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Power tool for sanding toe rail

14K views 45 replies 29 participants last post by  lancelot9898 
#1 ·
I need to re-varnish the wood trim on the outside of the boat. The toe-rail is only about 2 by 2 and so it isn't very easy to power sand it with standard orbital sanders or even a finishing sander. Can anyone suggest a power tool (and appropriate attachment) that might work effectively here? The job would be to remove any black staining, old peeling varnish and to smooth any surfaces that are already bare.
Last time, I used hand scrapers and sandpaper and I'm hoping someone can suggest an easier way.
Ross
 
#3 ·
Ross

I'll be watching this post as I'll be doing the same on my toerail.
So far I am leaning towards the 1/4 sheet sander as it has 4 flat sides, even though it is orbital, it should be able to do the job. Problem is when you get too close to the hull, and my idea is to mask the fiberglass with the wide blue masking tape then cover this tape with gorilla tape. This way the fiberglass will not be harmed. Reason for the blue tape? Gorilla tape is very sticky and may leave a residue, with the blue tape underneath it would be easy to peel back when the job is finished.
 
#8 ·
Those thing will eat a toerail in seconds - don't do it. I had one of the Makitas 'cause it seemed like a cool tool - it was the most useless power tool I ever owned. There must be a reason it was invented but I never found out what it was.

Face facts - the job you describe is a hand job (pun intended) - there is no power tool appropriate to it I'm afraid.
 
#9 ·
A Fein MultiMaster (or another company's equivalant) will do the job, but you may not save yourself much time. I usually reach for my Fein first when tackling projects, but when doing my own caprails I found that the old fashioned methods were in fact faster and yielded better results.

I'm with SJB and PP on this one -- combination of a sharp card scraper and where necessary Citrus Strip. If the finish is particularly stubborn, a heat gun will come in handy.
 
#12 ·
I second the multi-tool. I bought one for general sanding and it's perfect for getting into tight spaces on boats and is probably he best sander for doing a narrow rail. On top of that you can slap on a whole variety of blades and scrapers. Fein is very expensive but high quality, other versions are $100 or less. If I were buying a plug-in I'd look at dremel's version first.

Personally I have milwaukee's M12 version along with the M12 Dremel and M12 right angle drill. I'm a fan of Milwaukee for having all these tools in one line sharing batteries. I believe the multi-tool comes with two batteries which will let you run continuously if you need too.
 
#13 ·
depending on how much varnish you on the toe rail and the condition of it i find that a putty knife and a heat gun work very well. It does not take much heat for it to bubble then just run the putty knife over it. That being said use panters tape and a metal putty knife to protect the deck, you dont want to damage the paint.
 
#15 ·
GREETINGS EARTHLINGS; Power tools when you can just cut some left over glass and scrape of the old stuff the old fashioned way without removing any wood. Power tools are to harsh and inflexible for a job that fine I use a Sandvik side scraper and sharpen the blades when needed make sure you know what way the grain is going and enjoy. AS ALWAYS GO SAFE.
 
#16 ·
Thanks for the various replies so far. A number of people have suggested Citrustrip. I tried various paint strippers last time but they weren't very effective. Never tried Citrustrip so I'll check that out. Have other people had success with this product?

Also, I looked at their website and saw they have a 'paint remover wash'. Any body used this after the stripper?

I'll defintely check around for an available heat gun. I don't want to buy anything unless it works but if it does the job and makes it easier, I'll shell out the bucks.

Thanks again for all the feedback,
Cheers,
Ross
 
#19 ·
I took my teak toe rails down to bare wood 2 yrs ago. After trying a few options I had the best luck using a cheap heat gun (under $20 at big box store) and very good quality scrapers. The scrapers are available at better marine stores and woodworking shops, these are not the paint scapers you get at the hardware store. They will leave a very smoth surface that can be hand sanded to finish the job quickly. Carfull use of a small finish sander with fine grit paper worked too, the Black and Decker mouse worked very well. I found any power sander took too long on the old varnish, but also tended to take off too much material it got close to bare wood.
 
#22 ·
I highly recommend against power-anything for this job, no matter how sexy looking. They are expensive, noisy, and inflexible. The are extremely difficult to control and the result is loss of wood along with the old finish. And in the end, you will still have to scrape the details.

As a furniture maker with 25 years experience and a ton of experience with this job in particular, I strongly recommend a cabinetmaker's card scraper in a holder of your making or one available at woodworking stores. I use a holder made from a 2" x 3" x 3/4" oak block with a handle set at a 90 degree angle to the block. It's my grandfather's design and has worked for almost 100 years. They key is a nice, sharp hook in the scraper edge. PM me for instructions on how to set one in less than 2 minutes with only a file and screwdriver.

When I did my toe rail 2 years ago, several people stopped by the boat and marveled at the speed and quiet at which I was progressing. I did the port, starboard, and stern toerails in about 3 hours down to the wood but not into the wood. Can't be done as accurately with any electric sander. Trust me. And stay away from the chemical strippers too. They'll just waste your time and wallet.

Cabinet Scrapers are one of the least appreciated, most effective tools in the woodworkers tool box. IMO, too many novice woodworkers buy everything electric in the false assumption that they have to be faster-better. Not true, just a question of picking the most effective weapon. :)
 
#24 ·
Sabreman
Amen to the effective and poorly appreciated furniture scraper..and for detailing close to the glass a japanese finger chisel or...an angle chisel drawn nearly perpendicular to the surface backwards...
In any case the fresh oils need to be rinsed with a wash for a lasting bond with most finishes. I'm using semco natural this go round...given up on theshiny high maintanance stuff god I miss the old Woodlife.....
Cod
 
#26 ·
I cleaned up all the teak this spring and applied Semco Natural brown. I really like the look, and a touchup coat (every 90 days?) of the whole boat takes a half hour with a rag and a little plastic tub of the stuff.
 
#25 ·
I wipe uncoated teak with a terry cloth and acetone or lacquer thinner to remove oils. I turn the cloth frequently and use a new one if it gets discolored with oils. Never had a finish fail using these simple techniques.

I use Cetol natural and sometimes Cetol gloss. IMO, it's the easiest, most robust teak finish to apply. But I will admit to a sigh when I see the glass finish on a Hinckley's teak.
 
#27 ·
I do our boat annually and that's fine enough for me. I clean/scuff the teak with a Scotch pad and lay on a coat of Cetol with a china bristle chip brush. It's not one of my furniture grade finishes, but I have to draw the line somewhere. The interior is another story.

I like applying finish. It's relaxing
 
#29 ·
I often use hand scrapers and the judicious use of a heat gun for such jobs. It actually works surprisingly fast once you get the hang of it.

 
#31 ·
are you doing your annual maintenance coat with clear only ?
Nah. I can't bring myself to do it. I use Cetol Natural. I figure that the slight coloring gives it some extra UV protection. I've used the clear on the swim ladder treads and it looked ok but wasn't that much nicer than Cetol natural. Gloss finish on the treads isn't a really great idea so I don't do that anymore. Meanwhile I have a can of Gloss getting rusty. I can't bring myself to throw it away. What a quandary.

I'm not a full time professional woodworker. But I do commissions if the project interests me.

Mark Maiocco Woodworking and Design It's not about matching the carpet ....
 
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