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Tool for sanding a pocket floor

Al Launier

Al Launier

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1,683
Location
Bedford, NH
I'm off on another jewelry box, this time one that requires pocket milling with my plunge router. I'm using a 1/2" dia. cove bit to leave a filet radius at the bottom of each wall. The box is ~3" x ~4" x 1" deep. The cove bit is also used to hog out all the floor material inboard of the walls. I'm using the largest guide busing I have to follow the template, so I can't use a larger bushing with a square ended router bit. I'm thinking that sanding with the tips of my finger to smoothen the bottom is not such a good idea. I could wrap some paper at the end of a flat stick, but that's not a good solution either.

I may have to set up the box on the drill press with an end mill & run strip passes along a guide rail, with a stop block on each end, to mill out the excess material without running into the fillets. This may be my best option, yet I'm wondering what would be a better tool for sanding the pocket floor flat & uniform.

Any suggestions?
 
Jim Burr said:
Help me catch up Al...I'm not a flat work guy. You want to remove the material from the corners of the box?
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I'm a flat work guy too Jim. This is basically a cube with a filet radius where the bottom of the walls meet the floor. The filet was generated with a ball-nose router bit. Thanks for asking.
 
jim, i will try to help you out in the description he has a block of wood that he has routed out a deep recess in it with a ball nose router bit and wants to keep the radiused corners and sand out the mill marks on the bottom of the flat area..
 
Just tried the source Paul recommended http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/p...e-Hook-and-Loop-Disc-Holder?term=bowl sanding. Unfortunately, they are out of the 2" & 3" size.

Glenn, I really like your suggestion as the edge is rounded over to specifically to protect against damaging the fillet. Plus it has the 2" size. Good call! Gotta go flush out my PayPal account. Oops, bummer they don't take PayPal. Gotta find another source for these.
 
I would Larry except all my purchases for personal interests, such as woodworking, etc, comes from my discretionary funds that I've set up with PayPal, or cash. I'll just try to find another source for the same or similar product. I think Glenn's suggestion is a good one.
By the way, I contacted Klingspor & they are working on setting up with PayPal, just not ready yet.

PS
Just dawned on me that a disc sander will not reach well into 3D corner, at the intersection of two walls & the base. Then I got another thought (2 in one day even) of a detail sander, or triangular sander that can reach 1", which is the depth of the pocket. Also saw this http://www.lowes.com/pd_445710-4809...pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=detail+sander&facetInfo=. The fun of tool discovery! :thumb:
 
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Vaughn McMillan said:
See my post right above yours. ;)
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Thanks Vaughn. My post following yours now has a PS that i have to give some thought to. Your suggestion, if I don't use it for this project, is still one I may very well pursue just to have that tool on hand. it sure looks like a handy tool to have. :thumb: Didn't know they existed, but then again I'm not a "turner". ;):rofl:
 
Al, I've not used the Proxxon detail sander, but the company seems to have a reputation for good tools. I'm not sure I'd use one much myself, but if you make a lot of small stuff it might come in handy. (Not sure it'd be worth nearly $50 to avoid hand-sanding four box corners, if that was all it got used for.) ;)
 
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Ted Calver said:
I get all my discs from Vince...takes paypal...call to see if he will ship right away, sometimes he's at a show. I've always had good results with his stuff and he stands behind his products.
http://vinceswoodnwonders.com/
You could also try one of these. Use a 25% coupon. Mine is still going strong after several years of intermittent use.
http://www.harborfreight.com/variable-speed-multifunction-power-tool-67537.html
Click to expand...

Great suggestion Ted. I really am going to look into these, both of them, and I do have a HF 25% coupon. I like the small 1" sanders http://vinceswoodnwonders.com/back-up-pads/.
 
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