Why does nobody talk about the difference a good sanding block makes on a quarter panel?

I was working on a 2018 Silverado bedside last week, and the first pass with my old block left these tiny waves you could see in the sun. I switched to a softer, longer Dura-Block for the guide coat, and after about 45 minutes of careful work, the reflection was dead straight. It was all about keeping even pressure across the whole curve. Has anyone found a specific block shape that works better for you on those long, flat panels?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_olivia26d ago

Ever try to sand a curve with a brick? My first block was so stiff it basically just polished the high spots. I was fighting a door on an old Civic, and it looked worse when I was done. Switched to one of those foam ones that bends a little, and it was like the metal finally decided to cooperate. Night and day difference.

hayden_torres26d ago

Oh man, that's so true. I read somewhere that a stiff block on a curve just follows the shape it already has, so you're not really fixing anything. Makes total sense now.

evah402h ago

My cousin's a luthier, and he uses a 14-inch radius block for guitar necks. Watching him shape a piece of maple with that long, perfectly curved block made me finally get why the right tool matters. It's the same idea, just on a smaller, shinier scale.