Patent ID: 7438629

Claim:
A method of sanding a non-planar surface comprising the steps of: identifying the desired shape of the surface to be sanded; selecting a profiled sanding pad that most closely matches the desired shape of the surface to be sanded; applying an abrasive material to a sanding surface of the profiled sanding pad; securing the profiled sanding pad to a sanding pad holding portion, the sanding pad holding portion connected with an in-line sander having an elongated sander housing configured to be grasped by a user of the in-line sander, and the sanding pad holding portion defining an outwardly facing channel that opens outwardly from the sander housing and that extends in a direction generally along a length of the sander housing, the channel being arranged and configured for receiving and holding a profiled sanding pad; activating the in-line sander in order to move the sanding pad holding portion in a linear oscillating motion, the linear oscillating motion being in the direction generally along the length of the housing; and bringing the abrasive material into contact with the surface to be sanded; wherein the step of selecting a profiled sanding pad comprises choosing a profiled sanding pad from a selection of at least two different profiled sanding pads previously provisioned; and the step of applying an abrasive substance to the sanding surface comprises the steps of: selecting an appropriate tubular sheet of sandpaper; inserting the profiled sanding pad into the interior of the tubular sheet of sandpaper; and shaping the tubular sheet of sandpaper to conform to the sanding surface of the profiled sanding pad.