Here's an idea (or two).

When we travel, I typically like to take a 'travel carving kit' just in case the planting or carving mood strikes (which it often does). However, this last time I had neglected to grab the current sheet of Tan Z I had been hacking away at, and only had a new sheet in my pack. Unfortunately, it had not been prepped - lightly sanded to remove the sheen on the carving side - prior to packing. I quickly realized I couldn't carve anything on an unprepped sheet. Bummer. So, how many of us carry around ultra-fine sand paper in our luggage?

Thankfully we were traveling with the MacGyver. What's the MacGyver, you ask? 

the MacGyver is kept in a bucket
like this one

When we began to outfit our new travel trailer last summer, I suggested that we keep a kit onboard with random odds and ends beyond a standard RV tool kit - really anything that might pertain to an urgent RV fix. My travel companion is very handy with repairs using anything we may have on hand, so it became the 'MacGyver' kit, named after the shlocky television show (c. 1985-1992). We stocked a big-box hardware store bucket with duct tape (of course!) and Gorilla clear tape, various types of screws and fasteners, velcro, zip ties, putty and adhesives, rubber bands and bungies, sharpies, shims ... you get the idea. We have added so many random items to the bucket, we are really unsure what it contains anymore!  Amazingly, it has been put to frequent use in our travels and is the the first place we go when we need something - even when we are at home! I guess it is the ultimate junk drawer ... uh, bucket! 

So, when I needed sandpaper, we hauled out the MacGyver and sure enough, there was some in there! Yay us! It wasn't as ultra fine as I needed, but it worked in a pinch - I think it was 300 (grit) or so. It left some larger gouges in the surface, but not deep enough that a good dunk in pigment ink wouldn't resolve. With a light touch, I was able to sand enough material to be able to carve what I wanted.

1 x 1.5", on Tan Z

That experience led me to a not-previously considered solution to this material-sanding conundrum. It became apparent that using a palm sander would be most efficient to prepare/sand the surface of my carving material stash when I received it, rather than when I needed to use it. I had been using sanding blocks, but that was clunky, time consuming, and left an inconsistent surface.

I found this one for under $35 at my local Ace Hardware (the cheapest they had). Hardware stores sell pre-packaged quarter sheets of sandpaper to fit this type of sander, but not as fine as I wanted (at least at my Ace). I just grabbed a package of 600 grit sandpaper sheets to cut to size. And, it worked great! Never again will I be scrounging around for sandpaper in a carving pinch because all new carving material will be prepped as soon as it hits my craft desk!

the rolling-hotel :)