Recommend a Drill Press Attachment for Sanding Small Parts?

[Paul McGaha]

Hi everyone,

Can you recommend a drill press attachment for sanding small parts? Specifically wooden drawer handles.

I'm refinishing an old desk my wife got from her work. It has wooden handles on the drawers and I need to get the old finish off. I'm thinking something with multiple grits.

PHM

[Larry Frank]

Klingspor has Mac Mops which I use for small parts.

[glenn bradley]

Mops are great for irregular shapes but, not so great at stock removal. That is, they are more of a 'finishing sander' than a 'shaping' sander. If you are just trying to knock the outer film off or smooth what you have a mop is the way to go. If you are trying to get to bare wood on small odd-shaped items, I would just make new ones. YMMV.

[Gary Ragatz]

If you're just wanting to remove the finish, I think I'd try some denatured alcohol or mineral spirits with an abrasive pad, and skip the drill pressl

[Paul McGaha]

Thanks for your replies. Good ideas all.

I got most of the old finish off with a finish remover I got at Woodcraft. I’m just trying to get the last of the finish off and sand the handles for the new finish.

I think I’ll try the mop. I’m thinking it might speed up the process.

Thanks again for your help.

PHM

[Rick Potter]

Aside from the usual simple drill press spindles that take sleeves, I have seen a small inflatable model that would work better on soft curves.

[Rich Engelhardt]

For stuff like knobs, I stick a screw in the knob & cut off the head - then stick it on a drill.

Sanding sleeves on a drill press can be bad ju ju......a drill press isn't designed for lateral stress. (DAMHIK----(((let's just say,,,a chuck a/a router bit in it spinning across the floor can get your heart rate up faster than treadmill.....))) )

[John K Jordan]

Sanding sleeves on a drill press can be bad ju ju......a drill press isn't designed for lateral stress. (DAMHIK----(((let's just say,,,a chuck a/a router bit in it spinning across the floor can get your heart rate up faster than treadmill.....))) )

I prefer a flexible shaft with some sanding tool attached. Easier for me to hold the work in one hand and move the tool in the other. I don't know if you can put one on a standard drill press but you can get one for a Dremel. I use Fordom rotary carvers which have a long flexible shaft. Small sanding drums, soft sanders, flap sanders, and others are good - I use different things depending on the size and the amount I want to remove.

[lowell holmes]

I went to Lowes and picked out one that I liked. It is a bench top model.

[Jim Tobias]

The inflatable sanding drums that you can use on your drill press are probably the best option if you're trying to sand finish off. You will need to use a rubber sanding eraser often so as to not gum up the sanding sleeves. The flap wheels are great but I don't think they are very good at all for removing much wood........ just smoothing. I also use the Foredom for sanding a lot of small parts, but you would have to purchase the Foredom and various sanding parts to fit on the end.

Just my $.02


Jim