# Quick Sanding Jig for Blank Ends



## KenV (Aug 12, 2009)

Was getting a Puzzle Baron ready yesterday and the instructions advise NOT to use an end mill to trim the ends of the blanks.  I did not want to setup the disk sander - then the Aha

I took a small disk of sandpaper and punched a 3/16 hole into it.  ( I had some one inch diameter sanding disks in the larder).

I grabbed my Berea end mill (barrel trimmer) - it has a smaller shaft that holds the head abainst the D sized shafting -  

I disassembled the end mill (barrel trimmer) and reversed the head on the shaft putting the sandpaper on the end of the shaft facing down.  I pressed the flat head of the barrel trimmer against the sandpaper firmly and tightend both set screws.   put the trimmer into a spare drill chuck and added the spacer -  the blanks fit nicely over the spacers and against the sandpaper.  Hand motion the end was sanded evenly.  changed spacer and did the other part.

With the CA clogging the sandpaper, it was one disk, one pen, but it was fast and the accuracy was acceptable.  Rechecked with starret protractor and all looked good.  


If I was going to do much of this, I would take an old barrel trimmer and glue velcro against the flat head -  Or

I then went into the garage and spotted a fender washer --I see the addition of some velcro backing to a fender washer as the next variant -- to eliminate some slipping.


----------



## IPD_Mrs (Aug 12, 2009)

Pressure sensitive sand paper works just as well.  the back side of the mill will get a little gummy after some time but it wipes off with acetone.


----------



## gmanblue (Aug 12, 2009)

Pic of the Jig would be nice


----------



## artistwood (Aug 12, 2009)

rick herrel (IAP....*rherrell* ) makes an awsome sanding jig. very true running and comes with a punch for the sticky sandpaper. in the classifides.  works great. apparently the face is brass and turned on a lathe so it's dead square. ........Bear


----------



## KenV (Aug 12, 2009)

Mike --  
If I had PSA paper, that would be handy way to go -- I have piles of rounds and the only ones with psa back are the spendy 3M ones.  The rest and all the 1 inch ones are fuzzy backed.   I thought about the can of 3M 777 glue too, but the cleanup is a bear (been there and done that).  

Barry  -- the point was to use 3 minutes and no money --  I have micro lathes and can make jigs, or could have set up for the disk sander, but for just the puzzle pen -   Use of the barrell trimmer (piloted end mill) was fast and easy.  


I found that I still have a PSI POS barrrell trimmer that may be converted one of these days when I want to do that instead of more production oriented work.


----------



## programmergeek (Aug 14, 2009)

I have done that I also just made something similar on my metal lathe.  One caution about the velcrow though it causes rounded ends since it adds padding to the sandpaper in the back.  Not so nice especally when you press down a little because your paper is getting clogged.  Don't use velcrow the harder you can keep that back the better your facing will be.


----------



## Bree (Aug 14, 2009)

gmanblue said:


> Pic of the Jig would be nice


 
Yeah!!  Brilliant ideas and incredible jigs don't really exist before their soul is captured in a PIC!!


----------



## ldb2000 (Aug 14, 2009)

Why not save yourself all the extra work and just face your blanks on the lathe with a skew . I have done several puzzle kits this way without a single problem .


----------



## dntrost (Aug 14, 2009)

Bree said:


> Yeah!!  Brilliant ideas and incredible jigs don't really exist before their soul is captured in a PIC!!



LOL Bree learned this when bragging about a new toy she bought!


----------

