# How do members store their sandpaper stock



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

After more years than I care to remember, I have kept my sandpaper in a pile in a cupboard, which isn't easy to find a particular grade. Suddenly one day last week I decided that there had to be a better way and this is what I came up with.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Looks real good. I need to do the same thing.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Same way.. only used discarded in/out file trays...


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

harrysin said:


> After more years than I care to remember, I have kept my sandpaper in a pile in a cupboard, which isn't easy to find a particular grade. Suddenly one day last week I decided that there had to be a better way and this is what I came up with.


Not pretty but effective.

Al


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I only know of one member who might just have more sandpaper than you Al. and I'll be surprised if he doesn't post pics. I'm intrigued by all the plumbing, what is it all about?


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## Xanthorrhoeas (Jun 19, 2013)

*Inspired now*



harrysin said:


> After more years than I care to remember, I have kept my sandpaper in a pile in a cupboard, which isn't easy to find a particular grade. Suddenly one day last week I decided that there had to be a better way and this is what I came up with.


Harry, your and Al's solutions just provided my next project. Thank you!


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

harrysin said:


> I only know of one member who might just have more sandpaper than you Al. and I'll be surprised if he doesn't post pics. I'm intrigued by all the plumbing, what is it all about?


Harry

The rest of the sanding belts are in a storage container since my belts don't fit in the box (48" 1" 1/2").

The plumbing is for my compressor. I extended my hose connectors to the other side of my shop and added a few near the compressor. Since I am a lazy person I have 3 regulators. That way I set different pressure to each outlet and don't have to change any when I go from nailing to spraying (nail guns = 90 sprayer = 40 airbrush =20 - 30).

Al


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

A good, simple idea that we can all copy, Harry.

Mine is scattered around the shed under 'stuff'. I only have a few sheets of each grade.


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## bdusten (Mar 22, 2013)

Great idea, I have my bag my router came with, not to organized. Thanks for the post!


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## curly1 (May 7, 2010)

I do the same, start to panic if I have less than 10 sheets of every grade, it's the box full of little pieces of sandpaper that I can't bear to throw out that I don't know what to do with.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Harry,

I use those expanding accordion file folders, they have plenty of divisions in them. For the small sheets, I have 2 coupon organizers I picked up at a garage sale. They are basically the same thing, but a better fit for the 1/3 or 1/4 sized sheets and ROS discs.

Cheap and effective.


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## smitty10101 (Oct 15, 2004)

*sandpaper storage*

For sheet I use something very similar to the stack box that you use.
For disks I use old floppy disk storage boxes, both single boxes and the multiple capacity boxes, the ones with the locks.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I don't have a lot of paper, maybe a stack about 1" thick. I like to keep it from curling so I keep them in a stack with a piece of mdf on them for weight.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

I have a good<>bad habit leftover from being a carpenter... 5 gallon buckets. I have a framing tool bucket, finishing tool bucket, tile/stone trowel bucket, cut-off/scrap buckets (too many buckets and many duplicate tools).

I have a two 5 gallon buckets full of my sand papers, sanding disks, sanding belts, sanding sponges, sanding drums, etc.

For my sheet sandpapers, I went to an office supply and bought one of those plastic file folders with the dividers in it. Of course, put into one of those buckets...

Buckets and bags are a left-over from having to pack up everything to go between jobsites and putting away tools each night.. Just now trying to shift gears and change that... Although being semi-retired, I still do some contracting jobs.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

I use a milk carton with a hanging file frame and hanging files. I start with the lowest grit number and work toward the back. Regular sandpaper is first and then the wet/dry sandpaper. The last two files are for the mouse sander and the TS sanding disks (from Woodcraft- well worth the $$$).


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

I need to do something similar but it would be for different paper that goes through my printer.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Humdidy*



Cherryville Chuck said:


> I don't have a lot of paper, maybe a stack about 1" thick. I like to keep it from curling so I keep them in a stack with a piece of mdf on them for weight.


Yes! Out here on the 'Wet Coast' sandpaper curl is a fact of life. I'm surprised you're the first person to mention the problem, Charles.
Permanent storage would probably look something like an ammunition box, with a desiccant inside. Wet dry sandpaper is mostly damp...


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## Barry747 (Jun 16, 2011)

Harry, I have a setup similar to you. I consider it Al's baby brother approach. I can vary the height of the shelves somewhat and i store various grit sanding blocks on the top shelf where they're easy to get to. I also have several pieces of 12" X 12" marble and granite that I use with full sheets of sandpaper. Very convenient for the toy size projects I do.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Clean and Organized? I strive for it but fall short with the To-Do List crumbled in my clenched saw dust covered fist. :laugh:


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## TinyTiger (Mar 9, 2013)

I keep my sheets in an expanding accordion file folder like you store documents in. It has adhesive tabs so I can label and sort it by grits, and then it goes in a drawer. Disks are kept in the boxes they came in.


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

I too use those expanding accordion file folders with many sections, I put my coarsest first and progress to the rear with the finest paper. Belts are hanging all over the shop and disc are between 2 pieces of plywood with a weight on top.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Let add something that is related to Harry's question. I don't always need a full sheet. When I cut a piece of sandpaper for a small job, sometimes the grit number isn't there- I mark the number with a pen so if I can use it again, I don't have to guess what grit or compare with the full sheets.


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## OutoftheWoodwork (Oct 4, 2012)

I went and got those stackable drawers for mine. I wrote on the front of each drawer what grit they are, and for the overstock, I have a couple of those small narrow crates (from a craft store) that hold the boxes.

In the picture I have two stacked. One has a compartment on top that holds the small round sandpaper.

I keep my sheets of sandpaper in a drawer in their original box. I don't use the sheets much. If I need a sheet, (I have some that are 600 and 1500 grit) I cut them in quarters and stack them in the drawer. If the number is missing, I write in sharpie what the grit is on the back.

Seeing all your ideas is interesting. I may build a small tray system for what few grits I have. I tried the accordion files, but that didn't work for me. the paper/cardboard ones fell apart, so I tried the plastic ones. They kept hurting my fingers/cuticles when I went to get a sheet (back in the beginning days.) When I went to using my orbital sanders, I needed something for my round sheets, and found mine at Big Lots.

Barb


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## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

I use the same method as James.


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## RJT501Win (Apr 21, 2012)

Hi Harry
Just retired and going through some old posts.
When I retired and closed my shop I had a number of assorted filing cabinets.
It is hard to sell old filing cabinets.
Now I use some for storing sand paper etc . Great for sand paper keeps it dry and flat plus I have a file for each grit . Power tools fit well and when you pull out the drawer you can get to the back . They are also lockable.

Cheers JT


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## Sandhill (Sep 14, 2013)

harrysin said:


> After more years than I care to remember, I have kept my sandpaper in a pile in a cupboard, which isn't easy to find a particular grade. Suddenly one day last week I decided that there had to be a better way and this is what I came up with.


Interesting you posted this I am in the process of building two mobile sanding stations. One is for my spindle sander the other is for a Powermatic combo 10" disc / 6" belt sander. I have compartments for everything. Its not done yet the face frames and draws go in next week.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Knothead47 said:


> Let add something that is related to Harry's question. I don't always need a full sheet. When I cut a piece of sandpaper for a small job, sometimes the grit number isn't there- I mark the number with a pen so if I can use it again, I don't have to guess what grit or compare with the full sheets.


Ditto John.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

rjtwin501 said:


> Hi Harry
> Just retired and going through some old posts.
> When I retired and closed my shop I had a number of assorted filing cabinets.
> It is hard to sell old filing cabinets.
> ...


How I wish that I had room for even one filing cabinet. When my son closed the business four as new filing cabinets went to auction and brought peanuts.


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## shadetre (May 29, 2013)

I have something like that for the sheets for my round sandpaper for my ROS, the sheet sandpaper still needs a home, I will have to copy your idea. Finally did get around to taking a couple of pieces of scrap and some hacksaw blades to make a jig for tearing/cutting sandpaper to the correct sizes needed for various sanders. Wrote the instructions right on the blades telling me which sander and 1st cut, 2nd cut etc. Can't believe it took so long to do this and how much I have used it already.


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## mstrfnsh (Aug 19, 2013)

This is my storage, a wall mounted rack for full sheets and a drawer at my bench for easy access to the cut sheets for my electric hand sander and my sanding blocks.


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