How to Make a Flap Sander

Don’t have a power sander to sand curvy rough-sawn edges? You do if you own a 3/8-in. drill. Taper the end of a 3-in. long x 1/2-in. dia. dowel with a rasp or belt sander so you can chuck it into the drill. Cut a 1-in. deep slot in the dowel with a fine-tooth saw, then slide in two 1-in. wide strips cut from a 3-in. wide sanding belt. It’s fine if the slot is too narrow at first; just slide one piece of sandpaper back and forth to widen it, then slide in the second piece. Congratulations—you’ve just fashioned a makeshift flap sander. Chuck it in a drill and put it to work. P.S. To speed up your sanding even more, cut slotted dowels for various grits.