One of my most versatile tools for surface prep is an old-school chalkboard eraser. I found a set of six for $12 on Amazon. The felt side gets the most use for the last sanding pass with the finest grit, and also for smoothing the surface between coats of finish. The sandpaper is easy to wrap around the block and grip tightly, and I like the way the flared shape of the felt side gets into sharp corners. The rounded wood edges work nicely for sanding moldings and other small cove shapes, and when I need a flat or more aggressive block, I use the hard top side of the eraser. By the way, I keep one eraser separate for applying polishing compound, and another for applying wax.

—DAVID EMERSON, Southbury, Conn.

Illustrations by Dan Thornton
From Fine Woodworking issue #302