1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to carpentry tools. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for smoothing unfinished wood or plastic surfaces and edges that are of curved other complex shapes.
2. General Background and State of the Art
Many individuals engage in building products from wood or plastic, either professionally or as a hobby. Enhancement of a person's home or office, for example, is possible by utilizing the tools and techniques known or taught through experience or through researching books or trade journals on the subject.
A wide variety of tools are available to the builder to achieve his or her goals in any building project. Tools vary from the small and simple (pliers, hammers, screwdrivers, to name a few) to the large and complex (lathes, for example). Some tools are powered by hand while others may be powered by electricity. Tools can be used to cut and form simple straight lines or level surfaces. Specialty tools, such as routers, also are available to cut more complex shapes, allowing the individual to form creative and fanciful pieces for purposes of function and/or enhancing the appearance of the finished project.
The process of building a finished product of wood or plastic requires a number of steps. It may be required by the particular project to prepare a piece in some fashion before it is cut. After the piece is cut into its desired configuration, other steps remain, which may include smoothing, polishing, assembling and finishing. Smoothing operations are generally achieved by sanding. Currently, all powered sanding tools are only for flat surfaces. Sanding and polishing of more complex surfaces is achieved through time consuming and painstaking manual sanding and polishing. Some smoothing and polishing of complex surfaces may be attempted by using a router, but there is a risk that the router bit could splinter the piece, therefore ruining the product.
There is no sander currently available that will sand the custom curves and shapes that a router makes on the edges of various projects.
There is no sander currently available that will allow free style sanding with the sanding tubes that are currently widely available.
There is no device currently known that is versatile and will allow the smoothing and polishing of a variety of shapes with easily changeable parts.