Detail sander?

[Phil Thien]

Although I've gotten much better at controlling glue squeeze-out (waiting for it to skin over before scraping it away with a chisel, for example), I do on occasion still get some glue on my projects.

For example, I'm assembling some drawers and in a couple of corners there is some glue-smear that will interfere with the finish. The material is BB plywood, in this instance.

A scraper doesn't seem to be that much help, especially because the angle is such that I can get a good purchase on it. I have an orbital sander that, when the pad or disc hit the corner, tend to damage the perpendicular surface. I have a finish sander that maybe orbits too widely and makes one heckuva racket when it contacts the corner.

So I was thinking one of these finish sanders, like the little Ryobi Cat or something similar. Has anyone used a detail sander for cleanup of glue into a corner? Any advice, recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

[Bill Huber]

I have a Milwaukee M12 Multi-tool that I like to use for that type of work, no cord to get the the way and it really does a great job. I even have an old blade for it that I have glued some sandpaper on it for some really hard to get to places.

More then what you wanted to spend but you can use it for a bunch of other things also, I know I use mine a lot more then I ever thought I would.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have an older PC detail sander. It's awkward to use but in certain instances it's saved my hide for the very reason you are witnessing. It's one of those tools that you seldom use but does come in handy once in a great great while. Would I buy it again? Probably not.

[Phil Thien]

Well Bill's post reminded me I have a Dremel oscillating tool I've used for sawing, and removing wall parging, that I've never tried as a sander. So I got it out and mounted the sanding pad that came with the thing, installed a piece of sandpaper, and gave it a whirl.

Even with the medium and finer papers it seem to leave some interesting scratches. Looks like the grit for the sandpaper wasn't uniform, maybe some of it let go and got dragged around under the paper, I don't know.

It did help, I was able to clean-up the scratches mostly. I'll do a little more clean-up in the morning and I'm sure it will be fine.

I just have to learn to be more careful. I glued-up four drawers and really only had a problem in a couple corners where there was some squeeze-out and I didn't wait long enough to clean it up w/ the back of a chisel. I should have waited a bit longer. Or I should have, once I noticed I made the mess with the chisel, cleaned it up then and there with a sponge and water.

Oh well, live and learn.

[Joe Scharle]

My multi-tools (yea, I love 'em) has a triangle shaped sanding pad I use in corners. Sometimes with the power off.