# Good tricks for sanding inside corners?



## diito (Jan 15, 2014)

Does anyone have any good tricks for sanding inside corners (and well)? I already know well enough to pre-sand everything prior to assemble and avoid having to sand them at all, but there are cases where you just can't avoid it, re-finishing etc. In this particular case I have a headboard/footboard with shoulderless tenons going into mortises in the legs. I taped off as close as I could but I could completely tape if off as I'd end up with pieces of tape stuck where I couldn't remove them. Pre-finsihing wasn't an option. So I got a tiny bit of glue squeeze out which I cleaned up with a chisel plane/chisel but now I have some micro scratches from the chisel I need to sand out. I have a Festool Rotex 90 and using the detail sanding head I can get almost up again the corner but the last ~1/16th is a real pain. Sanding paper on a putty knife helps a little but the scratches are more visible v/s the areas I use the random orbit on. I'm thinking of trying a higher grit, going from 220 to 400, for just that area. I'm probably the only person that will notice but I want this thing perfect.


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## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

Try using a new utility knife blade and apply very little pressure while scraping the marks off.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I find that squeeze out form Titebond liquid hide glue, if left alone to harden, will virtually disappear when finish is applied. Try it on a project or a test piece.


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## Crank50 (Jan 31, 2014)

Scraping tight corners is much better than sanding.

Sanding is just a mechanical process developed to allow un-skilled workers to produce pseudo finished goods for mass market consumption by customers who don't know any better or couldn't afford true hand finished goods due to the huge labor expense that would be required.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

+1 on the scraping. A small card scraper works great or I've also used a chisel in a scraping motion for those areas.


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## distrbd (Sep 14, 2011)

Check out Lee Valley's sanding section in woodworking,you'll find a few ideas that might help although I must admit I do not use them myself,I use old knives ,utility knife,chisel,rolled up sandpaper,etc.
Here is a good product LV sells(sanding stick) that might just be want you are looking for:


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

You can make your own custom block by putting some plastic wrap in the corner or what area you are going to sand then apply bondo to the topic the wrap. 5 minutes and you have a custom block. I had to use this method on my front door to remove paint. But scraping is better.


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## DrDirt (Feb 26, 2008)

I use a v chisel (pfeil - sharp enough to circumsize an ant) for those times I have squeeze out inside.

I have made a scraper with a single edge razor blade.
I can take a burnisher or edge of a chisel (hard steel) and roll a hook onto it.

I usually have used the razor blade scraper to remove a drip of finish. I would put a piece of painters tape on either side of the run, then flex the razor like a small card scraper and get that drip, without accidently diggint into the rest of the surface.

Works well for leveling burn in sticks too.

Have also made sanding sticks by gluing paper to a popsicle stick or tongue depressor, then cutting the shape with Harbor Freight Scissors (buck a pair)

As others have said, scraping works better.


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## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

crank tell us how you really feel! I have the little sanding sticks from LV. they work pretty good


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Ugh. You can fold up little squares of sandpaper to 4
layers thick and hold the thing with a hemostat.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

I use my Bosch utility vibrating tool with the tri-corner sanding attachment. Then a stiff putty knife sharpened like a chisel 30deg with a slightly round arc on the cutting edge, I push in from both sides and then carefully scrape the glue off. Note this tactic works best when the glue (TitebondIII) is one hour into the cure.


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