Sanding with PVC // Techniques

Spindle sanders are the best way to clean up curves. There are times where they just don't work as things are too large, cumbersome or long. A cove, for example, can rarely, if ever, be cleaned up with a spindle sander. But we can make an incredibly simple hand sander out of a simple piece of PVC pipe. I think you'll be amazed by how much power these are!
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#MTbitesize
00:00 Intro
00:26 1. Materials
01:08 2. First method
04:02 3. Second method
05:44 4. A couple examples
06:11 5. Credits

[@BobBob-eh5sb]

Good idea! I like the slot. Once done with the cut, if more reusable than gluing the paper on, and cheaper and quicker. I usually grab a piece of dowel that’s close to the size, but at least smaller and wrap a some sand paper around it and just hold it on best I can. There’s smaller sizes of dowel than pvc, but making some of these with 1/2” to 2” to 3” would cover a lot of sanding jobs.

[@MCsCreations]

Brilliant idea, Rob! 😃
I'm definitely going to make some!
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@seanpatterson1609]

Clever idea! Thanks for sharing your techniques.

[@halsonger1317]

You could probably close the gap up by putting hose clamps on either end of the PVC to pinch the gap together. Also you could drill holes through the ends 90 degrees off from the cut and thread a long machine screw through with a nut on the other side and tighten the gap that way.

[@ronaldrhatigan7652]

I use wood dowels and attach the sandpaper with contact cement.

[@Not_TVs_Frank]

For smaller PVC, I wonder how practical it would be to plug the ends and run a rod through it. Then you could chuck the rod into a drill and you've got a power drum sander. It wouldn't be especially stable or sturdy, but for small jobs it might be an upgrade over hand sanding.
Either way, trapping the sandpaper in the cut kerf is a great way to make this work much better than manually holding the sandpaper in place.

[@shilrobot]

6:05 To err is human, to err often is to work with wood? 🤔