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Sanding Sticks - Squadron or Flex-i-File
nheather
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United Kingdom
Member Since: November 12, 2007
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Posted: Friday, October 14, 2016 - 10:19 PM UTC
Hi,

Has anyone tried both the Squadron and Flex-i-File sanding sticks. If so does either stand out as better or are they pretty much the same.

BTW: I have looked at nail finishing sticks but found (in the UK at least) they were too coarse for my preference.

Also, can't be bothered to make my own, time is too precious to save a dollar or two.

Cheers,

Nigel
Kevlar06
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Posted: Friday, October 14, 2016 - 11:16 PM UTC
Micro Mark will sell you a whole tub of sanding sticks, (over 300 in a tub) which are really the edges of the nail buffing sticks for a fraction of the cost of what either Squadron or Flexi-File sell for per stick I've tried all of them, and for my money the Micro-Mark tub is the best value. The nail manicure sticks they sell in drugstores come in two different types-- the old style cardboard or wood backed type which resemble a popcicle sticks-- these are not very good, or the newer, thicker and wider nail buffing sticks which come in a variety of grits- I use these primarily for rough work, although they have fine and a very fine buffing stick which works well. I do use a Squadron Medium (tan) stick, and a Squadron fine (white) and very fine (gray) stick for some applications-- they also have a good tri-grit stick. I've found flexi-file sticks don't last very long. However, I've had my tub of Micro-Mark sticks for about ten years now (I think they might call them straws) and they seem to last forever, can be cut to varying shapes and lengths, and go from very course to fine.
VR, Russ
nheather
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Posted: Friday, October 14, 2016 - 11:28 PM UTC
Thanks for the suggestion. Had a look, they are called 'twigs'

http://www.micromark.com/sanding-twigs-bulk-pack-of-approx-300,9336.html

Interesting, but we don't have Micro Mark that n the UK.

But I have seen similar, though more expensive, sold be Albion Alloys. They certainly look interesting, but for mor detailled work but don't look so suitable for larger areas.

Cheers,

Nigel
Kevlar06
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Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 12:14 AM UTC
Nigel,
Micro-mark is mail order only--not sure what the customs would be to the U.K. Have you tried looking in a local beauty supply store for the better nail buffing sticks? They usually come in a stick about 3/4" wide, 7" long and 1/8" thick, which is wider and longer than either the Flexi-file or Squadron sticks. For large areas I use a sanding block from my local hardware store-- it has three grit sizes on three of the four faces, the fourth face is blank. The three grits are 220, 330, and 420, which for modeling purposes would be about medium-fine. The sanding block uses a sponge backing, so it will conform to most surfaces and is great for rounded surfaces.
VR, Russ
Littorio
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England - South East, United Kingdom
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Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 02:17 AM UTC
Flory models sells packs of sanding sticks, they are uk based down in the West Country. Check out their web shop as they do different shapes and very narrow sticks.

As for nail polishing sticks, not sure what shop you get it from but a member of my local club got a load of four sided polishers which go from smooth to almost completely no abrasion.
nheather
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Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 02:21 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Nigel,
Micro-mark is mail order only--not sure what the customs would be to the U.K. Have you tried looking in a local beauty supply store for the better nail buffing sticks? They usually come in a stick about 3/4" wide, 7" long and 1/8" thick, which is wider and longer than either the Flexi-file or Squadron sticks. For large areas I use a sanding block from my local hardware store-- it has three grit sizes on three of the four faces, the fourth face is blank. The three grits are 220, 330, and 420, which for modeling purposes would be about medium-fine. The sanding block uses a sponge backing, so it will conform to most surfaces and is great for rounded surfaces.
VR, Russ


I looked at some 'beauty' stores today (before I posted here) and I couldn't really see anything suitable - perhaps the UK is not as well supported or perhaps I was looking in the wrong places. What they seemed to have were

(i) Old fashioned emery boards - sandpaper on card or wood. There were all really coarse compared to what we use in plastic modelling.

(ii) Sponge blocks (1"x1.5" rectangular cross-section, about 3.5" long), which have a different function on each side. These were more like it, having a range of modern style abrasives which are quite fine but they are too big and cumbersome for model work.

Didn't see any sticks with modern abrasives.

Cheers,

Nigel

nheather
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Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 03:08 AM UTC

Quoted Text

a member of my local club got a load of four sided polishers which go from smooth to almost completely no abrasion.


Polishing blocks - yes I can find those - they are a sponge rectangular prism, 1x1.5" in cross-section and about 3.5" long. As you say four surfaces ranging from coarse to polish.

Useful, but too big to clean up small parts.

Cheers,

Nigel
nheather
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Member Since: November 12, 2007
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Posted: Saturday, October 15, 2016 - 11:21 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Flory models sells packs of sanding sticks, they are uk based down in the West Country. Check out their web shop as they do different shapes and very narrow sticks.


Thanks for the tip, order some stuff from Flory.

Cheers,

Nigel
nheather
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Member Since: November 12, 2007
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Posted: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 - 12:14 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Flory models sells packs of sanding sticks, they are uk based down in the West Country. Check out their web shop as they do different shapes and very narrow sticks.


Thanks for the tip, order some stuff from Flory.

Cheers,

Nigel


Arrived today - look pretty good.

Cheers,

Nigel
Littorio
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England - South East, United Kingdom
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Posted: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 - 01:30 AM UTC
Glad you found them of use, by the way the polishing blocks are very use full if you do aircraft for polishing the canopies if they have a seam.
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