Why Didn't I Think Of This Before? Genius Idea But Will it Work?

Thanks again to Drew for the AWESOME push stick! Check out his KZbin channel: / fishersshop
How many times have I taped or clamped a full sheet of sandpaper down on my bench only to have whatever I'm sanding catch on it and tear it? TOO many times! This simple project puts an end to that by holding the paper on all four edges making it impossible to snag.
--- Rather than non-slip stuff on the bottom I could add a cleat so that I could clamp it in my shoulder vise = better idea.
The framed sanding cushion bonus project was one that I've been meaning to do for several years. It needs a thin layer of rubbery non-slip stuff glued on the top to make it perfect. A layer of carpet underlay would work, but may be heavier than ideal. The foam makes this weigh nothing and that makes it easier and more convenient to use and put away.
--- Even just an old towel laid over the foam would keep the part from moving while it's being sanded. And then the towel would collect a lot of the dust and I could just bring it outdoors and shake it out = better idea!
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[@JohnHeisz]

Thanks again to Drew for the AWESOME push stick! Check out his KZbin channel: kzbin.info How many times have I taped or clamped a full sheet of sandpaper down on my bench only to have whatever I'm sanding catch on it and tear it? TOO many times! This simple project puts an end to that by holding the paper on all four edges making it impossible to snag. --- Rather than non-slip stuff on the bottom I could add a cleat so that I could clamp it in my shoulder vise = better idea. The framed sanding cushion bonus project was one that I've been meaning to do for several years. It needs a thin layer of rubbery non-slip stuff glued on the top to make it perfect. A layer of carpet underlay would work, but may be heavier than ideal. The foam makes this weigh nothing and that makes it easier and more convenient to use and put away. --- Even just an old towel laid over the foam would keep the part from moving while it's being sanded. And then the towel would collect a lot of the dust and I could just bring it outdoors and shake it out = better idea!

[@micnolmadtube]

I feel Rex Krueger has a solution somewhere for holding that sanding block tight...

[@That_80s_Dad]

Could you maybe put a piano hinge on one side of the top plate, so you just open it up like a book? That would keep the top plate exactly in place, so you just open, put in the paper, and close and you don't have to try and align it each time.

[@denziljoe]

try using cheap silicone table place mats for a non-slip base

[@rebeckavogel6480]

I just saw the preview on my home screen and now I can't see it being done any other way. Take my cyber appreciation. Now on to the Video.

[@CarrieSullo6]

Two simple projects to add efficiency to a work space! 👍👍 My husband has discovered the multiple uses of a yoga mat in his workshop...🧘‍♂️ From saving his knees while installing a tin roof on our chicken run to stablizing small items while sanding. They are made to increase grip (at ones own risk). We also have mesh rubber mats, but the yoga mat is a bit thicker and lies flat with ease. But he hasn't tried yoga yet.🤪

[@billstoner5559]

“In the mean time and that could be years”. Good one! 😉😉 Great idea for whole sheet sanding.

[@nzlemming]

John brings the realism to the workshop.

[@carenclemmons5002]

@@nzlemming yeah he does huh

[@theofarmmanager267]

That quote sums me up perfectly.

[@tobins6800]

When temporary things take on a sense of permanence.

[@theofarmmanager267]

@@tobins6800 how many fixes have I got that were “temporary”?

[@MakeEverything]

Great idea! I think I’ll make one with a steel plate for doing metal parts, I think over time an mdf substrate would wear down, but the same design would work in metal for sure!

[@VideoNOLA]

Or glass, to which people have been sticking sheets of sandpaper for decades.

[@twestgard2]

Excellent thought, I agree that metal would work well here. I’d do 1/4” aluminum because it’s lighter weight than steel and won’t break like glass will. Plus something sticky on the bottom so it doesn’t move around the bench. Lately I’ve been buying used yoga mats at goodwill and using them to line tool drawers. They would be a good material for the bottom.

[@cameronknowles6267]

@@twestgard2 go to the dollar store and get shelf liners with the soft mesh there very good for holding things in place

[@JohnDoe-rx3vn]

Many machinists use a smallish granite surface block for that

[@S0SS0L]

@@JohnDoe-rx3vn For sanding and polishing small metal parts I use a Chinchiller, which is a small slab of granite polished on one side sold at pet supply stores. It's meant for keeping small pets cool in summertime. Since the bottom is left rough it stays put fairly well.

[@ronskopitz2360]

You can also use “temporary fabric spray glue” to hold sandpaper to a sheet of glass, but this requires no cleanup and is cheaper. But the glass/glue trick is nice for longer items (and also where you require flatness, such as planing down cylinder heads). This kind of reminds me of a crocheting hoop. Great idea!!

[@JustaCarpenterToo]

I've been working in wood for more than 50 years and own a working 3500 sf woodshop, and I love watching your videos. Learned more than a few things, too... Kudos

[@UTube354]

Beautiful. I’ve never used a full sheet for sanding, but after seeing this I’ll start. I’m thinking a few large dowels into bench dog holes or a lip to clamp in my face vice. And make a few for different grits, dowels to stack them (so they all get misplaced together) so a stack of these on the bench and I could go through the grits one after the other. It’s definitely better than clamping my 2.5” sticky back sanding blocks in my vice. Think I’ll still keep sticking a few 2.5” strips to my granite table saw top for quick, dead flat, gouge/chisel/scraper/blade tunes between proper sharpening. Awesome idea, and you’re right-why haven’t any of us done this before?

[@SaucedTech]

Love the sanding pad and will probably make one of my own. If you put some alignment pins in all four corners it will take any guessing out of putting it over the top and will make it even easier :)

[@kelleysimonds5945]

The sanding block is really pure genius.

[@bliviont]

That sanding block is brilliant!

[@BluzBazz]

Cool idea! I learned from a Bobby Duke video that 3M sandpaper is adhesive backed that is heat activated. I just lay a flat sheet (or two) on a scrap piece of ply, and hit them with a heat gun, and your auntie is married to Bob.

[@pupwinder]

Saw your little helper there at 00:12. I could have used one of these this weekend. Lots of sanding. This is a great idea.

[@ericaravind9391]

At last someone addressed the elephant in the room

[@markhedquist9597]

They just keep coming. One great idea after another. The full sheet thingy is super cool. I am considering making a few if these, made up on one monolithic board. Just move down the line while sanding. We are human sanding machines now (he says, in his best robot voice). Haha

[@buddyhutchins3782]

Good idea Mark.

[@AndreaArzensek]

You never disappoint with your projects. Very cool idea as for non slippery surface, I'd glue sandpaper on the bottom.

[@coolgraycat]

I’ve been using the sanding block technique using spray rubber cement and glueing the sand paper or emery cloth to 3/4” MDF. I have many boards with different grit from 120 to 400. You can put a bench cleat to hook the bench or put it in a vice. I’ve use this technique on all kinds of material wood, plastic metal even glass. The sandpaper and emery cloth have lasted up to a year. To remove the sandpaper I use a heat gun just warm it up a little bit and the paper comes off. I’ve use this technique for over 30 years. I hope this technique help other viewers.

[@JointerMark]

Thank you John for posting this.

[@nat7278]

One of those idea that once you see it, you cant believe you haven't already done it. Bravo. Thanks

[@william44660]

I like your make-do-with-what-you've-got approach. We don't live in a perfect world.

[@craig2963]

This is a great project, better than most sanding blocks that try to use clamps on every side, making them a pain to change the paper. 3:16 The only change that I would make, I would epoxy a piece of glass or marble tile for the flat surface. Also you can spray a bit of water on the surface an the sand paper will stick like glue.

[@dougc78]

Brilliant and simple. Thanks for sharing.

[@mranchovydrumbass]

Good idea John, an improvement to stop the sanding block from moving around would be to screw a small length of wood to the bottom and then clamp it in your bench vice. Have done this myself when sanding concertina end woodwork. This will also allow you to use two hands for superior sanding tech :-)

[@jeffforbes3772]

Cool project John. Thanks for posting.

[@samvimes1482]

Great jig, I made something similar years ago. Probably found somekind of inspiration on the KZbins. The sandpaper folds over a sheet of plywood and is held in place with two wedges (top and bottom). The underside has a block glued to it so you can fix it your workbench.

[@joebradley7595]

I enjoy mowing my lawns now ,I never used to. I wonder if I will get that way about sanding one day

[@watcherofwatchers]

I will be trying this out. Thanks, John!

[@MrMathman13]

300 IQ idea, absolutely brilliant.

[@jcbsmth78]

Great idea! If you don't like the paper moving, you could always "shim" it by stacking 2 sheets instead of just one.

[@fykedalebalasabas5767]

Thanks for the idea, I'm just using smooth tile and sticking the sandpaper with double-sided tape. Been using it for sanding wood and sharpening my chisels. This video has given me an idea of making a base for it so I can clamp it onto my bench Thanks again!

[@rustylugnut755]

This is why I am a subscriber! Good presentation. One tip with the sanding pad is to use push pins to keep things from moving.

[@earlye]

This is brilliant! Suggestion: make the sheet holder three frames wide and with a lip to clamp down like the rubber mat. Then you could load up course, medium, fine, and cycle individual pieces through.

[@thesplinteredfinger]

What a great idea John!

[@bigredracingdog466]

Love the sanding sheet frame idea. I'll make one with a couple short 20mm dowels on the bottom to pop into holes on my MFT-style bench to keep it from moving around.

[@davidsneddon2242]

Genius John. Great share and idea.

[@Fraususemil]

Good idea, and I like your wooden clamps 👍🙂

[@bullfrogpondshop3179]

Great idea! I just made one and would change one tiny detail if I had it to do over again. I'd make the 8 x 10 piece about 1/8" oversize in both dimensions. Reason is, if the paper is the least bit oversize, it will fold down and go under the frame piece. This will cause the frame to be a tiny bit proud of the sanding base and catch the workpiece as you sand. Thanks for a great project. I'm sure it'll be super handy in my shop!

[@ehRalph]

I also do a lot of full and partial sheet sanding, sometimes taping the paper to the bench top. You’re right about catching edges and ripping the sandpaper. Good design. I made some wood rasps using coarse sanding belts and floor sander paper glued to flat boards on 2 sides of square edged lumber. The smooth side can then be used to reference. You can wax the smooth edge of the board and slide it on the bench top to dress an edge or use the sanding board freehand or with a guide. They last a long time with the right kind of sandpaper.

[@macedindu829]

That custom push stick is the shit!

[@NanetteTurner]

You can add a little 1x2 to a bottom edge of the sand paper holder too,like a bench hook.

[@Wordsnwood]

It could be years... Nice tip, John!

[@mr.b.w.3146]

Nice work! Like the corner holes

[@IEnjoyCreatingVideos]

Nice idea with the sand paper John! Thanks for sharing it with us!💖👍😎JP

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

Recently I've started using thin silicone rubber pastry/baking mats as non slip supports for my work, they're inexpensive and available periodically from your favourite four letter German supermarkets.

[@clintoncraft4161]

A few years ago I got a few large sheets of the rubber matting they use on bench cookies. It works a treat on many things, and as a bench top grippy surface it does a great job!

[@Exerscience11]

Should have used pocket holes to mount the foam edge to the frame… 😂 That sanding pad is such a wonderful idea!!!

[@JohnD-JohnD]

Make the bottom board just a little bigger so you have a lip to clamp it down to the bench. Your second jig,, Tool box liner works great.. Gets dusty after a while, but it can be cleaned.

[@RecycledSkills]

"In the meantime...." hahaha. A lot of my shop TODO's go untouched for years, too!!!

[@Curionimbus]

Thanks again for your creative solution to a common problem; Much appreciated. I hope to bring this into existence in my own collection one day. A suggestion for a non-slip surface in the interim, before you find your ideal material, would be kitchen cabinet liners. They're usually dead cheap and fairly effective in their grip factor. You could perhaps tack down two corners, with the other two removable, in order to facilitate sweeping of sawdust off of the foam layer. Cheers!

[@morrielewin1554]

Also useful are the carpet anti-skid materials. I buy large sheets of varying thickness at Home Depot to hold different items like backed carpet on folding tables, in tool drawers, under rugs (!) and anywhere I need a temporary non-skid interface between flat surfaces. Works great and is reusable and resizable. A quick rinse in water usually refreshes the tackiness. Best of all it only takes minutes to create the desired size with scissors!

[@abcaabca6364]

Richard: To keep things from moving around, use the dog holes. That's what they're for!

[@sskkuuddrraa]

For keeping part in place when sanding, really good is those rubber bathroom mats. Works perfect!

[@bn9611]

I haven't wood worked since secondary school and I think this is an awesome idea!

[@krzysztofmathews738]

Excellent design!

[@LYLEWOLD]

very cool. and I like what you consider to be an acceptable "in the meantime".

[@chrisingham5163]

You could make a router bit which is a shaft with an off centre bearing, then drill a hole the size of the bearing in the back of your sanding block, sit the block on the bearing, turn on the router, and you have a vibrating sander that you can apply workpieces to? Like a large orbital sander board which sits on your router table. Might work, also might overload your router :)

[@theelectronwrangler6416]

That thin drawer for your drill bits is fantastic. New project :)

[@dzolotas]

Nice idea, I will make it! Thank you very much!

[@stephenweishaar9058]

Low pile carpet remnant, what we used to use in the cabinet shops for sanding bench surface. Some worked better than others, but once you found one....would use it for decades on the sanding bench.

[@MaacAbra]

That looks like an awesome idea. I should try it and build one, too.

[@alindorindicu3732]

Thanks! I actually wanted to use a sanding pad like the you had, but upside down, to sand the floor, with a weight on it and a broom stick to push it around! And you show me how to do it!!!

[@Kennykoo65]

Good video. You could use bench dogs and your front or tail vice to hold the sanding board.

[@brianshire8351]

Great idea. I will be making one of these for my shop.

[@razorwired130]

Great idea John!

[@BronkBuilt]

What a great idea!

[@willstutely]

This is one of your better innovations.

[@ginoasci2876]

on the sandpaper jig holder device frame thing you made, you used spray adhesive to attach a black pad, instead use a sheet of 60 grit sandpaper, or even 100 grit for the bottom so it doesn’t move around. on that lathe sanding panel you used a foam sheet, i was thinking a piece of rubber roofing might slow that movement down more than that foam. you know you’re not the only one that takes years to get these helpful gadgets done. i’ve wanted to make that stuff for decades LOL. sometimes it’s seems like a waste of time just making blocks of wood to glue on quarter sheets of sandpaper, but when they’re done, they sure do come in handy

[@MadDogPE]

Thanks for the idea, great!! If you want something really sticky, a few weeks ago I bought this kind of sheets/pads for the kitchen cabinets, the ones you lay on the cabinet before you put the glasses, dishes, silverware on top. Bought them from Dollar Tree, obviously pretty cheap, the point is they are very sticky I think those might work for your project. Good luck!

[@edk3167]

I was thinking the same thing. They use to market that stuff to wood workers for pretty much this purpose.

[@_J.F_]

Brilliant! You can screw a little strip onto the edge of the bottom and then secure the entire pad in your vice, holding on to that little strip underneath.

[@mitchmazerolle3168]

Skateboard Grip Tape might be a possible candidate to provide a reliably grippy surface. I use it often to keep things from slipping around when lateral pressure is applied to an appliance or something similar. It can be bought in various roll width sizes. The con to this might be the sandpaper surface texture of the grip tape may mark up surfaces that are directly placed facing the tape and moved slightly.

[@motc4944]

Looking at the comments I haven't seen anyone suggest taking advantage of benchdog holes. Stub them out as little as like a half inch. You could easily make them removable and even make a cleat one for when you just want to catch the edge of the assembly table or something. Just my humble $0.02...thanks for all the content, effort, and end of video sound clips

[@DOUBLEGRASS]

Great ideas you could punch holes in foam and use a vacuum to keep in place as well as removing fine dust

[@alwatts9713]

Great idea! I've always hated cutting small pieces of a full-size sheet of sandpaper to sand something. Now I don't. Plus, it's easy to change out. Thanks for sharing

[@_thegrayman]

Bloody genius! Ihave the same slippy foam issue - I'm going to try sticking a waste 180 sheet on the bottom of the sanding frame 👍

[@LiloUkulele]

Love the drill bit storage drawer!

[@Adamroable]

Never seen your channel before but I subscribed the second I saw those gears on the table saw fence! Can't wait to pick through your old videos and find out about them!

[@patmash]

Nothing you do is crazy john. Awesome idea.

[@maxwell_edison]

Haha, you get a friction fit with the ring because it's sandpaper. That is hilariously efficient!

[@twwoodcrafts7504]

Whether it works or not, if you never try you will never know. Keep up the good work and innovations.

[@odiekivarkis8193]

I never missed any of your videos John; they are brilliant. This one as well is a very good one but for keeping the bottom from moving while sanding I would suggest an idea from Colin Knette; he uses a piece of non slip rubber mat, same as the one you use under wood you are routing, attached to the bottom of a push stick and it works like a charm. The grip is so strong you can use it to improve the pushing blocks when using a jointer.

[@MannyDer]

lol, 0:11 -- who is that?

[@CharlesZoll]

Scarlett Johansson lol

[@markzambelli]

Oooh... are we getting a 'Lucy' advent calendar easter-egg during December?... love it

[@aerial_camera_video_imaging]

Clever idea. Thanks

[@yannick1426]

What you could try is to cut some slits into the sandingpad. This technic is used on sailingshoes. So when the shoesoles would silp/deform, the edge of the slit will grab onto the surface.

[@michaelm9871]

"In the meantime, and that could be years" I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[@midwestmonster311]

Both are really good ideas. I really like the sandpaper hold down. Great stuff as always John! I know what I'm making today.

[@jbb5470]

Very clever! I like it

[@DarikX74]

Nice build!

[@c.blakerockhart1128]

Your saw is looking at me ? At 0:11 someone is looking out from under the throat plate .😂

[@chaplainand1]

I think I could use this for holding paper on tile for sharpening my edged tools. Thanks. I think I'll give it a try before Christmas.

[@markbrown9765]

That sandpaper holder is brilliant. I'll definitely be stealing that idea for my shop :)

[@stephenmcfadyen1385]

I have made one of these and to stop it from sliding I hammered some 1 inch brads along one edge slightly skewed and cut the nail heads off a couple of mm proud, this works really well I have done the same with my oil sharpening block.

[@shahabsaniei3288]

I love your clips and I hope all is well for you and those you love in the new year and years to come. Thanks again for sharing knowledge with others!

[@johnanthony2545]

Great project. A under sized stop clamped to bench would put the breaks on small sand unit while staying out of your way. I may make this in the future. 👍

[@wickedcabinboy]

urethane foam drawer liners. They work well and are washable and easy to dry. Best skid resistance I've ever had. In addition one can find urethane foam anti skid sheets/pads for rugs, same thing but considerably thicker.

[@JarlSeamus]

Just pin the base plate in your bench dogs and wagon vise. Nice job, I'll try this!

[@452steve452]

Very clever idea!

[@jamescole1786]

Yea John..love yur shop & 💡 innovations! Always a pleasure to watch! Stay safe using all those power tools!👍👍👍🧑‍🏭🧑‍🔧🛠give us more 🔜

[@hectatusbreakfastus6106]

Food for thought, you can get rolls of cork for corkboards for cheap if you are patient and find the most beat up destroyed roll of cork you can find. The ends get chewed up really bad at the stores and eventually they lose their value as a 4ft wide roll. I make my sanding pads out of plywood with cork glued on and I attach the sand paper with spray adhesive works like a charm.

[@aliastagami2346]

I love this! I'm going to make one of this this weekend!

[@Glassed_in_Nature]

Screw a cleat on the bottom of that sandpaper holder and then you can hold clamp in the bench vise. Great video!

[@leopfeffer2419]

Rubber mesh shelf/drawer liner will solve your movement problem. Also you can pick it up and shake any sawdust off of it, or rinse it off. No need to glue it to anything. Also, if you reduce the dimensions of the cutout to 7" X 9", and make the MDF pad thicker than the ring, your sanding surface will have four 90 degree edges for sanding grooves etc.

[@luisantoniogalvezheras2792]

I usually to go to a fabric store and buy a meter or so of those antislip chushin for kitchen drawers, works like a charm as a sanding basepad or even router base pad, grips to any wood, and it costs about 60 Mxn which is around 3 USD, hope it helps

[@thumbwiz]

Is that Scarlett Johansson you have trapped in your table saw? lol