Plunge sander. A new tool?

[Michael Brigg]

The Plate on Torment is fashioned from a beautiful piece of Rainforest Mahogany, carefully shaped by the late owner into a Spitfire wing. I have spent a lot of time with this and have recently released into the garden to roam free while I finish off elsewhere.



This wonderful wild specimen has until now been brutally abused in the plate case and subjected to all manner of scrapes as can be seen on the old set of cheeks.



The damage has been done by these copper tacks in the construction which I think have stood proud as the pressure from the foil was forced onto the plate.



It can be seen that true to its spirit the old plate has reciprocated and the cheeks were originally put in place with panel pins, and these too have worked their way out of the wood to score away the inside surface.

I have decided the best solution is to line the plate internally but need to remove the old varnish. Stripper has proved laborious and my final solution has been to create a tool made from the old shelving slats from the airing cupboard wrapped up with a sheet of P30 grit., the stuff you prepare floorboars with before sealing them. I believe this is in keeping with CVRDA creativity. Its actually quite fun! I can go at it like unblocking a drain or sink with a plunger.



This is the Plunger tool sanding stick

The finish is not a problem as I want a rough surface to improve adhesion. I have some 2mm Tufnol sheeting for the purpose.

[Rupert]

Not sure I've ever gone lower than 40 grit. Hats off to you!

[Ed]

The tool is very familiar, have often had to create similiar...

Like Rupert, I have never seen bigger grit than 40. Makes you wonder what 10 would be like? Just a sheet of paper attached to a sheet of glass?

Torment is looking georgeous. I do so wish I had got Dicey....or that Stu's old IC K127 Juldi/Fizzigig would reappear. I have the distinct hankering for a 70s-80s wooden IC.

eib

[Michael Brigg]

So after several evening of creeping out to use my tool the slot is down to the wood inside the and ready for lining.

QUIET at the back there Henshall!

I have cut some 2mm Tufnal sheeting to shape the slot nd it is sanded hard on both sides. My idea is that I will expose the canvas mat through the resin matrix, and this over time will get a bit slimy, when wet, reducing friction and offering an abrasion free surface to the plate. That I hope will avoid nasty scour marks as could be seen in the original.


These can now be epoxy glued to the internal plate case/slot


And then compressed into place with inflated bicycle inner tubes.


The slats from a blind were very helpful in wedging the inner tube which was as determined to escape as loops of small bowel during a laparotomy closure. Gorrilla tape on the hull side of the slot also made the process a little easier. Now have to wait for it all to dry out.

[realnutter]

Clever use of inner tubes! I imagine getting them in the right place was both frustrating and highly amusing!

[Ed]

yes, nice use of inner tubes.

I have done this job before with a block of wood and lots of wedges. It worked but not that well and was a right pain to do. innertubes would work much better. How did you get the glue down inside the slot?

eib

[Michael Brigg]

I got a miniature emulsion sponge pad (Couple of quid from B&Q) insulating taped it to a couple of old venetian blind slats to keep the angle straight and it was easy. The gorilla tape on the hull side of the slot caught the drips and took them away when it was removed after the inner tubes were inflated.