Use a cone of sandpaper in a drill press to quickly clean up the edges of a drilled hole.
Save time and money by using ordinary shop items to create handy sanding devices. These shopmade tools cost much less than commercially available versions and will help speed the sanding process.
To make a tapered bore cleaner, smear tacky glue on the back of a piece of sanding belt and roll it diagonally into a cone. Wrap masking tape around the cone until the glue dries. Then take a large-diameter nail and grind off the head and point. Fill the open end of the cone with hot-melt glue and push the nail in as far as it will go. Allow the hot-melt glue to set for 15 minutes and then chuck the nail in a drill press. The simple bore cleaner makes it easy to clean up the edges of a 1/4″-diameter or larger hole drilled in a piece of softwood.
Using the same principles, turn an ordinary bolt into a small sanding drum. The size of the bolt determines the overall size of the drum. Cut off the head of the bolt and cut a 21/2″-long groove up the middle of the bolt with a cut-off wheel in a rotary-power carver. Widen the slot on one side using the cut-off disk. Cut a 21/2″-wide strip of sanding belt. Feed it into the slot so the end sticks out of the larger groove. Fill the gap with hot-melt glue. After the glue dries, trim the glue and sanding belt off flush with the surface of the bolt using a sharp knife. Use hot-melt glue to attach a 1⁄16″-thick piece of foam or soft rubber to the bolt. Trim the foam to size and wrap the sanding belt counterclockwise twice around the bolt. Secure the belt with vertical runs of hot-melt glue. Pull the belt tightly to the bolt while the glue sets.
Chuck the end of the bolt in a drill press. I make sure the end of the bolt protrudes through the hole in the drill press table or through a hole in an auxiliary table to protect the end of the belt. Make sure the drill press runs in a clockwise direction (most do); otherwise the sanding belt will work loose. Apply only light pressure. If you generate too much heat, the hot-melt glue will fail.
Jim Moss
Pachuca, Mexico
The SS A Beginner’s Guide | Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing | Setting UP Your Workshop
