normanwisdom wrote:
Appelation Controlee wrote:
What's the best way to sand mouldings after a filler repair?
I'm renovating an exterior panelled door (big & about 100 years old) and,
having filled various bits of damage with car body filler, am sanding the
door prior to painting.
The flat bits are, of course, easy but the moulded trim around the panels
is proving to be a bit of a challenge, as I'm trying to reinstate fairly
intricate shapes. The internal mitres are especially difficult.
Is there an obvious trick I'm missing, or is there no substitute for time
and painstaking care?

Car body filler too hard to clean up easily, traditional putty much
better as it can be pressed, moulded, rubbed etc whilst still softish,
and is very durable once painted. So that's the first trick you've
missed!

Hardly a trick. Putty is not a good filler. Small amounts will dry out
very quickly and, if it's only the paint keeping them in place, you have
ideal conditions for further rot.
Body filler should be roughly shaped with a sharp chisel as it's curing
i.e. within a couple of minutes. Personally I don't use it for fine
detail filling for that reason. Polyfilla works well enough for that,
even on exterior wood.

Internal corners you pick out with sharp small chisels, knife blades
etc. Chisels most easily contolled if you tap with a small mallet like
a sculptor, rather than just working them freehand. Other bits - tools
such as small block or rebate planes on outside edges and along inside
angles if you can get at them. You can use the folded edge of heavy
duty sandpaper to get in to corners to some extent.

cheers
Jacob