jlarremore Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I'm looking for advice on sanding and polishing around the horns of a guitar. Especially on a strat. It's really difficult to get into those tight curves to sand and polish. Is there a tool or DIY tool you guys use? I was thinking of wrapping a drill or cylinder in a soft cloth and polishing that way. Any ideas? ( all the while Jef is giggling about "polishing the horns" ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 It's just difficult, that's all. I would be very careful about getting any kind of powered tool in crevices. Do it by hand to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick500 Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Yeah, strips of sandpaper. Sometimes helps to make a "handle" with a couple turns of duct tape on each end of the strip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 There is also sanding MOPS, which I have used on occasion either in a hand drill or a drill press. They help keep the work to a minimum but its not a 100% solution. This is just a link to some pictures MOP This is only for body sanding not for finish work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I see that I don't even get an ARF with any of my double entendres there. For shame, people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 I Hate Asking This Maybe because you already know the answer.....???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Well now...I do have an oscillating drum sander which I use(with a big attachment) to get the cutaway as close as I can to begin with...If I do it well I don't need much hand sanding at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ihocky2 Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I do prep sanding with a dual action orbital, final few swipes by hand. Wet sanding all by hand, even in the curves. I found that the soft brown erasers work nicely as sanding blocks in there. They're rigid enough to sand flattly, but soft enough to bend around the curves. Polishing is done as much as I can with a 5" random orbit buffer, and auto polishes. For the areas too tight for that I use a 2" cotton buffing wheel on a 1/4" shaft in the hand drill set to a low speed with the same polishes. You just have to be super super carefull to keep spinning hard parts away from the finish, but it has worked well for me so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SJE-Guitars Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Yep it's elbow grease and sandpaper all the way! I do use a flappy sanding bit in the drill press to clean up the initial routing marks then it's elbow grease time! Those mops look interested though I imagine they help cut the sanding time down no end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 (edited) From the beginning its band saw and then roundover bit in the router. The hard part of shaping and smoothing those areas is the fact that its mostly end grain. It can be a real workout at times, especially with maple. So I found that rasps and riffler files are VERY effective for getting your general shape in order before sanding. I've used drills and sanding drums and have even wrapped some sand paper around a can of soup. Thats great if the radius of your "drum" is the same as the cutaway, otherwise be careful. Edited April 2, 2009 by Southpa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 a can of soup. I think that belongs in the wacky tool post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southpa Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I think that belongs in the wacky tool post it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I Hate Asking This Maybe because you already know the answer.....???? >snip img < +1, maybe add some more time as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foggy Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 (edited) For polishing I did try using one of those small foam paint rollers (about 1 to 1.5 inch's in diameter, 5 inches long) glued onto a metal boss and used (very carefully) in a variable speed electric drill. Works to a degree and does get in about the horns, but didn't feel very comfortable doing it and ended up doing by hand as normal in the end Jim Edited April 2, 2009 by Foggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 a can of soup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlarremore Posted April 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Wow, good suggestions. I didn't like asking because it sounded like I was asking how to polish the horns. Double entendre deluxe. And I did get the "cracks and power tools" joke. I liked the idea of a paint roller. That has some possibilities if married to a drill at low speed. Almost like cotton buffing on baseball bats. ( Ever seen that? Pretty cool. ) I'm wondering if the nap of the brush could actually work as a "grit" so to speak. Interesting experiment though. I was also thinking of some kind of cloth method maybe sewing the sandpaper to the cloth. I also like the eraser. Maybe a soft chalk board eraser would work well too? Thanks for the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godzilla Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 I've used the foam pipe insulation.....I've put it over a screw driver handle and chucked it in a hand drill and the drill press. You can get it in various sizes and cut it into different shapes as well. There are different types out there with different densities. I also use PVC pipe with sandpaper wrapped around it. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted April 2, 2009 Report Share Posted April 2, 2009 Besides cutting up pipe, cans, household items, paint rollers, shoes (waiting for this one) and any other item that is most likely just a marginal improvement over hand sanding try............................ FLAP WHEELS. They fit in a hand drill or drill press, come in small sizes and do a great job of sanding in cutouts. LINK Flaps are similar to MOPS but are more affordable. I especailly like the 120 grit Flaps with 3M abrasive pads in the wheel, a very fine cut. I guarantee this will make Paint rollers and cans look like stone age tool and they will not fall apart when you chuck them up in your hand drill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Stone Age tools eh....? I very much doubt the cave paintings in Lascaux were done using rollers, and i'm even less convinced they had aseptic processed food storage methods! Sanding in cutaways is a really boring task, but one I don't think can be sped up without the potential for doing too much work on the wrong area. I would vote doing it by hand on the basis that the extra time and effort is worth not having to repair any inadvertant damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j. pierce Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I've had a fair amount of success using a small card scraper on end grain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 I very much doubt the cave paintings in Lascaux were done using rollers Time is relative, you would not use a bow saw but a band saw to cut out a body. Wouldnt that be considered using stone age tools??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foggy Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 Stone Age tools eh....? I very much doubt the cave paintings in Lascaux were done using rollers Why did the image of a lemming tied round a branch and dipped in paint just spring to mind???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted April 3, 2009 Report Share Posted April 3, 2009 The invention of axles must have made rotating paint lemmings skewered on sticks a worthwhile invention in this regard. The wheel was just a bonus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foggy Posted April 4, 2009 Report Share Posted April 4, 2009 The invention of axles must have made rotating paint lemmings skewered on sticks a worthwhile invention in this regard. Probably the first lemming ever to squeak...................Darwinism at it's best! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grtvrm Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 (edited) Well now...I do have an oscillating drum sander which I use(with a big attachment) to get the cutaway as close as I can to begin with...If I do it well I don't need much hand sanding at all. In the adjacent deparment in my previous work guys had 10 KW CO2 laser and 3 dimentional manipulator hand with direct connection to autocad, that's almost getting close to your oscilating drum. This does not sound like a hobby DIY, rather small scale manufacturing that scares me away from this place. Edited May 3, 2009 by grtvrm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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