Gibbs Finishing Systems

[Mike G]

We had a long session of clearing out an old filing cabinet yesterday evening, and one of the very interesting things I came across was a receipt from Gibbs Finishing Systems of Hertfordshire for a pneumatic drum sander, dated Jan 1994. The 'phone number started 0438, and the VAT was 17.5%.

Well, that sanding drum has sat untouched (and anonymous....I had no idea who had supplied it) in the back of a drawer for 5 or 10 years as the canvas part of the drum has split. I wondered if there was any chance they were still in existence, so looked them up on the internet. I found, and rang, a similar sounding company, Gibbs Sandtech, also in Hertfordshire but at a different address.

Turns out, they're the same company. They had to hunt around for someone who had been there a while, but he confirmed that they still stock the item, and all the spare parts. The reference number for it remains unchanged.........after 31 years!!

So, for £20 I can get this useful bit of kit back in action, and with a few curves coming up shortly, that could be fortuitous timing. They stock all sorts of sanding and finishing kit, so if you want to give your business to a good old-fashioned British company, consider them before you buy something from China. Good luck getting spares for a 31 year old thingamejig from China in the year 2056!

 

[AndyP]

Satisfying, isn’t it, when you can fully justify not throwing stuff away.

I had a not dissimilar experience when I discovered a double pump action action garden sprayer in my father’s shed. Rosewood handles, brass fittings with all the washers and seals long since degraded. Faded parts list in the home made wooden box was priced in LSD led me to Solo Sprayers in Southend who of course still stock and sell a full set of seals.
I cleaned everything up and got it working just because I could but you still need muscles like Popeye to use the thing.

 

[Woodbloke]

Interesting site and I assume that what you discovered Mike was something similar to an item on this page... QW4. Reading about the other products it's clear that somebody had a sense of humour when they wrote it; does the pneumatic drum you have need to be used upside down? - Rob

 

[Mike G]

Interesting site and I assume that what you discovered Mike was something similar to an item on this page... QW4. Reading about the other products it's clear that somebody had a sense of humour when they wrote it; does the pneumatic drum you have need to be used upside down? - Rob

It's similar, Rob, but with a handle on one end and a shaft (to go in a drill) on the other. I'll dig it out later and take a photo.

 

[Mike G]

Here you go @Woodbloke:





You pump it up with a bike pump through the handle:

 

[Jonathan]

I've seen Olly from Bradshaw Joinery use something similar, looks a hand thing to have.

 

[Cabinetman]

Mobile Bobbin sander! I bet there’s lots of uses for it, even just removing the arris on not too important work would be labour saving.

 

[Woodbloke]

You can buy those brand new from Classic Hand Tools, who do a complete set of different shapes and sizes. The fly in the ointment is that they're Swedish and you'll need to part with an arm and a leg to buy a few - Rob

Kirjes Complete Sanding System

The Kirjes Complete Sanding Kit includes the following: Kirjes Sanding & Polishing Motor Kirjes Flexible Shaft KJ101 5 drum sanding kit complete (see separate product) with one of the 80, 150 & 320 grit sanding sleeves for each drum. Hand...

www.classichandtools.com

 

[Raymedullary]

I remember using those to shape/smooth yacht coach house sides back in the early 80's although that was in an air drill of course.

 

[NickM]

I think Malc uses one of these on his instruments. I believe he calls it a rolling pin sander. They do look very useful.

 

[wallace]

I have the carroll version, very useful things