As you sand the upper half you will sand through the pencil center line towards the outside tip. (Shown here in a dashed line) The pencil line below is what was sanded off.
When the bottom half is sanded the center line should become straight again.
When sanding a fin of this shape it will automatically taper, widest at the root edge and less thick towards the outside edge.
You can redraw the center line as you go, just rub the side of a pencil over the raised ridge.
If the pencil line isn't straight, make adjustments with fine sandpaper on a block.
This is the Great Planes Easy Touch hand sander, one of the most valuable tools I own. You can find it CLICK HERE
Be sure to get a few rolls of 220 grit sandpaper with it, CLICK HERE.
TIP: This self-adhesive 220 grit is finer than other 220 grit sandpapers, perfect for shaping basswood fins like these. When it loads up, run it under water and brush out the sanding crud with a soft brass brush. You can use the same piece of 220 grit again and again!
Those are good, and also the T-handle blocks. Good tip - a good sanding block is the most valuable of tools. I have a variety of blocks, soft and hard but my go to block is still a chunk of wood - one side and edge is 100-grit and the other side and edge is 220-grit. I find the thin edge useful at times and the square rollover is also handy. The block is sized to use exactly half a standard sheet of sandpaper, spray adhesive holds it on. Cheap and simple (I buy sandpaper by the 50-sheet box.)
ReplyDeleteThe key is to have a good hard flat surface behind the sandpaper.
Hi Tim,
DeleteI've used different blocks over the years, from homemade to the X-Acto wedges. This Great Planes block is by far the most stable and comfortable. You pay a little extra for the self adhesive sandpaper but for me its worth it.