Flexible sanding blocks

[Tom Cancelleri]

I know I've seen them before and I don't remember who makes em. I'm not up for making one right now. I'd prefer to just buy one. I know mark did a video on them in October I believe he made it from some scraps and such.

[Eric.]

Seriously, it takes like ten minutes to make a dozen of them.  1/4" or 1/8" BB ply, some spray adhesive, scraps for handles, wood glue.  Cork if you want.  I haven't found it necessary though it's probably a little better with it.

 

No idea who sells something like that commercially.  Haven't seen them, but haven't looked, either.

 

Just DEW it!

[mikem]

I am not sure I have seen a commercial version of these.  They are very easy to make, about 15 minutes with scrap.

[..Kev]

I've never purchased them either..  Just always made them..

[Tom Cancelleri]

I guess I'm going to woodcraft to get some 1/8 ply. 

[wdwerker]

3/8 bending ply and a sanding belt works too. I also use sticky back sandpaper. Of course lots of home shops probably don't keep bending ply around. We call it wiggle wood.

[Tom King]

Check Eastwood, or some such place, that sells bodywork tools for working on cars.  I use some Durablock sanding blocks, not exactly what you call flexible, but not stiff either, for sanding butt joints on sheetrock.  When I frame a house, I joint off 3/32 from a pair of studs glued together for where sheetrock butt joints end up on a wall. Otherwise, you can't avoid a hump where the non-tapered ends of the sheets end up.  I needed a long sanding block, and found the Durablocks.  Sandpaper that comes on rolls fits perfectly on the widths.

 

I used to make long sanding blocks for fairing the bottoms of racing sailboats, but the commercially available ones are so comfortable to use, and PSA goes on and off so easily.

 

http://dura-block.com/sanding-blocks/     There are other companies that make all sorts of variations of long sanding blocks.  The bodywork companies will have them too.

[TerryMcK]

I make them too. The most useful ones are about 1" wide made from 1/4" ply about 10" long with two scraps for handles superglued one towards each end. Then using 3M gold self adhesive sandpaper I have them in varying grits up to 320g. Of course they can be made in any width/length you want.

I found 1/8" too thin as they snap easy. As other posters have said 10 minutes and you have made a bunch of them.

[Don Z.]

I am in absolute agreement with anyone who has even implied that it is both easier and cheaper to make one yourself.

 

That said, I bought a boat once, and the previous owner left one on board, fortunately with a bunch of matching sandpaper.  It is clearly labeled "3M Hookit Marine Fairing Board - Flexible.  This label also has on it the Part Number 83978.

 

Of course, with that much information, Google becomes a very simple task.  Micro-seconds later and I learn that Hamilton Marine carries it.  While it doesn't actually have a picture of a boat on it, it does follow the rule that simple items become more expensive when you add the picture of a boat.  In this case, list price is $114, but Hamilton will get it to you for only $65.99.

 

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse.cfm/board-fairing-flexible-hookit-123468/4,24038.html?gclid=CO70wtCv18ICFYtAMgodyhAAEA

 

Back to the point that it is both easier and cheaper to make it yourself!