Flexi Sanders Dual-Grit (90x19x6mm)

Flexible sanding block 90 x 19 x 6 mm

A springy core is what sets this block apart from paper and from a hard file. The foam conforms to the shape of the part, so a rounded engine cowling or a wing leading edge does not end up with the flat spots that sanding over a rigid backing leaves behind. At 90 x 19 x 6 mm it is the slimmest piece in the whole range, and it is the one that reaches the tightest places.

The block works from both sides and each side carries a different coarseness. The range offers three combinations: coarse 60 and 100 grit for fast material removal, medium 240 and 400 grit for leveling transitions, and fine 600 and 1000 grit for final smoothing and pre-polishing.

Use

It can be used dry or wet. Water carries the dust away, prevents clogging and noticeably extends the life of the abrasive, so on painted surfaces the wet method is clearly the better one. When you are done, rinse the piece and let it air dry.

Its small thickness lets you bend the block and run it through a channel or a rounded corner where a rigid tool would damage the surrounding detail. Keep the pressure fairly light. The foam does its best work when you let it follow the surface instead of forcing it down.

It also finds use beyond model building. It proves itself when leveling prints from a resin printer, when cleaning up edges cut from card and when preparing wooden strips for dioramas. For the finest smoothing it can be cut with ordinary scissors into smaller pieces that you can slip into places the whole block will not fit. The offcuts last surprisingly long.