Tricks of the Trade
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Drugstore Rust Buster
To prevent rust from forming on tools in your drawers or tool chest, all you need is a block of camphor and a plastic film canister.
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Square Setup Fence
Recently I needed to drill centered holes through some wood blocks, and my Rockler Clamp-It Assembly Square found new purpose as a handy drill press fence.
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Hot Cure for Swollen Biscuits
Regardless of how I’ve tried to keep them dry, they still seem to absorb moisture in my damp shop until they don’t fit in biscuit slots.
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Crisscross Corner Joints
When I build children’s furniture, I like to use the modified mortise-and-tenon joint you see here to connect legs and aprons.
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Turning Up the Heat on PSA
I prefer to use pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) backed disks on my random-orbit sanders, but peeling off the old, stuck-on paper can be a real chore.
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Drive-through Shop Towels
How many times have you gone through a fast food drive-through and been given a bigger wad of napkins than you need?
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Anti-static Shield Wipes
My face shield is a regular companion in the shop, but the plastic builds a static charge that attracts dust.
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Paint Your Plugs
Since outlets are scarce in my shop, four machines have to share one outlet. I got tired of guessing which of the four identical black plugs was the right one for the machine I wanted to use.
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Unscrew Those Damaged Plugs
Here’s a good way to draw a damaged wood plug out of its counterbore, provided the glue is still wet.
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One-clamp Wonder
If your shop is a bit short on clamps, here’s a way to mount small to medium-sized featherboards with one clamp instead of two.
