Sanding door outlines

[butch27]

Any ideas about sanding the door line and still keeping them sharp/ I bought some woodworking 3/4" and 1" countour rubber sanding blocks but they are not "tall" enough to keep from sanding out the lines.

 

[2old2fast]

I'm not sure where you're sanding , where contour meets the body or the peak of the line , either way , run masking tape to where you want the sanding to stop & sneak up to it diagonally ...
dave

 

[railroad]

To get or maintain a straight line, you need something rigid, like a sanding block, or body file. The foam block will follow an untrue line without correcting it. Go by a body shop and ask to look at their sanding tools.

 

[fletcherson]

If you are trying to sand or form the cove, or curved contour, look for something rigid like a piece of dowel rod or similar to wrap your paper around. Foam will just conform to whatever is there.

 

[butch27]

Thanks: learned a trick from Foose-- tape a piece of sandpaper to the door outlines ( rough side out) - rub a piece of some med grade foam block over it to create a concave piece then take off tape and put it into the foam ( sticky side down) and you have a formed sanding piece. Cool

 

[choppinczech]

One of the ways I've made profiled sanding blocks is by using spray can expansion foam.

First, cover the area with 2 layers of duct tape edge to edge. It equals the thickness of most sand paper. Then cover that with clear packing tape. Add the expansion foam into a good sized blob and let it set up completely. Pop it off and carve it into something easy to hold. Spray glue some sand paper on and you're good to go.

Spray can expansion foam is pretty durable when fully cured.

 

[old round fart]

Good idea! Hope I can remember that when I need it! Get tin' old sux!

 

[butch27]

good one

 

[butch27]

I tried that spray foam thing. It did not set up very well right at the mold line but good around everywhere else. ???

 

[choppinczech]

I tried that spray foam thing. It did not set up very well right at the mold line but good around everywhere else. ???

Oh man. Sorry it didn't work out. I've done the same method with body filler. Build it up with layers and add a block of wood to hold onto on the last layer.

 

[Hackerbilt]

Oh man. Sorry it didn't work out. I've done the same method with body filler. Build it up with layers and add a block of wood to hold onto on the last layer.

Thats pretty much what I did, except with body filler, to mold a new upper bead line around the top of my body. The back had been raised 3"...and I cut it back down to normal height. Had to mold a new bead.

I my case, after rough shaping the beadline with fiberglass filler, I made a filler mold from a taped over door bead to screed the final coat of bodyfill into shape. After that I spray glued 120g paper into the same mold and did some cleanup sanding. Not much was needed actually, and the filler mold worked perfectly for the final shaping too.
Made a potentially hard job easy!

 

[fletcherson]

You guys are pretty enginuitive with your sanding tools. We used to keep all sorts of different shaped things to sand odd shaped areas in the shop, wood mostly, different sized dowel rod etc... Some good ideas here.

 

[old round fart]

It has just dawned on me since I have extended my door opening instead of letting the door opening stock I can make the reveal the size of the door. I'll have to look at that and see if it looks funny.

 

[choppinczech]

You guys are pretty enginuitive with your sanding tools. We used to keep all sorts of different shaped things to sand odd shaped areas in the shop, wood mostly, different sized dowel rod etc... Some good ideas here.

Me too. I got a box full of sanding blocks. Mostly made for specific profiles that I'll never need again.

 

[butch27]

I,VE GOT A Bunch of wood ones I made for my other body.

 

[ChrisK]

I'm right there in my build now. Been working on this for over a week. Its sucks but the time I take here is important. I have been using black primer sprayed on like just a light mist, to use as a sanding guide as I block it.

 

[fletcherson]

I'm right there in my build now. Been working on this for over a week. Its sucks but the time I take here is important. I have been using black primer sprayed on like just a light mist, to use as a sanding guide as I block it.

I used to keep different colors of primer just for that purpose, I would thin it down so it wouldnt build up and clog up the paper, just use it as a guide. Works good. This stage does make a big difference in the finish. I also have several lengths of blocks to get flat areas as strait as possible, those areas show work or lack of it when you look down them, like hoods, or the side of the car.

 

[ChrisK]

Man its hard going with the body lines door outlines and such. The front cowl right in front of the windshield was a bear. I finally got it all leveled. Hopefully it will be in paint this upcoming weekend.

 

[butch27]

Good luck. I just made a mold of the side of the body (2 sides) and am extending it in the door area only , just 1-1/2" so entry will be easier..

 

[RPM]

Good luck. I just made a mold of the side of the body (2 sides) and am extending it in the door area only , just 1-1/2" so entry will be easier..

Just a suggestion, if you have not cut into the body yet. Fill the back side of the door lines in with glass. Then sand the door lines off and have a smooth body, then you can make the doors as big as you like.

Put the hinges and latch in before you cut the door open and make sure it has the floor in it and is bolted to the frame.