Sanding mops

[SCROLLSAW703]

no doubt this subject has been discussed many times here, but curiosity has got the best of me. I do a lot of fine fretwork, delicate cuttings, etc. And I use all hardwood, rough cut lumber. I do most of my sanding after I get the wood planed to thickness. My question is what is a sanding mop, & would they benefit me? thanks for your help in advance

[dgman]

Personally, I do not use my sanding mops for fine fret work, but some do. I use my sanding mops on stand up puzzles and other pieces that don't have very delicate fret work. I use the sanding mop to clean up outside edges and slightly ease over sharp inside edges if I feel the piece needs it.

[Dan]

Question 1, what is a sanding mop?

Answer: https://youtu.be/1GGg9wg9si0

 

Question 2, would they benefit me?

Answer: Probably not. It's a handy accessory to have on hand but I don't use it on fretwork.

[heppnerguy]

I too do not use a sanding mop but I think they could be very handy, especially for intarsia work. I have not purchased one because they seem way over priced to me.  I did post a photo of one but  I would refer you to the link that Dan posted above me a couple of minutes ago

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[SCROLLSAW703]

I appreciate the answers, gentlemen! I don't guess I need a sandin' mop. That's good! more money fer blades!

[Lucky2]

Brad, I do a lot of fretwork cutting, and I find that a detail sander is the best thing there is to sand them with. I've tried just about every type of sanding there is, and I keep coming back to the detail sander. With the triangular sanding pads you can get into lots of tight spots, and corners. I have never broken any of my fretwork with the detail sander, they do a great job. Leave the sanding mops where they are, you won't use them on delicate fretwork.

Len

[hawkeye10]

Personally, I do not use my sanding mops for fine fret work, but some do. I use my sanding mops on stand up puzzles and other pieces that don't have very delicate fret work. I use the sanding mop to clean up outside edges and slightly ease over sharp inside edges if I feel the piece needs it.

Like Dan I use sanding mops only on stand up puzzles. I would not use it on fret projects. I had one of the sanding strands get caught it a stand up puzzle part and away it went. (It went way under a bench)   So you really need to be careful. I have found other uses for sanding mops around the shop so I am glad I bought them. Yes for good mops they are expensive.

[Rolf]

I use a 240 grit MAC mop on even my most delicate fret work (gently) with a backer behind it. It softens the edges and removes fuzzies. 

I buy the spindle mounted 2" wide one from Klingspore. With all mops you should break them in on a piece of hard wood and dust collection is a must!

[scrollerpete]

I too do not use a sanding mop but I think they could be very handy, especially for intarsia work. I have not purchased one because they seem way over priced to me.  I did post a photo of one but  I would refer you to the link that Dan posted above me a couple of minutes ago

 

I have 3 different grits of this sanding mop and I used them on everything that I cut. They work very well.

[RangerJay]

A sanding mop does a great job of softening hard edges.

 

It doesn't take long to figure out what you can and can't do - and learning how to "adjust". 

 

A sanding mop is great tool for all but the most delicate of fretwork - having said that there are a few rules that should be learned early (the easy way) rather than later (the hard way):

• use the drill press at its slowest speed
• a new mop needs to be broken in
• use of stabilizers on both sides of the mop provides for much greater control
• fretwork needs to be supported on the opposite side of the area being sanded.
• "gentle" is an operative word - pushing your work into the mop is an excellent way to watch it become airborne.
• very large pieces that can't be done on the drill press, or especially fine fretwork, is best done clamped flat to a work bench using the mop in a hand drill at slow speeds.

Not sure how others cover their fretwork with a mop but I always make 4 slow passes over the piece - each in a different direction - this will get pretty much all of the edges regardless of the shape of the fretwork.

 

I've attached a couple pictures of some of the more fragile fretwork I have done using a sanding mop to take the sharp edges off.

 

 

 

Jay

 

[heppnerguy]

My thanks to everyone that posted here as I learned a lot and will not eliminate the idea of considering the purchase of a sanding mop in my future

 

Dick

heppnerguy

[SCROLLSAW703]

thanks for the input fellas. I've been scrollin' 20+ years, & have always done my sanding, right up to finish sanding after I get done with planin'. Lately I've been readin' about sanding mops & just wondered about them, & what they were used for. I sincerely appreciate your voices. I gave up tryin' to post pictures on here, but if you're interested in havin' a look see at some of my work, you can go to my fb page Sawdust Haven. Thanks again guys!

[hawkeye10]

I use a 240 grit MAC mop on even my most delicate fret work (gently) with a backer behind it. It softens the edges and removes fuzzies. 

I buy the spindle mounted 2" wide one from Klingspore. With all mops you should break them in on a piece of hard wood and dust collection is a must!

I think you and I use the same mop. I mounted mine on a drill motor and mounted the drill motor on a piece of plywood and clamped it in a vice. It works good.

 

http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/mm07204/

 

Edited January 27, 2017 by hawkeye10

[Rolf]

I have one on my Sand Flee at all times I also have one mounted on a motor "my traveling mop".

[rjweb]

That looks like good old craftsman motor Rolf, when craftsman name meant something, RJ

[ike]

I have looked at sanding mops and they run between $25 and $50 per mop but the average is about $35. so I googled how to make a sanding mop and found 2 you tubes on the subject. The total cost would be about $20 for a 4 " by 5 1/2 "  mop. It wouldn't cost me about $4 for the arbor since I have a roll of emery enough to last me a for the rest of my life, the video is worth watching

.IKE

[tonylumps]

These https://www.amazon.com/STAR-SANDER-SHANK-Peachtree-Woodworking/dp/B000H5LXZO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1485532627&sr=8-6&keywords=sanding+mopsI got off of Amazon work better than the 40.00 Mops.I use them for evertthing 1/4" up. Cuts my sanding time way down.But I still can't find a couple of pieces that up and flew away.

Edited January 27, 2017 by tonylumps

[ike]

That is a good deal. But since I hae this emery paper All it will cost me is the arbor but I probably can find a bolt that will work. I am retired and all I have is time and if I was working I would prably bu one. The emery paper will prable cost $10 to $15 , so you will prably have $15 in it.

IKE

Edited January 27, 2017 by ike

[amazingkevin]

i made my own and the one heppner guy has in the picture i sanded fret work with and never lost a piece.

[munzieb]

I used to use my belt sander to clean up my cuttings but my new go to tool is a ball sander I got from Harbor Freight. ($9.99) It does a great job and I can rotate the piece to get all angles. No issue with fine cuttings, just watch the pressure you apply.

[hawkeye10]

I used to use my belt sander to clean up my cuttings but my new go to tool is a ball sander I got from Harbor Freight. ($9.99) It does a great job and I can rotate the piece to get all angles. No issue with fine cuttings, just watch the pressure you apply.

Bernd I have got one of those and I have been afraid to try it. Maybe I need to try it again.

[munzieb]

Don't be afraid. Just start with light pressure. It will works fine. It does throw off some of the ball material. Kind of like Scotch Bright. I think HF may also offers a smaller version of the ball. 

[Scrappile]

I have one like Heppnerguy showed and I do use it on fret work.  I have not had anything break yet.  Like munzieb states, light pressure.  Steve Good convinced me in one of his videos on the subject.  I also "scrape" around fuzzy edges in fret work with a X-acto knife to remove fuzzes.   Learned that from a Charles Dearing video.