Started my first board yesterday (poly), brilliant fun can’t wait to get back from work and continue. After looking at the selection of rail sanding solutions available at the online UK shop I wondered whether i should purchase some gauze screens? I was hoping those with rather more experience than i could let me know if they are essential? a good idea? or not that diffrent from using regular sandpaper?
Polyurethane or Polystyrene? I don’t use screen at all on EPS.
As a backyarder, for PU, I stopped using screen a long time ago. Never thought it made a significant difference. I do most of the work with sandpaper, and for finishing the rails, I’ve recently switched to the contour pads Mike referred to in the “Most Commonly Used Sandpapers” thread.
I thought that was my little discovery, but I guess not… I just saw them in the store one day, and since I’m always looking to try new things, I picked them up. Work great…
I personally like drywall screen over sandpaper. I’ve used both and recently went back to screen because I think it blends and shapes better. With the sandpaper you’re filing away material that has nowhere to go because you’re pushing it down. With the screen it escapes through the holes in the screen and is more efficient that way. I use a small piece of 120 grit screen to do my rails. Just make sure you don’t overshape or you can mess up the outline of the board.
Just done my first EPS blank with a guaze and then finished with sandpaper in exactly the same way as I would work with a PU blank...worked perfectly...you can purchase gauze from all suppliers in UK - I use homeblown.
Not sure if you use a 'fred' for putting tuck on rails - usually have 2 surform blades opposed to cut both directions - I made a similar version with 80 grit production paper stuck on to a ply block...worked perfectly on EPS - I've even started using it to clean up the cuts on PU blanks after I've used my oriignal one with the surform blades.
Cheers
Rich
Thanks for the advice, think i'm going to get some 120 grit screen and see if works for me. If not i've plenty of paper.
cheers