Genius sanding tips you need to know

Make sandpaper nearly new again with a lowly old sneaker. Start up your power sander and dust collection system (remember to wear hearing and eye protection). Then slowly press the rubber sole of an old sneaker along the sandpaper – you’ll see a difference instantly!

You can see much more clearly when you’re sawing and sanding if you first rub your plastic safety glasses and face shields with a used fabric softener sheet. The exact physics is a matter of discussion, but this makes wood dust a lot less clingy. The key is to use a sheet that’s been through a drying cycle. It’ll be gentler and less laden with softener.

DIY Basics: check out our essential guide to sanders.

This woodworking file comes in handy for sanding in tight spaces. Cut a piece of sandpaper to fit around a paint stir stick. Then use spray adhesive or an all-purpose glue to adhere it to the stick. Write the sandpaper grit on the handle of the stir stick, if you plan to store it for later use.

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Make this simple jig for turning full sheets of sandpaper into smaller sheets to fit your finishing sander, sanding block or other device.

Cut the 3mm deep grooves in the base using a table saw and thin-kerf blade, then attach the stop block. To use the jig, place the sandpaper grit-side down and run a sharp utility knife down the appropriate groove.

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If you don’t have a bench grinder, you can sharpen chisels and other tools almost as well with a belt sander with a fine-grit belt.

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This easy-to-build jig transforms an electric drill into a stationary edge sander for inside curves on all kinds of projects. To build one, you need scrap 20mm plywood, a short 2×4, a 100mm-diameter U-bolt to fit around your drill and two 100mm wing nuts. Housing design and chuck length vary from drill to drill, so we won’t list exact dimensions.

Use the steps found here as a general guide for building a jig that fits your drill.

Capture the dust that flies off a sanding drum before it fills your shop and lungs! All you need is your shop vacuum, an 8 x 5cm PVC reducing coupling and a pot magnet. Bolt the magnet to the coupling and put the coupling over the end of the vacuum hose. A 6cm dia. shop vacuum hose fits snugly inside the coupling’s smaller end without clamps or glue. Then just set the hose on the drill press’s metal table and let the shop vacuum eat your dust. You can use this setup on any power tool with a metal table.

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Before applying the finish, rub the project (with the grain!) with No. 0000 steel wool. You’ll lift sanding dust from the grain and burnish and shine the surface fibres. Follow up with a Swiffer Sweeper cloth (found in supermarkets) to wipe away any specks of dust or steel wool.

This jig firmly holds your belt sander upside down for easier sanding of handheld project parts. Each sander has a different shape, so custom-cut the plywood sides with a jigsaw to fit yours. Work for a tight fit so the sander is rock steady while you’re working. Use clamps to hold small pieces and don’t wear loose clothing.

DIY Basics: check out our essential guide to jigsaws.

The “hose sander” is another great tool for sanding the curvy contours of your woodworking projects. Saw off a straight piece of discarded radiator hose with a hacksaw, clean it inside and out, and wrap a piece of adhesive-backed sandpaper around it. It works great when you bear down for coarser sanding and is just right for lighter-touch finish sanding, too.

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