Sanding inside stem area.

Welcome to the new Bear Mountain Builders Forum - an interactive internet service we provide to encourage communication between canoe and kayak builders
Post Reply
User avatar
davidb54321
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2005 7:05 pm
Location: Presque Isle, Maine
Contact:

Sanding inside stem area.

Post by davidb54321 »

I am sanding the inside of my Prospector and am done except for the area at the extreme ends. What have you folks used creatively to get into this confined area?
David Bartlett

"I don't fully understand everything I know!"
http://photobucket.com/albums/b81/davidb54321/
User avatar
Glen Smith
Posts: 3719
Joined: Sat May 08, 2004 9:08 am
Location: Baie-St-Paul, Quebec, Canada

Post by Glen Smith »

I normally just use a folded sheet of sandpaper and a gloved hand so I don't remove more skin than wood. :laughing It also requires patience and persistance!
User avatar
mtpocket
Posts: 562
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:48 pm
Location: Indiana

Post by mtpocket »

davidb54321,

I built the Redbird so you can imagine the how tight an area I had to work with. I started out with a detail sander and worked my way in toward the stems but had to stop about six inches short due to the size of the sander. At this point I used a rubber hand sanding block. Still I had to stop short of the stems. I looked around this mess of a garage I have and decided to wrap sandpaper around a squeegee. This allowed me to reach in alongside the stems and complete the job.

I had some glue lines on the inside around where station eight is placed. For this, I sharpened a wood chisel and using the flat side, not the beveled side, I cut it all off. Using the beveled side will grab and raise the grain.

I presanded the stems before starting the build. I just knew it was going to be tough getting inside there to sand them afterwords. This may have been the only smart thing I did on this boat.
AlanWS
Posts: 209
Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:30 pm
Location: Shorewood, WI

Post by AlanWS »

I took a piece of 2x4, cut it to a narrow wedge, mounted it on a stick, and glued on some coarse sandpaper. This fit better into the narrow bow of my canoe than did my hand, and sanded evenly. Next time I'll crown the surface slightly before gluing on the sandpaper.
Alan
User avatar
davidb54321
Posts: 214
Joined: Fri Jan 28, 2005 7:05 pm
Location: Presque Isle, Maine
Contact:

Post by davidb54321 »

Thanks All!

I have been using just my hand so far, I will try some of your ideas.
David Bartlett

"I don't fully understand everything I know!"
http://photobucket.com/albums/b81/davidb54321/
User avatar
hoz
Posts: 201
Joined: Wed Jun 09, 2004 11:57 pm
Location: Indiana

Post by hoz »

Sandpaper wrapped around a flexible putty knife.
Sand paper wrapped around a paint stirring stick.
someday I'll fly, someday I'll soar
patrick
Posts: 36
Joined: Sat Jul 03, 2004 1:25 pm
Location: Arizona

Post by patrick »

on our redbird, we just used sand paper wrapped around the hand to sand, but that wouldnt work for the inside edge of the stem. for this, i found that the peices of wood we had been using as spreaders to keep the hull at the proper width were the same thickness as the inside edge of the stem (about 1/5 an inch, i think). i just wrapped sand paper around this edge (used stuff with a sticky back to help a little). then you have a nice sanding stick, stiff enough, and long enough so your hand isnt inside.
Post Reply