Sanding that never ends

[biomedfred]

I currently working on a project that the sanding has just been a never ending task.  It is for a bed and the headboard has an intricate "Moroccan" style pattern cut out.  The bed is done.  In fact, I've been sleeping on it for about four months.  The problem is the panel that will slide into the headboard frame.  I've been sanding for the last month and I'm now halfway done.  Now I'm just a hobbiest but I'm wondering how you guys stay motivated when you're faced with a sanding job that never seems to end?

 

[johninthecamper]

certainly helps when there is a pay check when your done

 

[mouppe]

I don't understand why the sanding is taking so long.

Is it because you have to remove a lot of material, is it the amount of surface area you are faced with, or is your sandpaper too fine?

 

[Kev]

I need a picture of this to comprehend - I'm having trouble imagining the intricacy requiring that much sanding!

[eek]

 

[Rob-GB]

I suspect it looks along the lines of "Jali" screens that one finds in mosques and such. Beautiful pierced work that presents a lot of end grain sanding.

The way I stay motivated is by setting goals: "I will sand this much then have a coffee or beer"  ;D or some other target.
Having worked on jobs that had what seems like weeks of continuous sanding both by hand and machine it can get monotonous, decent music often helps.

Making backing sticks for the paper can help in awkward shaped work, wrap the sandpaper around a dowell or tongue depresser type stick or one specially shaped.
Depending on the wood you can get away with skipping grits ie: go from 120 grit to 240 grit paper and Dremel type drum sanding bits can speed some bits along.

HTH
Rob.

 

[biomedfred]

Rob is right.  I didn't realize that "Jali" was the actual name but after spending some time in the UAE for work, I really liked the patterns and designs that are everywhere. I'll try to get a picture of the actual piece at some point but here is the design.  There is a ton of end grain and I don't have a tool that can fit inside each of these little spaces, especially the corners, so I'm stuck doing it by hand.  The sanding is going fine, the issue is more about how to stay motivated.

[attachimg=#]

 

[Rob-GB]

Please post a pic of the real thing, the design looks terrific.
When the project is finished you will look at it with a mile wide smile  [big grin] I promise.
You get a huge dollop of respect from me for making it.  [thumbs up]

Rob.

 

[Scott B.]

This reminds me of spindle rail sanding. For those tedious repetitive tasks, it is important to come up with a system and stick to it.

The most important tip I can give is to sand in one "orientation" at a time. The more you change orientation, the more you get lost, and it feels like you are getting nowhere.

Here are some tips on how I deal with that. Your situation is complex, but this is how I would approach it.

 

[biomedfred]

Thanks Scott.  That link looks really helpful.  Ok, here are some pics of the real thing.  One of the biggest challenges was trying to layout the design on the panel from the sketch.  I ended up printing it full scale on the plotter and using a compass to transfer the design to a template that was about 18" square that could be copied around the finished panel.  Somewhere along the way I must have miscalculated the height.  That is why it is cut off on the bottom but that will be hidden by the mattress so I'm not too concerned about it.  Here are a few pics of the bed itself and then the panel.  The dog refused to move. 

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[biomedfred]

Sorry for the poor lighting.  My iPhone doesn't take the best photos.

 

[richk]

Have you considered trying a Dremel tool with a sanding cylinder?

Richk

 

[upscale]

Rob is right.  I didn't realize that "Jali" was the actual name but after spending some time in the UAE for work, I really liked the patterns and designs that are everywhere. I'll try to get a picture of the actual piece at some point but here is the design.  There is a ton of end grain and I don't have a tool that can fit inside each of these little spaces, especially the corners, so I'm stuck doing it by hand.  The sanding is going fine, the issue is more about how to stay motivated.

Hey! Do yourself a favour. Give the bed to me and I'll give you this already sanded bed in return.

 

[biomedfred]

Have you considered trying a Dremel tool with a sanding cylinder?

Richk

I've thought about the Dremel but it seems like it would much harder to keep it straight.  Also, the Dremel isn't going to fit into all of the corners.

 

[waho6o9]

Hello RO90 with the extended corner attachment.

Put on some great music and have at it. 

If sanding isn't your cup of tea, farm it out, as in hire some one
who'll appreciate the work and will do a great job.

One panel, easy peasy.

 

[upscale]

Put on some great music and have at it. 

There you go.

If sanding isn't your cup of tea, farm it out, as in hire some one
who'll appreciate the work and will do a great job.

Don't think I'd want to do that. There's the potential for the new hire to screw it up or perhaps do a substandard job. And then, he'd lose some of the pride of 'doing it yourself' knowledge that comes with working on your own project.