Jewelers of America

Jewelers of America

Year 1

Bench / Manufacturing, MJSA Journal Archives

Sanding Solution for Tiny Parts

A Sticking Point

Hold on to tiny parts with this waterproof, foolproof sanding solution

By Helen I. Driggs

How many times have you tried to hang on to a thin or tiny part to sand or file only to have that part fly across the studio or get lost forever in the dark, dusty wasteland under your bench? For me, it was too many times to count…until I discovered Nano tape. This sticky solution is a great way to hold on to the tiniest of parts without losing them. Here are a few ways I’ve used it.

1. Nano tape is double-sided, flexible, waterproof, repositionable, and won’t leave any residue on metal. It’s available in different widths, and I prefer the 1.18 inch (3 cm) width because it’s the perfect size for making sanding sticks.

2. To make a “holding block” for sanding the height off a too-tall bezel, I repurposed my son’s old wooden toy blocks, but any scrap wood will do. Adhere the Nano tape to the block and press it down firmly.

3. The tape is very stretchy and sticky, so trim it with a very sharp X-Acto knife. Then, remove the protective film.

4. Gently press the bezel into the Nano tape. Don’t press too hard because you’ll have a hard time removing the bezel from the tape if the piece is very large. If the bezel does get stuck, insert a thin plastic knife blade between the metal and the tape to pry it off.

5. Hold the block instead of the bezel to evenly sand down the bezel walls using a figure-eight motion on an abrasive paper. I tape my abrasive paper to a ceramic tile to create a perfectly flat sanding station, which also works for wet sanding.

6. Another easy sanding solution for gripping very thin-gauge and tiny parts is to wrap the Nano tape around your fingertip.

7. Adhere the metal part to the Nano tape and sand it without losing the part (or your fingerprints).

8. I also use the Nano tape to create quick-change sanding blocks. Adhere the tape to a small wood block and cut strips of abrasive paper to fit. The tape makes it fast and easy to switch to a different abrasive paper without having to create an additional sanding stick.