Sandbags and hardwood blocks

Sandbags are leather bags made from two pieces of the finest quality leather,filled with very fine sand and stitched together. They are available in a variety of weights and sizes but are usually round or square in shape (Figure 3.27). The sandbag is used with the pear-shaped mallet or the blocking hammer to create panels by hand to a double curvature shape. The sandbag is resilient and at each blow of the mallet allows the metal to shape into the sandbag.
In some instances hardwood blocks are hollowed out to different depths and diameters. These blocks are used in the same manner as the sandbag for shaping metal,although the blocks are more solid and do not ‘give’ as much as the resilient sandbags.Car Repair Talk's forum.