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We've got varnish that we don't like on all our downstairs door frames so I've decided to try and sand them. I've mde good progres on one frame using an orbital sander and a detail sander but I'm struggling to get into all the wee corners effectively. I've got a bit done with a bit of folded paper but that is laborious and boring.
Any tips out there for a sanding novice? Any tools I should look at?
Sometimes it's easier to scrape it than sand it.
Get a nice sharp 25mm chisel, put it into the corner and angled towards the direction of travel, pull out from the corner a little.
Hold the chisel on the blade, thumbs behind, forefingers in front.
Repeat, a million times.
Corners are dicks.
You'll get closer in with a square pad sander of course but never really tight in due to the nature of how power sanders work.
Best to get a hand block of ply/wood/mdf with nice, crisp corners, pull the abrasive really tight onto the block and work with the grain into the corners.
Keep blowing the dust out otherwise it prevents the block getting in tight.
That and scraping as mentioned above should get you close.
Quite easy to damage surrounds with a power sander. I'll often do edges by hand, and only the inner with an orbital, staying well away from corners.
That's on new wood mind you. Removing old finishes the gloves are off!
... Or try this method:
Remove old frame
Replace with new frame* (that you've partially pre-painted)
Admire how good it looks!
* Assuming by "frame" you don't mean the casing.
What do you mean by "wee corners"?
It also depends what you're putting over the varnish. If it's moulding detail then fine wire wool can be useful
When I made my guitar, the luthier who was instructing me was an advocate of cheap tools. A proper craftsman who makes really sought after and expensive instruments, but prides himself on using stuff bought from the centre aisle in Aldi.
Anyway, for a cabinet scraper just use a Stanley blade, held carefully with both hands and pull it towards you. Surprisingly effective, and when it goes blunt, use another one.
Wrapping a bit of abrasive tight around a steel ruler can help you get in too.
Sanding stuff can do one .
100 pack of cheapo stanley type blades. Save blunting a useful chisel.
When it comes to sanding, if I can't belt sand it, I don't want to know.
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and when it goes blunt, use another one.
If you rub the blade, holding it perfectly upright, on a sharpening stone, you create a little burr that makes 'scraping' very effective.
Creating a burr on a card or cabinet scraper, which is how they work, can be quite difficult, but on a stanley blade it is really easy.
Thanks for the input everyone, including shark bait who seems to think that someone who doesn’t know how to sand stuff would be even remotely capable of replacing a door frame (or even knowing what a casing is)
A decent multitool should come with a little delta sander attachment. They will be as tight as a sander can get into a corner. Don't just ram it in though as you may accidentally sand a mark into the perpendicular face, then you need to sand that off, marking the other face, ad infinitum.
I’m currently sanding the all of woodwork in a flat. x7 doors and lots of skirting boards. Previous owner was enthusiastic but terrible DIYer who just threw lumps of gloss everywhere. It’s sunny and I’m not riding my bike. It’s not even my flat. I’m not happy. Sanding sucks balls.
Sharp pocket knife does most things. That's what I would use. Striped my entire stairs with one. Slowly!
Are you painting it?
If so leave it and use Bin Zinsser shellac primer...no need for sanding ....the only thing I would add is maybe sugar soap the frame to get rid of any grease/dirt before hand.
If your not painting then I would wrap a thin strip of 120 sandpaper around a flat head screwdriver