SANDPAPERING.
This is a job none of us like very well, but since it must be done, it is worth while to be able to do it to the best advantage. The first thing to look for is good paper. To test the strength of the sand, rub two pieces together, and if the sand don’t fly off, it is good in that respect; next see if the paper is tough and will not tear easily. Chalk the back of your paper before you double it and it will not slip. Don’t lose time using old, worn-out paper. New paper will, of course, cut faster than old paper, and the difference in the time gained by using sharp paper will pay for the new paper twice over. Using old dull paper is like trying to save money by using an old stub brush. Better use up fifty cents’ worth of paper than to fool away dollars’ worth of time trying to save money by using old paper.
If you have old, hard paint to cut down, which dry sandpaper will not touch, keep the work wet with benzine, and you will be surprised to see how fast the sandpaper will cut the paint. To put on benzine use a small spring-bottomed can, such as is used for oiling machinery. You can use any grade of sandpaper, and it will not soak up or gum. No. 1 paper is the best for this purpose. A good deal of time may be lost where scrapers could be used to much better advantage. A broad, flat scraper to shove endwise is always in order, and a few narrow ones with various shaped ends to fit in headings, moldings, etc., are a great help.