Making a Sanding Stick Project Download

Description

Use this handy sanding stick exactly as you would a file. Use it from either end; use it to go around curves, along edges, on flat surfaces. Make several sticks in different emery grits for the most use. Work through a series of grits from 220 or 320 to 600 to smooth a previously filed surface, or use instead of a file to smooth narrow surfaces or edges when little material needs to be removed. The advantages of sanding sticks over small pieces of folded emery paper are that they are easier on your hands, easier to control, and preserve crisp edges for finely crafted work. After you use them for a while, you???ll wonder how you ever got along without them!

Required Materials: Softwood sticks, emery paper, Scribe nails (with heads). See project for complete list.
Tools Needed: Marking pen, claw hammer, flat, clean working surface. See project for complete list.
Techniques Used: Wirework, Chain-making
Originally Published: Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, January 2000