Name this tool?

[davebrown]

I need to finish, and shape, the outside of a hollow mast--what would you call the drill set up where you have a sanding belt inside-out with a rubber wheel and a bearing of some kind on the outboard edge of the drill spindle? I recall seeing a how-to on this forum some years ago but don't know how to search it, being unsure of what you would call the tool. I also saw a harbor freight ready-made version once for $19, which may or may not still be sold by them...that was years ago though.

[davebrown]

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...ght=shape+mast

i did find this thread. seems like mixed opinions, including negatories by james and david g. hmmmm......

[SMARTINSEN]

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...lt-sander-belt

[Breakaway]

The "spar-0-matic." Check my thread from post 44 on....

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthre...t=#post2993996

It worked great--and I enjoyed making a purpose-built shop-built tool and using it. But I did have to sand out the cross-grain scratches it created.

kevin

[mcdenny]

You don't even really need the handle. I chucked a 2" dia round sanding drum in my drill and wrapped it with duct tape with the sticky side out. Two hands on the drill gave enough pressure (you don't want too much) and control.

Works good but makes a helluva mess - dust everywhere.

[David W Pratt]

There are those who would call it a bad idea, sanding across the grain, dontcha know.
You might get a piece of PVC pipe of the appropriate diameter, slit it into two Quonset hut pieces, screw on handles, and contact cement sand paper inside to make sanding blocks.
Good luck.

[davebrown]

Yes, I was thinking along those lines last night--I was wondering what cement might make that a good alternative. CanoeYawl (Jake) had a good suggestion on the other thread I found for using heavy cardboard tubing. I don't have a lot to take off on this mast. Not only am I incredibly talented at destroying an otherwise good piece in a flash with a power tool, but there might not be enough meat for most of the mast to sand out the cross scratches. I had just enough wood to get the max diameter out of this glue up. This is for the main mast on a Coquina. For the mizzen, I am going to use a stave method David G found (or devised? ) that uses I think 1/4" pieces, so I definitely would not use the power tool on shaping that. It's a straight stick though, vs. the main mast, which has a bit of shape. I'm thinking maybe not worth the risk with a power tool.

[Jay Greer]

Spars that are cross grain sanded with belt set ups can end up looking like a snake that has dined on oranges! Our own rig consists of an air file with a shaped sole. We sand fore and aft. It is very fast and easy! It saves a lot of drudgery and produces a fair spar.
Jay

[Peerie Maa]

then there is this:

[stromborg]

When I built the spars for my skiff I took the cheapskate way out and using a "shoeshine" motion ran the belt from a belt sander endlessly up and down the mast and sprit after using a plane to get it to about 90%. Slow (and very dusty) but I was in control the whole time, no inadvertent divots from pausing the belts motion. It was going back to sand out the cross-grain scratches that drove me nuts. Next time I'll use a shaped sanding block and spend more time with a plane getting it closer to round.

Steve

[rbgarr]

You may get some ideas from these folks, too: http://www.pleasantbayboatandspar.co...-flagpoles.php

[Bob Smalser]

More Spar-O-Matics, and how to make them:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/b...sparPlane1.asp

[Gib Etheridge]

You can make a good custom sanding block pretty quickly and cheaply by taping a piece of 80 grit to a piece of pipe the same diameter or one size larger than the area of the mast you want to sand, rough side out, and passing a block of blue styrofoam the length of it until the foam conforms to the shape of the pipe. Then just wrap a piece of paper around the foam and start sanding.

[Mrleft8]

A Jack plane will get you there faster, and with less mess, and noise.

[Bob Cleek]

A Jack plane will get you there faster, and with less mess, and noise.

Or a drawknife, with a lot less walking back and forth than with a plane!

[Bob Cleek]

Spars that are cross grain sanded with belt set ups can end up looking like a snake that has dined on oranges! Our own rig consists of an air file with a shaped sole. We sand fore and aft. It is very fast and easy! It saves a lot of drudgery and produces a fair spar.
Jay

Thanks, Jay! I'll remember this one. Great idea.

[Bill Huson]

Mrleft8 & Mr Cleek have it right - drawknife and/or plane. I've rounded off a 22' birdsmouth mast, yarious spars, and a few mini-birdsmouth paddle shafts via draw knife and plane. Quick, dust free.

[kc8pql]

A lot depends on how big a spar you're doing and what the wood is. I finished my 50' old growth Sitka birdsmouth mast with a power plane, cutting the corners off from 8 flats to 16 to 32, then finished it off with a soft pad on a random orbit sander.
I agree with Jay about cross grain scratches.

[RFNK]

Yes, I was thinking along those lines last night--I was wondering what cement might make that a good alternative. CanoeYawl (Jake) had a good suggestion on the other thread I found for using heavy cardboard tubing. I don't have a lot to take off on this mast. Not only am I incredibly talented at destroying an otherwise good piece in a flash with a power tool, but there might not be enough meat for most of the mast to sand out the cross scratches. I had just enough wood to get the max diameter out of this glue up. This is for the main mast on a Coquina. For the mizzen, I am going to use a stave method David G found (or devised? ) that uses I think 1/4" pieces, so I definitely would not use the power tool on shaping that. It's a straight stick though, vs. the main mast, which has a bit of shape. I'm thinking maybe not worth the risk with a power tool.

3M make a product called Disc Cement. It's designed to hold sandpaper discs onto disc sanders. The sandpaper peels off easily to allow new sandpaper to be cemented on. This should work well for your pvc pipe sander.

Rick