Is there a tool for softening edges?

[pennygeez]

I'm looking for a sander that will sand 90 degree corners.  I normally do it by hand with 220 paper.  It gets old real fast.  Does anyone know if the Festool Linear sander that tool? 
 

 

[ccarrolladams]

[welcome]

I'm looking for a sander that will sand 90 degree corners.  I normally do it by hand with 220 paper.  It gets old real fast.  Does anyone know if the Festool Linear sander that tool? 
 

to The FOG Penny Geez,

It is unclear to me what you wish to accomplish. Are you trying to preserve the appearance of crisp edges? Or do you want just enough of a radius that the edges are less likely to cause injury?

I own a large custom cabinet shop, so routinely we make cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Hardly ever these days do our clients want us to run a slight radius with a round-over bit. From a distance they want well-defined edges, yet they also do not want to risk a skinned knuckle if a hand bumps those edges.

If those doors and drawer fronts involve frames, we sand those using RO 90 DX with the hard pads. The last step of the sanding process is to make a very light pass with the hard pad held at 45 degrees to slightly break the edge. My experience is when using a softer pad on the sander the slight break will not be as consistent, of in places it will be obvious.

By the way, my business is exclusively wholesale. Virtually all of my clients (designers and installers) already have business relationships with finishers. We always ask how fine they want us to sand. Most of our clients do not want us to remove 'mill glaze' from veneer, because they prefer to do so at the last possible moment prior to apply finish. Also, on solid wood, such as hardwood edge banding and door/drawer front frames, most clients do not want us sanding finer than 120 grit, because that is the point when they prefer to apply stain.

Of course we stock abrasives as fine as 600 grit, but rarely are asked to use that.

 

[skids]

I'm looking for a sander that will sand 90 degree corners.  I normally do it by hand with 220 paper.  It gets old real fast.  Does anyone know if the Festool Linear sander that tool? 
 

Not sure what your application is is, if it's furniture the following doesn't really apply, but if it's finish work possibly..I recently had to deal with this as well, to soften the edges of horns from some pine nosing around window and door casings. It does get old when doing it by hand, especially when you have alot of them to do..To be honest, I used my Rotex 125 (turn down low) on a bench to do it, and then cleaned it up slightly by hand. Actually got good at it after doing about 10 of them to the point I didn't need much hand work. An ETS sander or even the RO90 would have been better for this quite honestly. The only thing I can think of in terms of tools that do this is a small router with a roundover or non aggressive edge bit. 

Your other option, and again this depends on what you are doing..But assuming it's finish work, would be to self return the corners.

 

[tjbnwi]

If you are trying to soften the corner use these;

https://www.fastcap.com/estore/pc/FastBreak-Sander-3p2472.htm

Very easy to use, takes very little time.

Tom

 

[awdriven]

Hi Penny - If you talk a little more about your particular kind of projects, it might help. If you're doing THAT much of the same kind of sanding, are you producing a lot of one particular kind of workpiece? Do you just want to 'break' the edge? If you barely want any rounding, you could probably just use a soft pad in a random orbit sander and let the pad overlap that edge a little. A chamfer guide on a plane may also get you what you are looking for. (Check Lee Valley) Quick swipe with the plane, maybe a very quick touch with some sandpaper?

 

[peter halle]

This might be more of a softening than you want, but honestly finish carpenters, painters, and anyone who uses PVC (due to the sharp edges) should take a look at these.  They work great.  You might be able to get individual pieces at Woodcraft stores.  http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32682&cat=1,230,41182,41200

Peter

 

[Tinker]

This might be more of a softening than you want, but honestly finish carpenters, painters, and anyone who uses PVC (due to the sharp edges) should take a look at these.  They work great.  You might be able to get individual pieces at Woodcraft stores.  http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32682&cat=1,230,41182,41200

Peter

I use one of those for some projects, but more often, i just touch up with my block plane.
I almost always have that in my pocket, so i don't have to look for sand paper or anything else.
Just reach in my pocket and go.
Tinker

 

[harry_]

I find myself using this more often than not

 

[Timtool]

I once suggested this in the suggestion forum, some little palm sander that would soften edges.
But for the time being i cut my used Festool 150mm sanding paper in 4 and use thos to sand edges by hand. The firm backing makes them soft to hold and very solid.
Especially the granat paper lasts forever. In fact i haven't bought a single roll of sandpaper since i am using Festool sanders...

 

[zapdafish]

If you have access to a festool dealership I'd bring a piece of wood and test the LS 130(?)

Personally I use a sanddevil or a 1/8" roundover bit

In fact, I use this to chamfer all the exposed dominos so they slide in easier when I do my glue ups

 

[tbellemare]

I've used a 3 mm roundover bit fairly often, especially with acrylic. Those edges can be like knives. It also gives it a finished look.

Tom

 

[semenza]

I'm looking for a sander that will sand 90 degree corners.  I normally do it by hand with 220 paper.  It gets old real fast.  Does anyone know if the Festool Linear sander that tool? 
 

Hi,

Welcome to the FOG!  [smile]

If you want to soften edges in a controlable even manner, the LS130 does this very well. 

Seth

 

[jacko9]

I have been using a chamfer plane for over 35 years and still haven't had to re-sharpen it yet!

http://japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=01.222.45&dept_id=12933

Jack

 

[pennygeez]

Thanks for all of the suggestions.
I am a custom furniture and cabinet builder and do all of my own finishing.  My primary technique is miter-folded plywood.  It's common for me to have 200 linear feet of edges to soften in one small project.  I am looking for a tool that will break that hard edge of the 45 while still leaving the clean, crisp edge... quickly.  I'm going to try a 1/16" router bit, but that still leaves me having to sand out the chatter.  The Lee Valley cornering tool looks promising as well.  I'd like to pull the trigger on the ls130 (after all, we are all Festool dudes here), but I'd need to see it in action, or at least get some rocking reviews of it's performance.

Thanks again for all help.

 

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Yeah, I've used a small radius roundover bit myself. Easy to do when cutting and preparing your pieces before assembly.

 

[Wood_Junkie]

I really like using this:  Mini Edge-Rounding Plane:  http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=64284&cat=1,230,41182

I don't know if this will take more off the edge that you want.  But in my experience it works great and in a single quick pass (grain downhill!)

I also have this, but rarely use it.  http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2080075/25369/fastcap-fast-break-edger-model-80076.aspx
I like using the plane, above...

I haven't used this, but it's another option:  http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=32682&cat=1,230,41182,41200

 

[Kevin Stricker]

I have the LS130 but don't really like it for that application.  I suppose if you made a custom pad it would work OK, but I find the Mirka Block Sanderwith vac attachment, an interface pad and 180 or 220 Abranet paper to do the job so effortlessly.  I will often do a final pass with the sanding block and it will remove most of the trace dust from the surface while I am hitting edges on the same pass.  If you go that route check out the micro vac hoses they make for their block sanders, the Mirka hoses are very easy to work with.

I know Festool makes several hand sanding blocks with dust ports, not sure why they don't sell them in the US.

 

[festooldude]

Ofk 500 for roundovers specifically!!

 

[awdriven]

I know I was one of the folks who recommended a hand tool, but the 30 day return policy is there if you want to try out the LS130.

 

[rdesigns]

I've used a lot of different methods, including the Veritas cornering tools, but I find that a two-sided file (one side bastard, the other mill smooth) works quickly and it reaches into corners where some other tools can't.