# Sanding Spoons



## jcdyed (Jan 26, 2010)

I am starting to make some spoons, some from fallen trees and some from lumber scraps. I am wondering if anyone can think of a way to sand the inside of the bowl of the spoon. I would rather not pay $50 for an inflatable drum sander, and I cannot find any flexible disc sanders (for a drill) that are small enough.

Any ideas would be helpful.

Thanks

John


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## DragonLady (Mar 2, 2010)

Hand sanding! not what you wanted to hear, probably…


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## oluf (Jan 29, 2010)

Chuck up a 3/8" drill in your drill. Wrap some old cloth near the end to form a ball. Wrap large pieces of sand paper around the ball and tie the ends like a Tootsie Roll. Change paper for finer grits or make up additional sanding drill bits.


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## jcdyed (Jan 26, 2010)

Dragonlady-for most of the sanding, I don't mind hand sanding, but it is hard to get sandpaper into the bowl to sand. I have used foam sanding pads, but wondered if something better is out there.

Also I am carving using a Kutzall power carving bit, so the bowl of the spoon is a bit rough (especially on the green wood) Hand sanding the grooves and rough spots out is a pain. I rigged up my own rig from a rubber stopper (drilled through it and put a 3/16 bolt through it, and cut circles out of self adhesive sandpaper. Problem was the sandpaper discs would not last very long (using about 4 per spoon bowl). This set up worked, but not very efficient.

oluf-I am not sure I get what you mean. I guess you mean a dowel into a drill, but I am not sure about wrapping pieces of sandpaper around the ball, (should the tootsie roll be vertical or horizontal)?


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## EricRFP (Dec 5, 2009)

A little off topic but if you are using fallen trees, are you drying the wood first? For the most part, fallen trees do not dry, they rot, crack and rot before they ever dry correctly. Just a though.


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## jcdyed (Jan 26, 2010)

EricRFP-I am splitting some and letting them dry, others I get to a rough cut shape and let dry.


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## petemohr (Dec 11, 2009)

I use a scraper. You can buy curved scrapers or make your own. I used an old saw blade to make some. Just cut/grind it to the shape you need. Sharpen it and scrape away.

pete


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## Yekrub (Mar 9, 2010)

I attached a retangular piece of medium density sponge or foam to an old drill bit (a long bolt works as well) with double side tape or glue. I then attached a square piece of the sanding papers to the end of the sponge with glue. Double sided tape works too but make sure it sticks. You do not want this flying off at high revolutions. I then stick the bit (or bolt) into my drill. The sponge allows the sand paper to flex. Depending on the size of the spoon's bowl you can increase the size of the retangle of sponge.

Edit: After reading what I had wrote, its kind of hard to understand. Here is a video that shows almost exactly what I have used. 





The addition of a rubber band to hold the sponge onto the bolt or drill bit is a way better idea.


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

You can rough out the spoon with a dremel and a rasp type attachment and finish with sand paper.


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## woodcrafter47 (Nov 24, 2009)

I too use a dremel with rasp and little drum sanders,then finger sand.


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## jcdyed (Jan 26, 2010)

Thanks for all the responces. I have a question for those that hand sand.

Do you just use sandpaper or do you use something to hold the sandpaper (small curved block, foam, dowel, etc…)?


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## xammax (Dec 18, 2018)

https://www.amazon.com/Abrasive-Scotch-Scouring-Polishing-Sanding/dp/B00CNCBZEI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1547687677&sr=8-1&keywords=Abrasive+Non+Woven++Polishing+Sanding+Abrasive+Ball


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