offcuts than have them lieing around getting in my way. We’ll see whaat it looks like in the end.
Anyway I’ve left it a little wider so after lamination of both sides I can plane them down flush.
I almost forgot those little pieces I cut up will be my glue spreading sticks, I always utilise every bit of timber I have nothing goes to waste.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.6 November 2014 at 4:26 am #120642Here I glued those two pieces of ceder on top and bottom of that unknown timber species of what will fit in the palm of your hand. The glue I used is a pva quick setting glue, it takes 2 mins to bond but 4 hours to cure. I’ll give it an hour and start squaring and flushing things up. Actually I left it long on purpose so before I do cut to length and flush it up I need to bore a hole through both pieces and then a larger 3/4″ hole for the screw knob to fit.
If I cut it to length now I’ll have difficulties in clamping it to the bench or maybe I’ll just put it in my vice and boring it that way.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.6 November 2014 at 6:42 am #120649Here I am gluing some 1/4″ side pieces to the main base and it dawned on me as I’m clamping down with my fingers. The best clamps in the world are your God given fingers, they adapt to what ever shape and hold down tight as long as you can physically hold it yet man hasn’t come close to inventing such a device.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.7 November 2014 at 12:29 pm #120693And the finished piece, I coatd it with shellac. I know this hasn’t sparked any interest but it’s nice to have nice things for the shop. A broass knob would of suited it beter but this was all I had on hand. Don’t forget to epoxy the bolt otherwise it will not protrude through the top when you load the paper.
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You must be logged in to view attached files.7 November 2014 at 1:19 pm #120696Hello Salko, that looks great! I could’ve done with one of those after what seems like weeks of rubbing skirtings and door frames down.
7 November 2014 at 1:53 pm #120698Surprisingly the screw nut isn’t uncomfortable considering the size of it. I will draw up a plan for you guys in AutoCad, I just didn’t have time to do it before hand.
7 November 2014 at 2:31 pm #120699Looks rather tasty, like a chocolate cake filled with coffee cream. Yum. Shame about the knob.
When can we have a review on how it works? I could really do with something like this, I go through far too many staples.
I think your philosophy on nice things for the shop is spot on; it’s good for morale, good for practice, and you’ll probably spend more time looking at these things than anything else you ever make. Having the right mindset helps you to do good work; Mr Sellers has said this more than once.
7 November 2014 at 3:37 pm #120700You don’t like the knob I don’t either I asked my wife and kids as there was a smaller one but they all opted on this one, I know the brass would look ten times better.
As for the review it’s no different to a block of wood with paper wrapped around it, the difference is the knob holds it in place and its nice to look at.
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