Homemade Flex-i-File

[EpoxySniffer]

I saw Lee's review of the Flex-i-File a while back and thought it looked like a tool worth having but
I didn't think it was worth £10 plus postage. What also put me off was having to buy replacement
sanding strips which I thought were just pieces of cut sandpaper.

So today I had a rummage around in my garage to see if I had anything that I could use to make my own for next to nothing.

So here is what I made ... I call it the Sniffer-i-Sander. I tested it out and it works perfectly and it
is now a welcome addition to my toolbox.



I found some old metal ground pegs, these came with one of those plastic bird baths you put in
your garden to anchor it to the ground to stop it being blown away. This one is a bit rusty but a
quick rub with some wet and dry and it will do the job. I think I saw some tent ground pegs the last time I was in Poundland, they would probably also work.





I got a sheet of 600 grit wet and dry from my local builders merchant for 25p a sheet and cut a strip. I will get plenty of replacement strips out of this sheet for a fraction of the price of the retail tool.



I then just super glued the cut strip around the metal peg. Poundland super glue, 4 of those little bottles for £1. It's just CA glue so just as good as the more expensive stuff.





Here it is the Sniffer-i-Sander. I have four of these pegs so I can make up a few using different grits of wet and dry from my local builders merchant. It may look crude but it does the job for a fraction of the price of the retail tool. If I wanted to have 4 Flex-i-Files all with different grades of sanding paper to hand it would cost me over £40. My homemade attempt looks a bit crap but it costs next to nothing and does the same job.

[wappynutter]

You sir are a ( I like to call it ) Eco- modeller....
The kits are expensive enough.... We gotta save a bob or two somewhere....
So just identify a needed tool and eco- build your own for a few pence as apposed to £10 ...
Well done mate..
Happy thrifty modelling.

[Daishi12]

Poundland here we come

[Paul]

Nice job, the 4 set flexifile is actually £25 though

[fly1ngdutchm4n]

Fantastic!
I'm going to turn my shed and toolbox upside down, and make myself one!
Thanks for this low budget tip!

[McLeod]

nice job, I wish I had a shed lol

[EpoxySniffer]

Yep, you are all correct I am a tight git. But as Wappy says, the money saved can be used to buy a new kit or something else like Vallejo
paints which are necessary ... or beer which is also necessary.

I might pick up some tent pegs the next time I am passing poundland, you could probably put them in a bench vice and
bend them to the required shape. Though I bet you could buy some cheap metal rod from the builders merchant for a few quid.

Your also right Paul, it is about £25 quid plus postage for the 4 file set, not £40 as I said. Even though its a great tool I still think that is way too much for what they actually are, which is just a bit of bent metal with a strip of sand paper stuck on the end. The replacement packs of tapes are what I object to most its basically 6 strips of sandpaper for £2.70. That is bloody expensive sandpaper when I can buy a full sheet of the stuff for 25p from the builders trade counter down the road and cut it into strips myself.

Do you guys who have bought the retail tool use the replacement tapes or do you just buy and cut your own wet and dry strips?

[Paul]

Yep, you are all correct I am a tight git. But as Wappy says, the money saved can be used to buy a new kit or something else like Vallejo
paints which are necessary ... or beer which is also necessary.

I might pick up some tent pegs the next time I am passing poundland, you could probably put them in a bench vice and
bend them to the required shape. Though I bet you could buy some cheap metal rod from the builders merchant for a few quid.

Your also right Paul, it is about £25 quid plus postage for the 4 file set, not £40 as I said. Even though its a great tool I still think that is way too much for what they actually are, which is just a bit of bent metal with a strip of sand paper stuck on the end. The replacement packs of tapes are what I object to most its basically 6 strips of sandpaper for £2.70. That is bloody expensive sandpaper when I can buy a full sheet of the stuff for 25p from the builders trade counter down the road and cut it into strips myself.

Do you guys who have bought the retail tool use the replacement tapes or do you just buy and cut your own wet and dry strips?

I use the replacement tapes as i got loads spare in the 4 file set even when they run out I'll still buy the replacement tapes.

[EpoxySniffer]

Paul, I have just remembered I was going to ask you something. I have been looking at what I could use as a cheap
airbrush cleaner and have seen you mentioning you make your own screenwash mix as a cleaner.

What is your homebrew recipe? Screenwash and what else? I use Vallejo mostly so I believe that IPA should
be avoided as it turns it to sludge.

[BrummieModeller]

That is a great idea!!!

I'm defo not going to bother buying one now LOL

[Lysion]

I was actually thinking about this the other day. That such a simple tool much be easy to construct yourself since it is simply a bent metal rod with a sanding strip.

As long as replacing the sanding strips is easy on your own file, it seems like a much cheaper option.