Good article Eileen. Like anything else requiring a craftsman's touch there are as many ways to do it as there are people doing it, and under each method are similarities and differences.

The similarity here is the cautions to proceed carefully. Whether you tap with a corking tool or push with an awl, be deliberate and don't try to force things. Don't file very high spots, don't file through.

The difference is the use of a power tool. I much prefer the tactile experience of hand sanding with a block. The one thing about using a power tool is that it will caution you to very thin spots because the heat from the friction will turn those areas blue. Yes, hand sanding will take longer but I feel that it's more consistent with the delicate nature of the work.

Regardless, I would strongly advise practicing on a test part. Never try something new on something you can't afford to throw in the scrap heap.

Woody
Your Brother in Bolthood

My 1951 half-ton 'Ol Red

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