Shop Note

Tool for rounding small blocks and pulleys.

John O. Kopf

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Component parts
Take a small (e.g., 6 1/4 oz.) "Planter's Nuts" can, and punch a hole in the center of the top and bottom (if the lid is plastic, it's a good idea to put a grommet in the hole to act as a bearing). . Wrap a sheet of Medium sandpaper inside the can.

Take a 3/4" dowel slightly shorter than the can, and cut a slot longitudinally in it. Put another piece of Medium sandpaper in the dowel's slot as a "flapper". Put a wood screw through the lid and into the slotted end of the dowel. Put a second screw into the other end of the dowel, and then cut off it's head. The shanks of the screws will act as shafts running inside the holes in the can.

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All together
Put the "flapper inside the can with the headless screw protruding through the hole in the bottom; toss in a handful of blocks and close.

put the headless screw in your drill, and "pulse" the drill a few times...the flapper wiping the blocks across the sandpaper liner quickly takes off the edges.

Inspect frequently - don't convert the blocks fully to sawdust!
{ John O. Kopf }

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