Tim Holtz sanding block

Last weekend I went to 3 classes taught by Paula Cheney (who happens to be one of the NICEST sweetest women I've EVER met, and her classes were by far my favorites I've ever taken). Anyway, one of the things we needed for class was a sanding block, and I have the Tim Holtz one. Several people in the class were commenting about how they hate packing their sanding block because it doesn't have any kind of protective cover. Some of them had theirs in a zip lock baggie, but I keep mine in one of those travel bar-soap containers and it fits the block perfectly, plus an extra piece of sandpaper. Everyone there was so excited about this idea. So, thought I'd share here.

Does anyone else have any fun tips on how you pack your stuff?

Very clever! However I don't understand why the sanding block would even need to be protected? Although I rarely travel with scrap supplies so perhaps I'm missing something.

To keep it from scraping stuff up while in transit. Like any other tools you have in there, or papers, or your knuckles when you reach in for it (that was my motivation the first time I traveled with it). Since I don't take the sandpaper off between uses, it also keeps the sandpaper from getting torn if something else gets caught on it.

Mine is basic and is useful at home and while traveling.

I have an old MM paper piercer and those suckers did not come with caps nor sleeves. I use a synthetic cork to cap it. I changed corks when I had a bottle with a pretty orange cork in it. I put it in my tool caddy cork side up and it is super easy to find. For traveling I lay it flat just to be safe.

A friend had a retractable one in her bag point side up. The sharp point was hidden but as she pressed down in the bag searching, she pushed the point out into her hand and she was really digging apparently. She always stored it tip side down after that incident.

Oh that's a great idea! I was having that same issue and I never even thought of that. I finally broke down and bought the tim holtz one that comes with a cap, but I wish I'd thought of the cork idea!

That makes sense. And a cork - genius! I have Tim Holtz poker tool and love that it retracts, but I also have the new Spellbinders tool thingy and it doesn't, so a cork would be perfect!

You guys are coming up with some really practical ideas.

I love the cork idea too. My paper piercer has a cap, but it is cracked (and repaired with washi tape) and will almost certainly die before the paper piercer does. I think I'll go and dig out a nice cork in preparation.

My thing that my crop people got all excited about was my tiny round screw-top pot containing talc. I use it to de-stick escaped adhesive, and for cleaning gunk off scissors.

Great ideas! I will be traveling to a crop soon and these will help!

Talc? I've never even thought of something like that.That's a great idea! I wonder where I could find something like that here.

My other one that everyone thought was nice was a small folding shelf that you get in the kitchen dept. It gives me just enough extra space for things to dry or to set my tools without creeping over into my neighbor's work area.

These are great ideas! Love my sanding block, but it always has "sand" falling off. Love the soap dish idea. I have a small container of cornstarch, which would serve same use as talc, to unstick sticker backs. I never thought of using it to clean gunky scissors.

Will definitely keep the folding shelf idea in mind. Will have to look one up.

I might have taken a pic of mine... let me check...

I just carry a small bottle of baby powder for unsticking stickers. Then I pop dot them and nothing can accidentally get stuck under them.

• RedSquirrel Said:

Love the idea but here I am trying to figure out how to get talc into the little container. Sort of like pushing mud with a broom?

• southgirl Said:

I'm talking about talcum powder, not the pure mineral talc, sorry! In the UK we also use the word talc for the powder. I just puff a little into the pot and then use a fingertip to get it out again.

The little container was part of a set I got from a $2 store in Singapore, intended for decanting cosmetics for travelling. I think it was intended for lip gloss. It's the shape of one of those flat lip gloss tins, but with a screw top. Don't try to put talcum powder into a tin because the powder leaks out and goes everywhere. You can imagine how I found that out...