Long sanding block

[rickbrown74]

Does anyone use one of those long sanding blocks which you see the guys on TV use for flating large panels. I've seen a Sealey double handed sanding block (440mm length) online for around £20 but I've never seen the abrasives to go with it. Anyone know where to get it?

[TallPaul]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mirka-Abranet-Velcro-Sanding...
Although Abranet work best with extraction & they're near the top of the pricing scale, there are other grits available, 40grit to 500. Most bodyshop suppliers will have similar or cheaper, Mirka Gold is reasonable.

[rickbrown74]

Perfect - just what I was looking!

Many thanks

[V8covin]

you can also get sticky as opposed to velcro,depends what kind of block you are thinking of getting.Mirka do sticky

[rickbrown74]

Wasnt sure - just something to do the job on one fairly rough Beetle I'm about to restore after media blasting. I assume most blocks have a degree of flex in them? (or am I wrong completely!)

[TallPaul]

Yes, most blocks will flex slightly and the abrasives stick to a thin rubber pad on the block. Personally, I would recommend velcro over sticky pads as the velcro allows you to remove & replace the strips as often as you like. With the adhesive pads, you need to make sure the block is always clean, os the strips wont stick very well. Almost the whole motor trade has gone over to hook & loop (velcro) fixings for this very reason, along with the boss picking up used abrasives off the floor & forcing the staff to "get some more use out of that!"

[Anatol]

We use abranet because the man from Health and Safety, he likes to see on-tool extraction and it is really good for that. 3M do an equivalent multi-hole range, and the rep from Norton told me they do something similar - likely to be a fair chunk cheaper than the premium brands.

[V8covin]

you could just get a length of planed timber,that'll do the same job for no cost.
I use a piece of hardwood a local woodworking shop had left over,it's as straight as a die and I use it with production paper

[rickbrown74]

Last time I was using fillers was to flatten a curved wing on an MX5. I used a numberplate with sand paper wrapped around it. Just had a nice amount of flex to rub the countours with. Turned out good. Maybe I should just get another old plate!

The papers do seem very expensive for the planes for all they are but it's a big job this time as the sandblaster was a bit too agressive and a couple of panels are warped. I'd like the best tools I can, for this part of it, as it will spoil the whole car if not done right so I'll ponder over it for a day or two as I wont be starting it for a while yet.