Rather than wadding or rolling up a scrap of sandpaper to get into a tight space, you might want to look at Sandits, which are flexible double-ended sanding sticks that are tipped with two different grits. Sandits can reach into corners, grooves, crevices, and other places your sandpaper just can’t go.
Don’t mistake these for cotton swabs, or you’ll be sorry!
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Orion Product Group manufactures Sandits in China by bonding either aluminum oxide or silicon oxide abrasive grit to 6″ sticks with marine-grade epoxy. Besides making the Sandits waterproof, the materials used are also non-conductive.
The manufacturer recommends Sandits for use in jewelry making, automotive painting and chroming applications, boating materials such as fiberglass, teak, and chrome, and for fine-finishing on wood, plastics, and metal materials.
They also say that these can be used anyplace you need scratch-free polishing, smoothing, and finishing, although we would urge caution before you attempt to use these or any other abrasives on delicate surfaces.
Sandits come in two basic shapes: the standard rounded tip and a tapered wedge-shaped tip, which I think looks more like a thin coffin shape.
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The standard round-tip Sandits come with 120 and 180 grit tips (on opposite sides) and are sold in packs of ten. The very fine/extra fine round-tip Sandits have 400 and 800 grit tips and are sold in packs of 8.
The wedge-shaped Sandits have 120 and 180 grit tips, and are also sold in packs of 8.
Sandits are available via Rockler, and also through the manufacturer’s own online store. They’re about $7 per pack, plus shipping, and if you order through the manufacturer they offer a bulk discount if you order 4 or more packs of the same type.
If you are the type of person that likes to get your hands on a product before you buy, Sandits should are be available Rockler brick and mortar stores, and possibly other woodworking suppliers.
Buy Now(via Rockler)
Buy Now(via Woodcraft)
Buy Now(Standard via Amazon)
More Info(via Sandit Store)
While I’m not sure I have an immediate use for Sandits, They are definitely something I’ll keep in mind next time I need to do some detail sanding
Henry
I’ve used these (via Rockler) to touch up routed letters on a few signs that I’ve made, and I’ve been fairly impressed with them. They allowed me to get the “fuzzies” off around the edges delicately enough to keep the edges of the letters sharp.
I did feel that they wore down more quickly than they should have, particularly given their price (about 50c per tip, since they’re double sided). Perhaps I was a bit heavy handed?
Joe
I feel bad for the fool that mistakes them as Q-tips.
adam
Actually I think these would be perfect q-tips, at least the higher grits. My ears are always itching
Kurt
If you need to go where even a Sandit cannot go, try these sanding needles, which are available online and at a lot of hobby shops:
http://www.ipmsusa3.org/reviews2/misc/products/alpha-abr_needles/alpha-abr_needles.htm
Brian14
These would’ve been GREAT when I was trying to get some rust scale off of some hard to reach areas on the inner fender of my truck.
Jerry
I have a full set of Dremel burrs, in HSS, carbide, and diamond abrasive, in various shapes, sizes, and grits. For a long time I was wishing for a way to hold those little 1/8 bits/burrs to use them by hand, and a mechanic friend of mine suggested a 1/8 pin vise. These are available in sizes ranging from a screwdriver handle with cushioned grip, to a thin metal handle about 4 inches long, slightly smaller in diameter than a pencil, with collets to hold the shank of the burr. They work great, and all sorts of sizes and shapes of burrs can be found in places like Home Depot, or even Wal-Mart. I really like the diamond grit burrs. They are slow at stock removal, but leave a smooth surface and last a long time. Clean the grit by spinning them on a belt sander cleaning block (the gum rubber block you rub against a moving sanding belt to clean out the grit).
For more aggressive bits, look to chain saw sharpener stones, carbide burrs, and even deburring blades (like what Shaviv makes). I haven’t figured how to install links on the tablet yet, or I’d give a few. However, Amazon sells a double-ended pin vise of acceptable quality for under $4, shipping included. One with a comfort grip handle starts around $9. I went this route because I already had the Dremel burrs.
Nathan
great find. always wanted something like that.
also +1 on the pin vise idea.
thanks for the info.
Carol
I’ve been using these for about a month on very soft stone, and generally like them. However, I agree with Henry that the abrasive coatings wore down more quickly than I would’ve liked.
Kurt, thanks SO MUCH for the link to the sanding needles…I’m ordering them pronto!