Tools for sanding deep holes in Cypress?

[Ed Funk]

Are there any tools used to sand deep holes in wood like cypress. This piece I am working on has holes that range from 1/8 inch wide and a few inches deep to 6 inches wide and a foot deep. I have hand sanded all of the surfaces I possibly can. I am stuck now though. This wood had been eroded out by the tide of the bayou and has maybe 150 holes that need sanding. I will upload pictures but the camera doesn't pick up even a quarter of the actual detail. Any ideas would be helpful. Thank You for your time.

[Will Boulware]

Just an idea, but get a roll of sandpaper and wrap some various size dowel rods in it. Chuck that in a drill and off you go.

[Prashun Patel]

I wouldn't sand it. I would just blow dirt out with compressed air.

[Ed Funk]

Mr. Patel Because Of the fact that I will be putting something on it (oil or something else) to bring out the red, tan and brown colors in the cypress, I have to have them sanded. I will have a light on top as well as one shining into the wood. You saw that perspective in the pictures. I want people to see that perspective and fully understand how many sections this piece has. I stopped counting at 480. Not kidding.

[Ed Funk]

A drill, wire hanger, sandpaper, and tape work like a charm. Just thought there might be a tool out there that would be better. But, Thanks for the idea. Works well Mr. Boulware.

[David L Morse]

If you're mainly trying to expose the color you might want to try a sand blaster with a small nozzle. You'll probably need one that can control the sand to air ratio to keep it from being too aggressive.

[Andrew Gibson]

The only advise I can think of is to try the old Tom Sawyer "painting the fence" routine.
or use a "scotch bright" pad to help get into the textured areas as much as possible. In either case to expose new wood in all areas is going to be a lot of work especially if you do not want to modify the shape.

[John C Bush]

Shell blasting with walnut shell medium will remove the surface oxidized wood and will make finish sanding easier/quicker. Harbour freight has the medium and cheapo blaster works well. You can make a "flapper sander" with a dowel and strips of sandpaper or a bolt with the head cut off and layered sandpaper strips --abrasive surface facing both directions --to reach into the hole. The Scotch bright pads may be a good ideal as well. Punch/cut out discs of appropriate diameter with center hole to fit on the bolt mandrel, secure them between nuts and washers and spin away!! Not sure how "expendable" the pads would be or how fine the surface finish would be but could work to creat unifor surface. Be sure and shoe pics of the finished piece.

[Geoff Crimmins]

A small sanding pad on a Dremel or NSK could get into some of the larger areas. For smaller areas, I hear good things about the Phingst Micro Sander. https://thesandingglove.com/Pfingst-Micro-Sander.asp The Guinevere inflatable sanding drums might also work for some of the areas. Arbortech makes a 2" ROS that attaches to an angle grinder. Just giving you some options to consider.

--Geoff