Effective Use or Just a Cheapskate?

glenn bradley

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I have used these rubber blocks since somewhere around 2002. I put 3 or 4 layers on each block to avoid interruptions when the abrasive starts to give out.
Sand Block Use (1).jpg
Somewhere along the way I started cutting the used paper off and saving the unused ends.
Sand Block Use (2).jpg
When you do this you end up with a near endless supply of little scraps.
Sand Block Use (3).jpg
My blocks and the scraps live in this little fixture I made that mounts to pegboard.
Sand Block Use (4).jpg
My main use of them is with those little shaped rubber profile blocks.
Sand Block Use (5).jpg
I use them to ease edges.
Sand Block Use (6).jpg
They come in handy for other random tasks but use with the contour sanding blocks has become the norm.
So . . . is it effective utilization of shop supplies or am I just a cheapskate at heart?
 
Glenn, I do exactly the same thing and I know I am a cheapskate. I buy sandpaper by the pound from the Klingspor store so it is not a matter of cost or saving money that I save the scraps for my contour pads also.

I live close to a Klingspor store and every time I drive by I usually stop in and buy two or three bags of Klingspor gold for $1.50 per pound. Then I bring it home and separate it into 5 gallon buckets by grit. I have more sandpaper than life expectancy but I still hate to throw a good scrap away. :p
 
I should probably expand on this a bit. I am an advocate of tossing your abrasives when their usable life is over. Trying to get more use out of sandpaper that is 'done' is a false economy. You will get unreliable results from worn paper and put in more effort than you have to. That being said, if the abrasive is in good shape, I use it :). The small rubber blocks are great for small jobs. Over the years I have acquired a variety that helps me with nearly any sanding chore. The Preppin Weapon is my go-to block for most things.
Sanding blocks.jpg
Here's a random tip. I picked up a paper cutter at a garage sale for a couple of bucks. I have used it to cut sandpaper for my sanding blocks for nearly 20 years. It won't cut paper worth beans anymore but it still cuts sandpaper just fine
:)
.
Sanding block paper prep.jpg
 
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