How Sanding Blox Work

When exceptionally great body work is the goal, everything becomes important, especially the sanding blocks. The purpose of a sanding block is to be a backing for sandpaper to level a surface.  It should help create perfect shapes, and help sand surfaces as flat as possible.   The sanding block can be what either helps you create even better work, or holds you back from it.

Shapes and flexibility matter, a lot. There are panels of all different shapes and curves, so there needs to be blocks for all the curves.  A great block should be able to take the shape of a panel, and not follow that panels imperfections.   Flexing to the correct shape is very different than being able to bend the block. Your block should be helping you sand the perfect shape into a panel. The flexibility of True Blox is determined by how thick the block is. In total, there are 9 different thicknesses, it’s very important to be able to use the exactly correct block for the job.  You wouldn’t use an adjustable wrench to disassemble a vehicle.

The block needs to be able to flex and work without interruption.  This means the handle cannot effect the block.  True Blox use a unique handle design that makes them easy to hold onto, while the handle is easily able to move and be manipulated in order for the block to do its job. This part is crucial.

Lastly, the sandpaper needs to be able to cut as sharp as possible.  That means the surface it’s against needs to be hard, with no cushion whatsoever.   The sandpaper needs to fix even the slightest imperfections or textures, not follow them.  This includes cutting the hard texture out of polyester primer completely flat.  A hard surface of a block can still be flexible.  

If your goal is to do exceptionally good body work, the sanding block you’re using becomes more and more important.  True Blox have nearly 15 years of experience in high end body work behind them.  The entire design and sizes are based off of that; what really works. 

1 comment

  • Very true. There has not been a lot of options for blocks over the years. Made a lot of crud ones over time. The new materials out there seem to be helping create new ones. I am waiting on my first true blocks to arrive and try.
    I have had a few reoccurring problems on hoods and deck lids. Have the panels to primer and blocking stage and the panel keeps changing. Will get a little dip here and there. Work on it get it perfect go to wet sand after blocking into paint panel looks perfect then paint base/clear coat wet sand and buff and every day the dips may show up or not! Have come back and redone the panel and still fitting problem. Some days it is there some not. Anyone else have this issue?

    Darin Rosenblad

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