Sanding and Polishing

[hot ford coupe]

Sandpaper is very good for styrene but no good for teeth. Actually some of my former patients could have used sandpaper and it would have been a great improvement.

[Don Garrett]

Hey...maybe I'll get one of those small electric massagers that straps to your hand, I wonder if my wife would let me put my teeth in the diswasher?:D :D:D

[Bob Cline]

I make my own sanding sticks from 2 layers of old model box cardboard and the appropriate grit wet or dry laminated with 3M 77 spray adhesive. I cut them on my gullotine paper cutter in strips 1/4" x 3" for tight spaces to 1" x 6" for panel straightening. Cheap, cheap.

[BrittB]

If you want a cheap and easy sanding stick, use adhesive backed sandpaper and popscicle sticks. Sheet pastic works well too if you need to sand a round fender or such. Just cut the plastic to size, stick on the sandpaper, sand away. Ta-da!

[hot ford coupe]

Where do you get the adhesive backed paper? Is it just as good if you glue the regular stuff to a stick with CA or white glue?

[Rick]

I cut up the round sanding disc's that are use on palm sanders. They have a velcro like backing. I've also just wrapped a piece of sandpaper around the brush and taped it with duct tape. Its all about useing our imagination.

[Don Garrett]

I use 3M spray adhesive (the low tack kind)...that way I can peel off the worn out paper and stick on a fresh piece...I'm cheap. Did I mention I hate sanding ?:D

[htrdrnu]

If you use rubber cement, and coat both surfaces, after they dry, you can stick them together. If you want to shape the sticks first you can access all sorts of areas. I used this method when I first got started and began to build an AMT styline kit and needed something to help me get a smooth flat surface.

[hot ford coupe]

Thanks guys. I've got some plastic spatulas that would be perfect for getting into tight areas.

[chuckster]

Okay, I'll add my two cents.
For a cheap sanding stick, I just buy a pack of
"emery boards" found in the supermarket (in the "nail-care" section).
These are about 1/2" wide and about 3 to 4" long, and you get a lot
for arround a dollar or so. I then put them on a known flat surface and glue a small
piece of 1/4" square dowell to the back to keep them straight. I do several ata time,
and place a weight across them till the glue sets.
What you end up with is easy to hold, cheap flat sanding sticks.
For someone on a non-existant budget, this really helps.
Thanks for all the tips guys!
Chuckster

[hot ford coupe]

Good one Chuck. Sounds like a good way to stabilize the stick in your hands. For everything except the really coarse sticks, I go to Sally's Beauty Supply. They sell combination sticks with 4 grits on them that really smooth and plish plastic and brass extremely well. The only problem I have with that is that when I buy nail polish to spray on the models, you ought to see the looks I get from the women in the shop.

[southpier]

double sided carpet tape works, too

[hot ford coupe]

double sided carpet tape works, too

Absolutely yes. With that, you don't have to wait for an adhesive to set up. I like it.