Artificial Fingers

**joe greiner** · 28th February 2009, 09:36 PM

Sanding can sometimes be tedium writ large, even more boring than boring itself. I've found some relief, by considering improvements to processes such as this.

Artificial fingers come to mind for sanding small hollow forms. I cut vinyl tubing long enough to span a screwdriver shank. I attach sandpaper strips to the tubing with short pieces of tape, wrapped to leave a trailing edge at the sanding location. For some forms, it may be useful to wrap strips of the same grit in each direction on two tubes, to attack in both directions. I don't think it's a good idea to wrap both directions at two ends of the same tube, because the inactive strip could be hard to control.

There are several benefits to this technique. The small contact area localizes wear of the sandpaper, so that less paper is wasted; the worn paper can be torn off, or folded under a new trailing edge. There's less need to copy the grit identification all over the back of the paper, as is often recommended. And finally, it reduces the likelihood of surgical replacement with prosthetic artificial fingers.

To reduce distractions, I usually refresh the strips at the beginning of each sanding cycle. But once in a while, the distraction of attaching new strips of sandpaper is a welcome interruption.

No good deed goes unpunished, of course. If widely adopted, starving doctors and lawyers might have to seek other vocations. Reduced waste of sandpaper could increase unemployment in the sandpaper industry, although using sandpaper as if somebody else was buying it (also often recommended) might help.

Use of the toolrest is optional; locate it for maximum protection. BTW, the bandage on my thumb is protecting cracked dry skin, not a turning injury.

Joe <10,11

**Ed Reiss** · 28th February 2009, 11:55 PM

Neat idea Joe...thanks for posting

**TTIT** · 1st March 2009, 01:03 AM

Interesting idea Joe - I've been pondering ways of doing something like that for a while - will add it to the list of possibilities

**Ad de Crom** · 1st March 2009, 01:46 AM

Yes Joe, neat idea. I'm doing it sometimes with a wooden stick wrapped with sandpaper, if I can't reach a depth with my hands.
Ad

**artme** · 1st March 2009, 08:46 AM

Ahhh, he's not just a pretty face!

Neat trick!!

**ElizaLeahy** · 1st March 2009, 09:18 AM

What are you making? What's that thing it's in?

**pitbull** · 1st March 2009, 04:10 PM

Thanks for the great tip Joe.

**Sawdust Maker** · 1st March 2009, 08:20 PM

Yup
good idea - consider it plagiarised

**joe greiner** · 1st March 2009, 11:40 PM

I didn't think it was a new invention, just clever nomenclature.

It's a donut (torus), Eliza. One of 35 or so which will eventually contribute 64 elbows cut from quadrants to assemble a weird "mathematical sculpture," if they pass quality control filtering and final (gentle) load test. The thing it's in is a DIY compression chuck made from a newsprint core for precision sizing. It's attached to a regular chuck in expansion mode, with the jaw numbers listed for better recovery if dismounted. PVC pipe, or pipe fittings, can also be used for such functions, with a larger range of sizes available.

Part way into the sanding, I recalled using similar sanding tools about a year ago: http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=66558

Pretty face? When they were doling out ears, I thought they said "beers," so I asked for two big ones.

Cheers,
Joe

**SawDustSniffer** · 2nd March 2009, 12:15 AM

whats wrong with busted twisted fingers ,they only hurt for about 6 months ,( did it once ) now i use the foam rubber that concrete's use with sand paper spray glued to it

**mobjack68** · 2nd March 2009, 04:33 AM

some time ago I had a need to sand in a similar manner. I happened to be in a box store (in the U.S., called Lowe's) saw a package of sandpaper with velcro on the back...not a new product, just hadn't looked at it that way. I had some self adhesive velcro strip, both sides with goo on it. Took the loop part, adheezzed it to a plastic scrap I had laying around, cut a piece of the velcro sandpaper to shape, slapped it on the stick....
Makes it very easy to change to new paper and to change grits...I now have an assortment of sanding "sticks" ready to go!!

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