This would be good for making radius sanding blocks for guitar fretboards. Come to think of it, there are likely other areas where a 3D printer would come in handy for fixtures and things for building guitars.

 

Pretty cool idea ,never thought of that one

 

Interesting idea. Don't have a printer though. I found sanding blocks at Rockler, but they're also available on Amazon and other woodworking shops. They come in sets from small to large. I find them perfect for finishing picture frames. The negative shape used with 3M sanding medium (soft, flexible plastic back) is perfect for sanding beads on frame profiles. The blocks come rounded or diamond shaped for corners.

This is the sanding medium. If it fills with sawdust, you can flex it and the dust falls off, so it lasts a very long time. It is a little more expensive, but I find it sands faster than paper backed stuff. I rarely sand down past 220 grit. Any finer than that and I would rather use a scraper.

 

Interesting idea. Don't have a printer though. I found sanding blocks at Rockler, but they're also available on Amazon and other woodworking shops. They come in sets from small to large. I find them perfect for finishing picture frames. The negative shape used with 3M sanding medium (soft, flexible plastic back) is perfect for sanding beads on frame profiles. The blocks come rounded or diamond shaped for corners.
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This is the sanding medium. If it fills with sawdust, you can flex it and the dust falls off, so it lasts a very long time. It is a little more expensive, but I find it sands faster than paper backed stuff. I rarely sand down past 220 grit. Any finer than that and I would rather use a scraper.

Tom, a huge benefit of printing your own is it costs between 25 cents to 50 cents (guesstimate since I didn't look how much filament I used but it wasn't much) to print one of the sanding pads plus it will be exactly sized to what you need. The downside is you do need to have a modicum of skills with a CAD or 3d modeling program.

TPU filament is a semi flexible rubber material that is perfect for this application. Currently I use it to make my wife custom ink stamps for her artwork.

 

Another machine handy to the workshop.

 

As long as you are capable of 3D modeling, 3D printers can be incredibly useful.
When I was building a deck, I 3D printed spacers for the composite decking.
I have uneven floors in my house, so I printed a tapered shim for the bottom bracket of some bi-fold closet doors.

 

Tom, that is completely understandable. It took me a long time to get the 3d modeling software basics and even after 13 years of using it I still feel like a beginner.

I occasionally go to a local woodworkers group and there are several folks with cnc's and 3d printers and I don't think many make their own models beyond basic cut files. They either download them from the internet or they pay for them.

My personal opinion is if you own a cnc or 3d printer you should have a basic understanding of CAD or 3d modeling software to really get the full potential of the tool.

 

My personal opinion is if you own a cnc or 3d printer you should have a basic understanding of CAD or 3d modeling software to really get the full potential of the tool.

Fwiw, I have never bought a design to use on my CNC (that I also built). Everything I've done has been drawn by me in CorelDraw/Fusion/Carveco. If/when I get a 3D printer that might change but I'm more likely to draw what I need than to buy a design.

 

lol.

David, you are definitely not included in the bunch I was referring to. You are quite skilled with Fusion and Corel. You didn't show me your work with Carveco but I am assuming at the same level.

All your designs are very cool and I am totally jealous of your precision woodworking (and your cnc). Actually really jealous of your insulated air conditioned shop.

I took some of the AI generated pattern carvings to the last meeting and talked to a few of the folks there about cnc patterns along with 3d printers. That was the origin of the comment. The tool presentation for the meeting was a 2 axis cnc which was pretty cool.

 

lol.

David, you are definitely not included in the bunch I was referring to. You are quite skilled with Fusion and Corel. You didn't show me your work with Carveco but I am assuming at the same level.

All your designs are very cool and I am totally jealous of your precision woodworking (and your cnc). Actually really jealous of your insulated air conditioned shop.

I took some of the AI generated pattern carvings to the last meeting and talked to a few of the folks there about cnc patterns along with 3d printers. That was the origin of the comment. The tool presentation for the meeting was a 2 axis cnc which was pretty cool.

Thanks! I wanted to go to that meeting but it was too soon after having back surgery and I figured it would have been a bit tough to last for that long. Hope it was a good meeting!

Yes, I have to say that a climate controlled shop is fantastic even though I can't work in it right now. I still go out there and walk around.

 

lol. Now you are just rubbing it in.

The tool was a conversion kit (RS1000 Pro) to make a router table into a 2 axis cnc. I was unfamiliar with that kit so it was interesting.

 

I was unfamiliar with that kit so it was interesting.

Johnny definitely has some interesting toys.