Flex-I-Pad questions

They are designed for wet sanding, but I prefer to use them dry for all the major sanding tasks and only wet-sand with the finer grits to get a smooth finish. Wet sanding tends to destroy all sanding products faster than dry sanding, but I find it helps a lot with keeping scratch marks to a minimum.

SchattenSpartan

Wet sanding tends to destroy all sanding products faster than dry sanding.....

I didn't realise that. It is consistent with the results I have seen, though. Thanks for the tips, mate.

A great alternative product would be Flory Models sanding stick sponges. I've wet sanded with them and it doesn't seem to hurt them. Try Sprue Brothers.

Absolutely the best sanding products in the hobby check out the web sight at Florymodels.com . Also there clay based washes are superb  and the prices are very good for the quality of the product. A little hard to find in the States it is hit and miss but try spru bros and others.

I find the cheaper pads and sticks don't come in fine enough grits, and the really fine pads are too expensive for my buck.  I love the 3-M sponges- the blue ones with the open grid pattern but I think 400 grit is the finest they make :-(

A TIP from your Uncle Jay:

You can make all these sanding sticks yourself with strips cut from  sheet styrene, double stick foam weatherstrip tape and any kind of sandpaper you want.  For ridgid sanding sticks, use tongue depressors as a base instead of styrene.  Stick everything together like an Oreo cookie, cut to whatever shape desired and you're in business....  and fer cheap.

Nathan, thanks for the tip. I'll try some.

Offduty, thanks for chiming in. I use the Flory washes and I agree, really like them!

Don, wasn't familiar with the 3M sanding sponges, I will check them out. Thanks for your input.

Jay, that is a very good idea. Never thought of it. I can put all those sheets of sandpaper which I never seem to use to good use now. Thank you.

I'd use a thicker plastic for more rigid sticks.  Wood sticks like pops sticks or tongue depressors warp pretty fast when used for wet sanding.  

You' re very welcome Greg.  Cursed with a limited retirement income, I am always looking for ways to save money in this wonderful hobby.

Yes, Don, the wood sticks do warp when wet sanding but those that do come in handy for sanding curved surfaces as well :)

One of the things I have done is cut a sheet of sandpaper into the size and shape strips you want.  I use CA glue to glue them to different thicknesses of cardboard and cut them out.  The cardboard is flexible and allows yo to shape the sanding "stick" as you need.  You can also use wet paper as the cardboard will hold up long enough to do the job and be very flexible.

Sheet sandpaper is cheap and it is easy to make them yourself.  Hope this helps.

John

John, thanks for the input, mate.

Their basic design was primarily to grab your money.  If you have a Sally's near you these are about 1/4 the price.  Cost half as much and are twice as big.  I use a Sears Handi-Cut to chop 'em into all sorts of sizes.  The pink is 400/600 and the blue is 220/320 or there abouts.  Wet or dry but last longer wet.

I use 000 & 0000 steel wool.  I tear out a small piece, grab it with tweezers and rub a target area.  Of course, steel wool conforms to any curvature.  Then, I blast with an airbrush to remove micro debris.  A $4 bag will last for decades.

Now there's something I haven't tried yet, steel wool.  Thnaks for the tip.

Wing nut,  I have a pair of these cutters ( from Sears )  and it's one of my most used tools.

Never thought about steel wool either.

I rolled some blue-tac into a snake and used it an adhesive, flexible, rounded sanding block.  It conforms on the fly and does not allow the paper to "crack" and leave a nasty gouge.  Works really well for inside rounded corners.

There has been a wealth of great info posted in this thread. As the OP, I really appreciate it, gents.

So many great ideas I'd not have considered in a million years. :)