Woodworking Tip: Sanding Curves

There are several techniques I use for sanding the curves. Obviously, you can sand the curves by hand and get a uniform sanding of the existing shape. However, if the wood piece is not cut perfectly, sometimes you can correct the minor deficiencies with sanding. The key is to get a support for the sand paper that is the same curve as the piece you’re sanding.

I also like to use my random orbit sander to create the perfect outside rounded edge. It is important that you roll the sander over the rounded corner in a consistent movement. If you stop and pause, it will create a flat spot. You can also dig the edge of the orbital sander into the inside rounded edges to smooth it out; however, it is more difficult to do.

For inside edges, you can get a spindle sander or a sanding drum attachment for your drill press. The attachment to the drill press cannot be used on a router because the router spins too fast. I have sanding drum attachment for my drill press and it works great for sanding the inside edges. The best part about it is I can do the same thing as spindle sander without buying the tool.

I also have a disc sander that is perfect for rounding the outside corners. You can do basically the same thing with your orbital sander, so I don't recommend buying a disc sander unless you do a lot of woodworking.

Another tip I recommend if you have two uniform rounded pieces is to clamp them together when doing the sanding. The minor imperfections in one piece will be canceled out by the other piece and vise versa. It will also make both of the pieces uniform.