Best Sanding Block and Paper

I rarely do this, but I really have to say how much I like the 3M sanding block and sticky paper! What a great sanding system they have.

Unlike traditional, cheap rubber sanding blocks that are not usually flat and that ALWAYS develop a hump in the middle which defeats the purpose of the block, this plastic block stays flat. It has a foamy base with just the right amount of give, although it's pretty firm. The handle fits my hand very well and is ergo-dynamically designed for comfort.

The paper comes in rolls and is sticky backed. You simply tear off the proper length and stick it on. When done it easily peels off without ripping. The rolls come in an assortment of grits.

The downside... the block is about $30 for the small one and over $60 for the long one. They're plastic! The paper is even more ridiculous at about $80 per roll! Gawd. But it's worth the investment.

Cheers!

Comments

The Rogue Manual

I've posted about this earlier, but thought it might be good to post it again for anyone who may be interested. I've started to write a manual of tips and tricks for Pygmy solo kayak builders. It covers the taping method, so that your boat doesn't have hundreds of holes all over it. I'm on version 2 now. Version 2 covers several other tips and tricks from myself and from others as collected over time. ATTENTION : Use the manual at your own risk! The only person responsible for any mistakes or problems with the building of your boat is you. Always use the official Pygmy manual that came with your kit. Only do those tips and tricks that make sense to you. If something in the manual doesn't sound right to you, then don't do it! Neither I, nor Pygmy Boats, nor anyone else except YOU is responsible for the safety of your boat and the quality of your build. It's in very rough draft form right now, but if you'd like to read it, please send a $10 donat...

Pinguino End Pours and Other Jobs

I've spent the past day and today doing a number of jobs that just need to be done but aren't that noticeable. First, I added a saturation coat to the bare wood on the #4 panels above where I cut the fiberglass the other day. I also added a layer of epoxy over the area where heels may rest. Today I scraped the sides and heel area and added another coat of epoxy.Here's how it looks now. It's technically a third coat, but really only two as much of the first two have been either scraped or sanded. I may add a third layer once this is cured. I also worked on the end pours. The Pygmy manual says to do the end pours later on after the boat is complete. It says to take the boat outside and prop it up on a wall with the end in a bucket of ice water. Then you contort yourself and pour thickened epoxy down into the end and let it cure. Then you do the other end. THEN... you have to guess where you can drill holes through the ends for your painters (the lines that you t...

Next Build: A Pinguino 145

Well here we go on another Pygmy solo kayak build. This time a Pinguino 145 . It's one of Pygmy's most popular boats. It's stable, light, capable of sea touring, and only 14.5'. Here's another nice article about the Pinguino . The picture below is from the Pygmy website ( Pygmy Boats owns the copyright to this image and I make no claim to the image. It's here under fair use policy but will be happily removed if Pygmy requests it to be removed) . A friend of ours has wanted me to build one for her for some time and I finally think I can start to work on it. It should be a great boat for her. She's an active woman in her early 70's. The massive stability of the Pinguino, the larger cockpit, the relatively low weight, and being only 14.5' should work well for her. I'll blog about it here, but I'll also be adding some better pictures to the " Rogue Manual " on how to build one without wires. This boat will NOT have any w...

Wacko Ways to Build a Boat

Search This Blog