Band saw

Keeping Band saw Blades In Position During Changeover
To prevent the blade from slipping off the top tire while you align and tighten it, temporarily tape (or use a spring clamp) the blade to the top tire during the changeover process. CAUTION: If you use a clamp, don’t to forget to remove it before turning on your machine.

Extend the life of your Band saw tire
with this "automatic tire duster" Band saw tires last lots longer when you keep them clean. To do this, attach old, worn-out toothbrushes to the frame of your saw so they rub continuously against the tires to keep them clean. If you need to bend the handle in order to attach the brush, soften it by heating in a pot of boiling water. When the brushes wear down, just replace them with a new set of "retired" brushes.

Make-it-yourself bandsaw tire cleaner
It's a fact that Bandsaw tires will last much longer if they're kept clean. You can make a simple, self-cleaning system for your tires from a couple of old discarded toothbrushes. Just cut the handles off to about 3" long, heat them up with a candle or torch and bend them to a 90-degree angle.  Then, simply screw them to the inside of your bandsaw's "cabinet" so the bristles ride constantly against the tires' surfaces during operation..."sweeping" the dust and debris off as you work.  

Safely holding ultra-small pieces for bandsawing
Sometimes, it's necessary to cut extremely small pieces of stock that are impossible to grasp properly without getting your fingers well inside the red "safety zone"...where fingers aren't supposed to be ! This problem can often be solved by guiding your stock with the eraser ends of two pencils.

Cutting tighter curves with Band saw Blades
The sharp, square edged on the back sides of your band saw blades can restrict the tightness of the curves you cut.  You can solve this problem by laying a medium coarse sharpening stone on your band saw's table surface (behind the blade), turning on the saw and rounding-over the back edge of the blade slightly. Don't push hard on the stone while you're doing this or you'll push the blade off your saw's back-up rollers. It's best to do this job with a dry stone.

Make-it-yourself locking bolts
You can keep nuts from working loose by drilling a small hole all the way through the threads of your bolt at the location where the tightened nut will be.  Make your hole just slightly smaller than the diameter of a piece of rigid nylon cord (such as that used for a garden string trimmer). 
Push a short piece of this cord through the hole and cut it off on each side of your bolt so just a small amount protrudes beyond the threads. When you tighten the nut, it will crush the nylon cord and keep your nut from working loose.

Magnetic Band saw rip fence
If you have a band saw with a cast iron (not aluminum) table, you can
use a commercially available, magnetic kitchen knife holder as a rip fence.
These holders are usually very straight, with magnets that are more than
strong enough to hold during most operations. 


Balancing band saw wheels.
The lead wheel weights used for balancing car tires will also
work on an out-of-balance band saw wheel. They'll do less damage
to the wheel than drilling a bunch of balancing holes in it.
Plus, you can re-position them as needed. And, since they're
made of soft lead, their weight can be easily adjusted by
shaving a little off with a utility knife. Always start
with the lightest, smallest weights you can find for this job.

Holding the pieces of a compound cut together during cutting.
Compound band saw cuts (such as those used for cabriole legs) often
require that you replace the piece of scrap you just cut away from
your work piece before you can make your next cut (usually made on a
different plane). The easiest way to do this is by using double-stick
carpet tape or ordinary masking tape.

Emergency Band saw tire
It always happens at the most inopportune times. You're working away
when all of a sudden, the rubber tire on your band saw heads South.
It's Saturday evening. You're trying to finish a project. No spare
band saw tires within a million miles.

Well ... fear not. Often, car or truck inner tubes can be trimmed for
use as band saw tires. Bond them carefully to your band saw's wheel with
rubber cement. This fix should get you through your project ... but
it's not permanent! Be sure to replace your temporary tire with a
proper tire ASAP.

Smoothing-out Band saw cuts.
By removing the set on your band saw blades, they'll produce a
much smoother cut, without those tell-tale tooth marks.
Here are three ways:
* Lay the blade on a hard metal surface (anvil, etc)
and peen the teeth with a smooth-faced hammer.
* Pinch the teeth with a pair of pliers.
* Hone the edges of the teeth with a coarse stone
until the set disappears.
Remember, however, that blades which have been altered in this
fashion will not cut as tight a corner...nor will they cut as
rapidly as blades with set teeth. Therefore, push your work piece
through the blade more slowly and leave yourself a little more
radius than you would normally need.

Clamping

Improving the grip of wooden vise jaws
Grasping dowels, threaded rods, pipe and similar round objects in the jaws of a vise without slipping or damaging the object you're holding can be tough.  And, if the only vise you own is a woodworker's vise, its smooth jaws make the job even tougher.  This problem can be solved by first inserting the object to be gripped into a piece of rubber or plastic hose before grasping it in your vise. You can use garden hose, surgical hose, automotive radiator hose, etc.  Just match the hose size to the object. You'll get a great grip, won't damage the threads of your threaded rod and won't mar the jaws of your wooden vise.

Make-It-Yourself "Emergency" Spring Clamps
The next time you find yourself needing some lightweight spring clamps for holding thin workpieces together, try this trick.  Saw some 1" to 2" long rings from a piece of heavy-gauge PVC pipe.  Then, saw a kerf through the rings, allowing them to be spread apart for clamping your stock together.

Protective clamp jaws
Often, the jaws of metal clamps (such as pipe clamps) can become marred, which, in turn, will damage work piece surfaces when you apply the pressure. You can avoid this by making wooden jaw faces, with adhesive-backed magnetic tape on their back sides.  Then, when you clamp a project, simply position the magnets over the jaws of your clamps and go to work.

Make-it-yourself, non-slip bench dogs
You can make your own bench dogs from pieces 3/4" to 1" diameter wood dowel.  Just cut the dowels to the length you need and slip a 3/4" long piece of thick-wall, clear plastic hose or tubing over the ends.  The tubing will keep your dowel from dropping all the way through the dog holes in your benchtop and provide a non-slip grip on your workpiece, as well.

Rubber inner-tubes make great clamps for odd-shaped projects
Bicycle, motorcycle or automotive inner-tubes are a great source for rubber clamping strips. Just cut the tubes into 1" to 2" wide strips, wrap them around your project and tie or use miniature handscrews or clamp-style pliers to clamp off the ends until your glue dries. You can vary the amount of pressure by increasing the number of wraps around your project...or by using heavier gauge inner-tubes, such as those used with truck tires.

Giant, Make-It-Yourself "Clothespin" Clamps
Picture how a wooden clothespin is made.
Two pieces of wood with semi-circular cutouts that pivot on the "barrel" of a spring. Now, imagine how you could duplicate this design to make some handy clamps. For example, start with a piece of hardwood stock, 3/4" thick by 2" wide x 12" long. Lay your stock on the bench top and drill a 1/2" hole through the 3/4" thickness, centered, 1" in from each side and about 4" from one end.
Next, rip your 2" wide piece in half from end-to-end, cutting through the center of your 1/2" hole. This will leave a semi-circular notch in each of your two jaw pieces.
Cut a piece of 3/4" diameter dowel rod to a length of 3/4". Position your dowel rod in the semi-circular notches between the two jaw pieces to create a fulcrum point. Wrap a large rubber band around the short, clamping ends to apply pressure. Simple.  

Overhead clamp storage from PVC, copper
or cast iron pipe
A nifty rack for storing hand screws and other clamps can be made by creating an inverted "T" from ordinary plumbing pipe. Just attach its single end to the rafters in your garage or basement shop, with the double "T" end hanging down.  Slip your clamps over the "T" for quick, easy access.

Pliers or clamp?  BOTH !
The next time you need a clamp to hold small parts together, try using an ordinary pair of pliers (regular, needle-nosed or channel-lock style) with a heavy rubber band or piece of bicycle inner tube wrapped around the handles to pull the jaws together.

Conforming clamp pads
Sometimes, it's necessary to clamp odd-shaped pieces that are difficult to grasp with straight-sided clamp jaws.  In these instances, try using a piece of 1" or 2" thick Styrofoam as a "caul" between your odd-shaped project components and the jaws of your clamps.  It really works!

Extra Long Rubber Band Clamps
When you need an extra long piece of rubber for clamping a large project, try cutting a continuous spiral from a used inner tube. First, cut across the tube on both sides of the valve stem to remove it. Then, use a pair of scissors (or tin snips) to cut around the circumference of the tube in a continuous spiral. You'll be surprised how many feet of rubber you can get from a single inner tube!

Temporary Machinist's Vise Mounting
Woodworkers who only have an occasional need for a metal-working machinist's vise may not want to consume a lot of workbench real estate by mounting such a vise permanently to the bench top.
If you're one of these folks, bolt the base of your machinist's vise to a "beefy" block of hardwood that you can then clamp solidly into your woodworker's vise. For even more versatility, choose a small machinist's vise with a rotating base. Make your wood block a few inches longer than the width of your woodworking vise jaws.  This approach will allow you to mount your metal-working vise at many different angles for working in difficult-to-reach areas.

Making super-long pipe clamps
Cut wide slots in the ends of 2'-long sections of pipe of the proper diameter for your clamp ends. Insert a piece of heavy chain into the slots in these two pipe ends and pin them into position by running a bolt through the pipe and the chain links. The chain can be any length you need.
These extended pipe/chain clamps are a lot easier to handle than long, rigid pieces of heavy pipe -- and a lot more convenient to store away, too.

Protective jaws for metalworking vises
Cut strips of padded, magnetic-backed material like that used for making
self-adhering signs for the sides of trucks or cars. Just stop by any
local sign shop and ask them for a few small pieces of scrap material.

1) Inexpensive, light-duty clamps for smaller projects.
Try using spring-type clothespins, office binder clips,
medical hemostats or bobby-pins.

2) Keeping your pipe clamps from staining wood surfaces.
Slip a couple of "doughnuts" made from foam pipe insulation over
the pipes before assembling the clamps. These "doughnuts" will
hold the pipes off the surfaces of your work pieces during glue-ups.

3)Clamping large splinters in position.
First, work the glue thoroughly into the splinter's recess.
Then, place the splinter into position and cover it with a piece
of see-through plastic, Plexiglas, or clear cellophane tape.
Clamp to hold while the glue sets up. The see-through material
will help you verify that the splinter is remaining in position
and than any glue squeeze-outs are not adhering to the plastic
or tape while everything dries.

4) Emergency C-Clamp from a pipe wrench.
The next time you're just one clamp short on a particular job,
try using an ordinary pipe wrench or monkey wrench for the job.
Be sure to place protective pads between rough jaws and your
work pieces to protect them from marring.

5) Keep your clamp heads/feet from damaging your work pieces
Most metal and pipe-type clamps have rough-surfaced heads or
feet that will damage work pieces as pressure is applied. To
prevent this, attach small, wooden "cauls" (or protective blocks)
to the clamp faces with double-stick carpet tape. 1/4" hardboard
or plywood is best. With steel or iron-faced clamps, another option is to make 
your cauls a bit thicker and counter bore them to accept small,
round, ceramic magnets, glued in position. Make sure the magnets
are strong enough to hold your cauls in position during clamping
and that the surface of the magnets are flush with the surface
of the cauls.

Getting a grip on dowel rod with your bench vise.
When you need a rock-solid grip on dowels for certain operations, try
clamping a couple of ordinary clothespins over the dowel. Then, just
drop the dowel (with clothespins attached, of course) into the vise
jaws and tighten.

Fast-acting, tight-quarters C-Clamps for production applications
Sometimes (as in the case of gluing-up bent laminations or edge banding),
it's necessary to use a large quantity of C-Clamps. This creates two
problems. First, the T-Bars often run into one another during tightening.
And second, even if they don't, tightening 10 to 20 C-Clamps can be a
time-consuming proposition.
To resolve this problem, replace the sliding T-Bars with standard-sized
nuts, welded onto the ends of the clamp screws. You'll eliminate their
interference with one another...plus...you'll be able to tighten them
quickly by using a nut driver bit in your power drill.

Inexpensive, light-duty clamps for smaller projects
Try using spring-type clothespins, office binder clips,
medical hemostats or bobby-pins.

Outboard support for long work pieces.
Occasionally, it's necessary to clamp a long piece of stock in a
bench vice to work on it... where one might be projecting way out
into the air, unsupported. To provide the support you need, attach
a notched, adjustable shelf support (the kind that uses the long,
full-width shelf supports) to the front of the leg on the opposite
end of your bench. When you need extra support, insert a shelf
support in the proper set of notches and there you have it.

Cutting & Sizing

Three options for temporarily holding workpieces together during pad sawing or turning operations.
1: Use rubber cement. Apply to both pieces, let dry and press firmly together. They will separate easily when you've finished your cut. 2: Use double-sided carpet tape. A firmer grip than rubber cement and tougher to separate, as well. Lacquer thinner can help. 3: Use artist's "Scotch" Adhesive Transfer Tape. Applied with a gun-like device, it's available in art supply stores and removes easily, like rubber cement.

Simple handsaw tricks
Handsaws will cut differently, depending on the angle at which they're held while you make the cut. For fastest cutting, hold your saw perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to the work piece surface. Be aware that this technique will result in a fairly rough cut. For a smoother, general-purpose cut, hold your saw at a 45 to 50-degree angle. For the smoothest cut, swing your saw to a shallow 15 to 20-degree angle to the workpiece surface. This approach, will, however, require considerably more time to complete your cut.

Disguising Upright Bookcase Shelf Supports
Long expanses of books on shelves can easily get heavy enough to cause unsightly sagging over time. This problem can, of course, be avoided by positioning upright supports between the shelves. However, these supports can distract from the appearance of your shelves.  To solve this problem, buy some inexpensive used books that are the same height as the distance between your shelves. Remove the pages of the books, wrap their covers around the upright supports and glue them into position, rendering your supports "invisible".

Hack sawing aluminum
Always use a coarse-tooth hacksaw blade when cutting aluminum, as a fine-tooth blade will clog quickly.

Ripping cupped boards
When ripping cupped boards, always place your stock on the saw table with the cupped side DOWN to keep the stock from rocking from side-to-side during the cut. Also, try to keep all downward pressure on the piece of stock between the blade and the rip fence...and as close to the fence as possible to prevent binding.

Offsetting Jointer Fence Error

Even the slightest error in setting the angle of your jointer's fence will produce an edge that's not 90-degrees to your work piece surface.  As a result, when you join your boards together, you could get a slightly warped or bowed surface.  To avoid this, when jointing the edges of mating pieces, alternate between guiding the intended top and intended bottom surfaces of your boards against your jointer's fence.  By doing this, you will offset any differences and achieve a much tighter joint without warpage or bow.

"Shaving" miter cuts for accuracy
If you've used a handsaw and miter box to cut the corners of moldings
or framing materials, it's often necessary to "shave" off just a bit to
correct a fit. To keep your saw blade from deflecting away from the
cutting line during this process, place an additional piece of similar wood
(un-cut) stock behind your work piece when making your cut.  The fresh
kerf in this back-up piece will hold your cut on-line.

Make An Extra-Long, Graduated Straightedge For Use With Large Projects
Working with a "floppy" tape measure can be a bothersome proposition
when measuring large sheets of plywood or long workpieces. Instead, buy an 8' plastic or metal self-stick rule at a hardware store or from a cataloger and attach it to an 8' piece of aluminum angle stock. It's light and easy to handle and the angle on the stock gives it rigidity for improved accuracy.

Improved Crosscut Accuracy
If you move too fast when making a cut, it's not unusual for the blade to "climb" or twist slightly during your cut. Once this process begins, it's difficult to straighten-out. When this happens, try moving your workpiece through the cut more slowly. Another option is to make your cut in two passes...the first, just slightly less than a full saw kerf beyond your intended size - and the final pass to exact length. This second pass will, in most instances, true-up your cut quite nicely.

Cutting foam rubber
Try using an electric carving knife.

Make-it-yourself hand-held countersink
Sometimes, you just don't feel like dragging out your drill to knock the burrs off the edges of freshly drilled holes.or to countersink them slightly. Instead, make a practical, hand-held countersink holder by using the chuck from a discarded portable drill. Attach a file handle (or other handle) to the chuck for convenience.

Automatic dowel pin depth control
When a number of dowels must be driven to the same, exact, preset depth, cut a piece of scrap stock to a thickness that matches the length of the protruding pins. Lay the scrap stock beside the pins and drive them home with a wooden mallet. As the dowel is struck with the mallet, the depth will be controlled when the mallet head hits the scrap stock.

A Great 1" depth gauge
An ordinary automotive tire tread gauge works well for measuring the depths
of shallow holes, mortises and other cavities. Most offer a capacity of 1",
graduated by 32nds.

Cutting threads in wood
Make your own thread-cutting dies for wooden dowels from ordinary hex nuts. Chose a nut of the proper size for your dowel and cut it in half with a
hacksaw. Place half of the nut on each side of the dowel and clamp the two
halves together tightly in a vise. Then, just turn your dowel rod to cut the
threads.

Enlarging mis-cut project components
If, as an example, you cut a panel for a box lid or cabinet door too narrow,
consider ripping it in half and adding a strip of contrasting wood in the
center that's wide enough to bring your panel back to its intended size.
Those who see the project will figure that you've added this accent strip
intentionally.

Avoiding mistakes when cutting to size
Organization and neatness count! With table sawing, as an example,
keep all of your "to be cut" work pieces stacked-up in a neat pile near
one side of your saw table and your "finished" pieces near the other.
When stacking your lumber, orient all the pieces in the same direction
to avoid confusion when positioning them properly against your miter
gauge, rip fence or other work-guiding device. This way, you can pull
a piece off your "to be cut" stack... position it properly for cutting,
cut it, then place it on your "finished" stack with far less chance of
making a cut on the wrong edge.

Recycle that office paper cutter.
When your old lever-type office paper cutter will no longer cut a
perfect, clean edge on paper, chances are, it will still do a great
job on veneers, sandpaper, window screens, sheet vinyl, rubberized
counter top materials, even thin sheet aluminum.

Minimizing material waste
We all occasionally cut a piece of stock too short. To minimize the
impact of this, when cutting your pieces to size, always cut your
longer pieces first.  This way, if you cut a piece too short, you can
always re-cut it and use it for one of the shorter pieces you'll be
making later on.

Improved control when cutting thin stock
Because the new scroll saws cut so quickly, you can easily ruin a thin
workpiece (1/8" thick or less) before you know it by losing your
concentration and ZOOMING past your intended stopping point!

If you're making several copies of the same piece, just use the pad
sawing technique to cut a stack of pieces at the same time for improved
control. However, if you only need one piece, try double-stick taping or
rubber-cementing your workpiece to the top of a piece of 1/2" pine (or
other scrap).
In either case, increasing the thickness of your workpiece will make a
big difference.

Improving the "glide" of handsaws through workpieces
Rub the blade of your saw -- LIGHTLY -- with waxed-paper, paraffin or
a bar of hand soap before use.

Drilling & Fastening

Countersinking Screw Holes In Tight Quarters
Sometimes (as is the case with small cabinets and assembled drawers), it's impossible to get your electric drill into a position where you can bore a countersink into a work piece from the inside. In these cases, use a combination drill bit/countersink to first drill your pilot hole from the outside of your project.
Then, remove the bit from your drill chuck, loosen the pilot bit and turn it around, end-for-end, so the straight shank is protruding through the "business end" of the countersink and the fluted end of the bit is sticking out the back.
Re-insert the bit through the hole from the inside and carefully chuck the straight shank of the pilot bit into your drill. Set your drill to run in reverse, turn it on and "pull" the bit toward you to drill your countersink.

Drilling perpendicular holes with a
hand drill
If you have a project that requires you to drill perpendicular hole (or series of such holes) with your hand-held drill because workpiece is too big for your drill press (or any other reason), make a guiding jig from a small block of 2" x 4".  Just use your drill press to bore a same-size guiding hole in the block...then use the block to guide the bit in your hand-held drill as you bore your hole(s) in your workpiece.

Hole alignment guide for portable drills
When you need a jig to space a row of holes evenly for shelf supports
or similar projects with a portable drill, try using a length of
pegboard...or a piece of scrap stock with evenly spaced guide holes
that you've drilled in it using your drill press.  

Drilling long/deep holes
When you need to drill a hole in a project that's deeper than your bit
is long, you'll have no choice but to drill from both ends.  But how can
you be certain your holes will meet in the middle? It's easy.

First, clamp a piece of scrap stock to the surface of your drill press
table, under the chuck.  Chuck-up the same bit you plan to use to bore
your deep hole and use it to bore a hole in your scrap piece. Mark the
location of the hole on both ends of your workpiece.  Be sure your bit
and drill press table are perpendicular to one another and drill as
deep as you can from one end.

Drop a marble or ball bearing into the hole in your clamped scrap
piece (the ball should be slightly larger than the diameter of your intended
hole and protrude above the scrap piece a bit. Turn your workpiece over and
allow the first hole you drilled in your workpiece to slip over the top of
your marble or bearing...which will automatically hold your workpiece centered
as you drill from the other end.

Counterweight for conventional drill press tables
If the table on your conventional, single column drill press is difficult to raise and lower, attach a strand of heavy duty picture frame hanging wire to an old lead window weight and drop it into the hollow drill press column.
Insert a window weight pulley (these are usually nothing more than a round wheel with a concave edge) into a slot you've cut into a wooden block, designed to slip snugly into position over the top of your drill press column.
Run the wire over the top of the pulley and down the OUTSIDE of the column. Connect it to the column clamp on the back edge of your table.  Add or subtract weights to achieve the level of assistance you'd like.

Portable electric drill stop
Although metal drill stops are available for most sized bits, sometimes,
the best solution is right before your eyes. Just attach a small piece of
duct tape, or masking tape around your bit, leaving a short pennant or flag
protruding.  Then, merely drill down until the pennant touches your
workpiece surface.

Make your own imitation, antique, cut nails
Start with an ordinary, headed nail of the appropriate size and file the
heads into the shape you desire.  Then, give them the look of age by
soaking them in a jar of water, vinegar and table salt for a few days
before using them.

Being Sure Your Drill Press Set-Up Is "True"
Cut a piece of coat hanger or similar stiff wire to a length of about 8"
to 10".  Bend your wire to a "Z-Shape" and insert one end into your drill
press chuck. Tighten. Adjust your drill press table so the opposite end
of your "Z" barely touches the surface of your table.  Rotate the "Z" to
be sure its opposite end touches the table surface evenly as the drill
chuck is rotated (by hand, of course) through its full 360-degree rotation. 

Straightening Small Diameter Drill Bits That Are Bent
If you've managed to bend a drill bit that's over 1/4" in diameter, there's probably not much hope for straightening it out. However, if you've bent a bit that's smaller than 1/4", you just may be in luck. Start by tightening the bit into the chuck of your portable electric drill. Turn your drill on full-speed and bore a hole in a 2" thick (or so) piece of hard wood such as oak, hard maple, etc. Then, while your bit is still turning, carefully begin applying sideways pressure on the bit, moving it around until it's going straight into the wood.  In most cases, this will remove the bend.
CAUTION: Wear safety glasses during this operation as your bit could snap
off during the process.

Drilling hardened steel
Heat the area you plan to drill with a propane torch until it glows red. Then, gradually withdraw the heat by pulling the torch away. Be sure to concentrate your efforts only on those areas to be drilled or you'll remove the steel's temper, altogether.
CAUTION: Be careful not to catch your workbench or any nearby flammable materials on fire!

Enlarging through holes with an auger bit
If you need to enlarge a hole that's already been drilled...and only have an auger-style bit of the size you need to do the job...here's an important "trick". Find a short length of dowel that's the same diameter as your too-small hole.
Mark the center of the dowel and drill a pilot hole that's slightly smaller in diameter than your auger bit's lead screw.
Screw the lead screw of your auger bit into this hole (DON'T GLUE IT)...drop the dowel into your too-small hole (with bit attached)...turn and drill, using the dowel as your "screw center".

Storing small-sized drill bits & grinding points
Drill a series of shank-sized holes around the circumference of a thread
spool top. Be careful not to drill them too deep. Store the spool
(with bits in-place) in an appropriate sized pill (or similar)

Installing/protecting brass hardware screws
When attaching brass hardware, the soft brass screws can easily be broken or damaged. To avoid this problem, create pilots for your brass screws by first attaching your hardware with comparable sized steel screws. Then, simply remove the steel screws and replace them with the brass ones.

Handy, inexpensive drill bit storage
Simply push your bits into a block of Styrofoam (hard plastic foam.)

Boring holes in plastic sheet without breakage
The best solution is to use special, plastic-drilling bits. If these
specialized bits are not a part of your toolbox, clamp your sheet firmly
between two pieces of 1/2" or thicker scrap wood before drilling. This will
keep your bit on-center and minimize chipping. Remember to drill at a slow
to medium speed to avoid melting the plastic. Remember too that when
drilling plastics, the larger the diameter of the hole, the slower the
speed.


Make-it-yourself tapered candle drill.
Make your own bit for drilling tapered holes by grinding a 7/8"
diameter spade-type bit down to the shape you need. For most candles,
leave the bit diameter as 7/8" at the shank end of the bit and taper
it down to 3/4" at the point end.

Fitting a too-tight piece of stock into a dado or groove.
If you've made a shelf, tenon, etc. that's just a little too large for
the dado or groove that it's designed to mate with, simply cut a kerf
in the edge that's to be inserted. Make it slightly deeper than the
depth of the groove. Then, when you assemble the project, the edge
should compress sufficiently to fit snugly into your groove or dado.

Holding dowels or cylindrical objects for center-drilling on the
Drill Press
Cut small, V-shaped grooves directly across from one another
in two opposing handscrew clamp jaws. Be sure the grooves are
exactly perpendicular (90°) to the jaw sides and that they
cross each jaw all the way, from side-to-side. Then, simply
clamp your dowel or cylindrical object in the handscrew jaw
grooves, rest the jaw sides on your Drill Press table with
the piece to be drilled protruding (90°)upward and drill away

Marking drill bit starting holes
Since a scratch awl has a sharp point, it has a tendency to follow the
grain of the wood when using it to mark hole locations. Instead, try
using a small (1/32" dia.) nail set for this job. You'll find that it
won't follow the grain.

Finishing

Spray bottle stain applicator
Spraying is a great way to apply an even coat of stain on a project.  But, if you don't have a compressor and sprayer system, what are you to do?  Try using a squeeze-handle-type plastic spray bottle like those that come filled with window cleaners, cleaning detergents, etc. They make a great applicator for stains, as well. 

Stiffening a brush for "cutting-in" around project edges
Often, the bristles of a brush are too soft and spread-out too much to create a sharp line of finish.  The next time you face this problem, try wrapping a rubber band around the bristles, about 1-1/2 to 2" from their tips.  This will usually stiffen the bristles by keeping them closer together while you apply your finish.

Obtaining an ebony-like finish
Certain hardwoods (maple, beech, birch and sycamore, as an example) can be made to closely resemble expensive ebony by staining with a black wood dye or translucent black stain.  Be sure to apply the dye or stain in THIN coats so the wood grain shows through, then apply a matte varnish or polyurethane over-coat for protection. 

Concealing scratches in mahogany and similar dark woods
Try using iodine, applied with a fine brush or cotton swab. It may take multiple coats to cover properly.

Kitchen utensil finish is perfect for kids' toys
If you're concerned about the toxicity of the finishes you're putting on your home-crafted children's toys, try using a non-toxic Salad Bowl Finish.

Color-Matching Finish Repairs In Small Areas
Try using felt-tipped markers, mascara brushes or eyebrow pencils.

Work piece holder
To hold your work piece off the bench surface during finishing and drying, try driving 4-penny finishing nails through small, 2" square by 1/4" to 1/2" thick blocks of wood until their heads are flush with the surface.  Then, turn them over on your bench top and use them as "feet" to support your projects, suspended above your bench surface during finishing.

Particle-free smoother for wood finishes
Conventional abrasives and steel wools can, at times leave small abrasive particles or steel fibers in critical wood finishes during the smoothing process.  When smoothing a finish that must be free of these particles, try using ScotchBrite pads, instead.

Preventing paint/stain build-up in the can rim
Save the lids from all empty paint cans. Keeping the entire rim intact, cut a half-moon opening in the lid with a straight edge running across the lid, about 1/4" or so past its centerline. Fold over the extra 1/4" to make a smooth edge that crosses the can opening from side-to-side. When you remove the lid from your paint or stain, replace it with this "wiper lid" and go to work without fear of your can rim filling with paint or stain.

Particle-free wood finish smoother
Try using a small piece of ordinary air-conditioner/furnace filter material.  It's great for smoothing the surfaces of intricate joints and moldings without leaving particles like steel wool.  This material is very inexpensive...and can often be found in different grades of abrasiveness, if you just look.

Removing fumes from the shop
If you're working with lacquers or other finishing materials that are noxious or potentially explosive, it's always a good idea to place a fan outside the door of the shop and open a window or door near the opposite side.  Aim the fan into the shop to create a Positive pressure that will force the fumes out the opposing door or window without the danger of creating sparks which could ignite the fumes.  When doing this, be sure the project you're working on is NOT in the direct line between the "air-in" and "air-out" portals, as this could deposit dust on your project.

Achieving a urethane finish without bubbles
Often, brushed-on polyurethane finishes end up having bubbles in them, no matter how careful you may be. To avoid this, try wiping these finishes on your projects with wadded-up pantyhose or nylon stockings. This works particularly well on curved or contoured surfaces that maybe difficult to reach properly with a brush.

Zero clean-up wood putty mixing
The next time you need to mix-up some wood putty for filling, try doing your mixing in a zip-top kitchen bag. Just dump everything into the bag...zip the top closed and knead your components together. When you're finished, throw the bag (and residue) away and you'll have nothing to clean up.

Keeping stains/finishes off working surfaces
When using small, round artist's or model-making brushes for painting or staining your projects, you can keep their bristles from touching the surface of your project when the brush is laid down by slipping a nut or washer onto the shaft of your brush until it wedges itself into position near the brush end.

Minimizing evaporation and/or "gelling" of stored varnishes and oil finishes
Here are two approaches:
- Float a piece of plastic kitchen wrap on the surface of the material, then replace the container lid.  Be sure it covers the entire surface.
- Transfer your finishes to plastic, squeeze-type bottles and squeeze out most of the air before closing the lid or spout.

A great alternative wood filler
Try using acrylic modeling paste from your local art supply store.  It
can be colored with readily available acrylic artists' colors that dry fast
and hard. It's tough enough to adhere very well, even when built-up and
once it's hardened, it can be shaped and sanded just like wood.

Easy PROPORTIONAL mixing of finishes
Some finishes need to be mixed by PROPORTION and not by weight. If you
don't have a graduated container (and your spouse throws a fit when you
head for the shop with the kitchen measuring cup), try this approach. 
Use a see-through container such as an old pop bottle or drinking glass.
Take a small stick of wood and mark off a series of evenly spaced lines from
one end to the other (about 1/4" or so apart is usually ideal).  Be sure to
SCRIBE these lines since the material you're measuring may obscure any
lines drawn with a pen or pencil.   Place your stick in your see-through
container and start adding material.

Workpiece holders
The next time you need to come up with a way to hold a workpiece that
you've just finished, try the three or four-pronged, plastic "stand-offs"
that are used to keep carryout pizza boxes from collapsing.

Holding small, thin workpieces for sanding
Start by laying a full sheet of 80-grit sandpaper (grit-side-up) on your
bench top.  Then, lay your workpiece on top of this sheet. Now, use a
120-grit (or finer) sheet to sand the opposing surface of your small
workpiece.  The coarser sheet will keep your workpiece from sliding while
you sand it with the finer sheet.

Making Rustic-Looking, Leather Drawer Pulls
Find an old leather belt that you're no longer using. Working with your router and a 1/4" straight bit, cut a horizontal slot in the front of your drawer that's 1/.4" or so longer than your belt is wide. Cut the belt into short lengths (probably about 3" or so. stick the two ends into your slot and attach them to the back side of your drawer front with screws, nails or staples. 

A Great, Super-Smooth "Natural" Finish
Start by sanding your project thoroughly with a succession of finer and finer grits of sandpaper to remove all scratches. Then, flood the surface of your project with a penetrating oil finish such as Watco Danish Oil or Tung Oil.
Next, sand the oil (along with the sanding dust from the wood) into the pores of the wood thoroughly with a wet/dry, 320-grit silicon carbide paper. Wipe and leave to dry overnite...then buff with a soft, dry cloth for an incredible, satin-like finish.

Three Ways To Eliminate Finger Burns When Using Cabinet Scrapers
OUCH! If you've ever used a hand-held cabinet scraper for long, you know what this is about.
1:Cover the top edge of the scraper with a plastic binding slide like those used to hold papers in see-through vinyl report covers.
2:Wear protective rubber finger caps like those used for sorting papers and counting money. Any office supply store should have them.
3:Use rubberized, flexible strip magnets. Attach one to each side of the blade (up about 1/4" to 1/2" from the cutting edge) prior to use. The magnets will act as a "heat sink", absorbing the heat before it ever reaches your fingers.

Filling SMALL cracks and nicks in furniture
As long as your blemish is small, it can often be filled with a children's crayon of the right color. Start by carefully scraping the finish off the inside of the blemish, so the crayon has something to adhere to. Press the crayon into the blemish firmly, using a putty knife or an artist's palette knife. If necessary, you can even melt the crayon into the blemish with a match.
With all the crayon colors available today, you should have no difficulty finding one that matches. If not, you can always mix crayon colors together in a heated spoon to achieve the correct color before drilling it into the mixture.

Bending laminates without breakage
If you need to bend a laminate material to a fairly tight
radius, try using a high-temperature heat gun like those
designed for paint removal. Heat the laminate material very
carefully, starting with the gun a fair distance away from
its surface...and moving slowly closer and closer...as you
"coax" the laminate around your bend. Don't get too close or
you'll cause blistering, burning, or discoloration.

Storing paint brushes properly
Before storing, clean brushes thoroughly with the appropriate
solvent. Then, spin the handle back-and-forth between your hands
(inside a trash can, box or similar receptacle to contain potential
splattering) to remove as much moisture as possible. Wrap the
bristles carefully in newspaper to protect them.

Paintbrushes from clotheslines?
Yep! Just cut ordinary cotton clothesline into short lengths and use
them for staining and similar jobs. Then, just throw them away when
you're done!

Covering up poor-fitting miter joints
Everybody makes mistakes. It's often been said that the best craftsman
is the one who is most skilled at covering his mistakes. The next time
you cut a poor-fitting miter joint, try "burnishing" the edges of the
joint with a metal rod or screwdriver...gently "pushing" and shoving
the wood fibers until they join together and fill the gap.

Flattening the shine of over-glossy paints
Add a small amount of talcum powder to the paint.
Conduct some tests on scrap wood to determine the ideal
amount for your application.

How to avoid blotchy finishes
There are two primary causes of blotchy finishes. The first is skipping
from coarse directly to fine grit sanding, without an intermediate step.
This practice leaves deep cuts in the wood surface that absorb stains
and finishes unevenly.
The second is using abrasive materials that have become dull and create
a build-up of heat when sanding. This is especially true of power sanding
operations, as you might expect. This heat causes the lignin in the
wood's cell walls to flow, creating burnt or burnished areas that absorb
finishes unevenly. Aluminum oxide abrasives are notorious for this. Try
switching to garnet abrasives which are self-sharpening, and that means
more efficient cutting with less heat build-up.

Making your own dark pine stain
Separate a "plug" of (dark-colored) chewing tobacco and soak it
overnight in a pint of common household ammonia. Strain it through
a stocking (or pantyhose) to remove any particles before applying
it to your project. Multiple coats may be required to attain the
color you want. Be sure to allow a minimum of 3 hours' drying
time between coats. Cover with shellac, varnish or polyurethane.

Record that finish!
If possible, ALWAYS make a small label, describing the
materials (stains, topcoats, etc.) used to finish a project and
attach it in an inconspicuous place on every job. If the
project's small and a location can't be found for the label,
keep a "log" of the finishes for all your projects. That way,
if you ever have to repair a scratch or other blemish, you'll
know what you used originally and should be able to match
everything up nicely.

Removing "runs" from finishes.
It happens every time. Just when you think you've completed a
project, you look at it and find a big, ugly run in your finish.
What to do? First, allow the finish to dry completely before
trying to do anything. Then, use a single-edged razor blade to
scrape the run off, flush with the surrounding surface. Re-finish
and rub out the area with pumice stone and linseed oil.

Hand Tools

Make a rasp from old saw blades
A fast-cutting wood rasp can be easily made from a series of old hacksaw blades. Just alternate the direction of the teeth and bolt them together through their attachment holes. Use two to four blades to make a really narrow rasp for those tiny jobs....or an inch-high stack (or even more) when you need a wide rasp for removing a lot of stock in a hurry.  For a handle, try wrapping one end with duct tape.

A "sticky wicket" mallet for chiseling
An old, discarded croquet mallet makes an excellent wooden-faced tool for working with chisels without damaging their handles.  Just cut off the handle to about 12" to 18" long and go to work.

Small, make-it-yourself nail-puller
Ordinary hammer claws are often just too big and cumbersome for removing small brads, tacks or finishing nails. But you can make a claw that's perfect for the job by using a small, triangular metal file to create a small "claw" in one of the regular claws on your full-sized hammer.  This will give you "a claw within a claw" that you can use the next time you have to pull a small brad, nail or carpet tack.

Protecting the tips of chisels
Nicked chisel edges are worthless.  To protect the sharpened tips of your bench chisels, try cutting small slits in old, discarded tennis balls, racquet balls or handballs.  Then, just insert the tips of your chisels into them to prevent those troublesome nicks.

Garden hose tool holders
Short pieces of an old garden hose make ideal "sheaths" for small chisels, screwdrivers and other round or flat tools. Just use two screws to fasten the bottoms of your hose pieces to a board that's attached to the wall with the open (top) ends toward the ceiling.  Drop the tip of your tools into the open ends of the hoses.

Protecting your palms when carving or screwdriving
To avoid blisters when you have a lot of carving or screw driving to do, try wearing a pair of fingerless bicycling or golfing gloves. You'll still have plenty of "feel" for the job, but without the painful blisters.

Fitting screws into tight spots
If you're having difficulty inserting a screw into a tight spot, cut a 2" long small piece of hose with an inside diameter just slightly smaller than the outside diameter of your screw head. Slip the hose over the tip of your screwdriver and use it to hold your screw in position as you insert it.

Proper use of a hand plane
When using a hand plane, always exert most of the downward pressure on the FRONT of your plane as you begin the cut -- evenly on the FRONT & BACK of the plane while both ends of the plane are resting solidly on your wood in the middle of your cut -- and transferring most of the pressure to the BACK of the plane as it exits your cut.

Wooden "depth-stop for your backsaw
To control the depth of a cut you'll be making with a backsaw, make two 1/2" wide by 1/2" thick wooden strips that are about 2" longer than your saw blade.  Clamp the two strips together and drill holes through both strips, spaced about 1/8" farther apart than your saw blade is long.  Place one strip on each side of your saw and run a bolt through the holes.  Use wing nuts to clamp the strips tightly around your saw blade at the desired depth-of-cut.

Door catch saw holders
Magnetic door catches make excellent holders for lightweight saws and similar tools. Just screw the catches to a wooden bar that's attached to the wall or suspended from the ceiling...then touch the blades of your small saws to them and release.

Truing a metal framing square
If your large metal framing square is out of whack, don't throw it away - FIX IT.  Here's how.  Lay the square on a flat surface. To adjust the two blades INWARD to each other (REDUCING the angle between the two blades), position a steel center punch on the diagonal line where the two pieces of the square join together -- near the OUTSIDE of the corner -- and strike with a hammer.  To adjust the blades OUTWARD to each other (INCREASING the angle between the two blades), position your center punch near the INSIDE of the corner on your diagonal line and strike with a hammer. 

How to buy a square that's square
Few things are more useless than an un-square square. That's why it's so important to be sure any square you're buying is square and true. To do this, take a notebook-sized writing tablet and a SHARP pencil to the store with you when you go to buy your square.

When you find one you like, check it out as follows:

1: Lay the handle (or short edge) of your square flush against one side of your writing tablet, with the blade extending across the width of the tablet, approximately in the middle, top-to-bottom. Draw a fine line across the tablet, guiding your pencil point along the top edge of the square's blade.

2: Now, flip the handle of your square over and align the same top edge of the blade with the point on the far side of the tablet where your original line met the edge of the sheet. Draw a line from that point, back across the sheet to the "handle" side. If the square is square, the two lines will be exactly parallel. If they're not, keep trying till you find a square where these two lines ARE parallel.

Preventing hammer head slippage
A smoothly-worn hammer head can be an accident looking for a place (and
time) to happen. To avoid slippage when driving nails, it's a god idea to
occasionally scuff up your hammer's head with coarse emery cloth, a file or
an abrasive wheel.

Protective sheaths for chisel edges
Use the cut-off the fingers from worn-out leather gloves. Hold
them in place with a short piece of twine, a twist-tie or a
rubber band.

The importance of file cleaning
In order for a file to work properly, it must be clean. Left
unattended, a build-up of metal or wood will eventually fill in
the gaps between the cutting edges of the file, rendering it
ineffective. Use a "file card" (a thin, flat, cigarette-pack-sized
wire brush with stiff, 1/4" long bristles) to keep your files
clean. If you can't find a file card at your home center, you
can often accomplish the job by pressing duct tape or masking
tape firmly onto the files' surfaces. Then, simply peel the tape
off, removing the debris with it.

Home-made, fast-cutting rasp.
Fasten a series of hacksaw blades together with a course or two of
duct tape wrapped tightly around each end. Make it any width you
like by adding or subtracting blades. If you want your rasp to cut
on both the push and the pull stroke, alternate the tooth direction
as you tape the blades together.

Using a hand plane properly.
When using a hand plane, always begin your cut by applying more
downward pressure on the FRONT handle of the plane than on the
back handle. As you move along your board, shift your pressure
so it's pretty much even, front-to-back. As you approach the end
of your cut, shift your pressure again so most of it is on the
back handle of the plane.

Protective hammer tip
If you have need for a soft-faced rawhide, rubber or wooden mallet for
driving project components together or apart without damaging surfaces,
try slipping an ordinary rubber crutch tip over the head of your hammer.

Jointing & Joinery

Jointing The Edges Of Small Parts
Some parts are just too small to joint safely on machinery.  In these cases, try grasping the handle of a Jack, Jointer or Smoothing plane in the jaws of your bench vise (in an inverted position). Then, simply grasp your small part and run it over your hand plane's blade.

Notched board makes great "in-a-pinch" tenoning jig
To cut a tenon on the end of a workpiece without a tenoning jig, try this trick.  Square all four edges of a 2" x 6" or a 4" x 4" that's about 18" long.  Cut a notch in one (wide) face of your board that's exactly the width of the workpiece that will contain your tenon and about one-third of this workpiece's thickness.  When you cut your notch, be sure all three edges are exactly 90-degrees to the bottom edge of your jig board. Rest the bottom edge of your jig on your saw table with its back (un-notched) edge against your rip fence.  Slip one face of your workpiece into the notch in the jig, adjust your blade height and fence to make the proper cut, clamp your stock into position in the jig (well above the cutting line of your saw, of course) and make your cut by guiding your jig with the workpiece clamped into the notch through your saw's blade. 

Fitting shelves tightly into dadoes
If you own a thickness planer, here's a simple but important tip for making tight-fitting shelf-to-cabinet fits. ALWAYS cut the dado or groove that your shelf is to fit into BEFORE you plane your lumber to thickness. By doing this, you can adjust your shelf thickness slightly to form a snug fit in the groove or dado.

Using A Router To Joint The Edges Of Long Boards
If you're joining a series of long boards together that may be too cumbersome to handle on a short-bet jointer, try using your hand-held router and a 1/4" straight bit.  Start by laying all of your boards face down on your bench top or the floor in their proper orientation. Leaving about 3/16" between each pair of boards, screw a wooden cleat across the back side of all boards, connecting them together at each end.
Turn your boards back over so they're face up and clamp a straightedge to them and adjust it so that when your router base rides against it, your 1/4" bit lines up with the first of your 3/16" wide spaces.
  Turn on your router and make your cut, guiding your router base against the straightedge, cutting a clean, straight edge on two opposing boards simultaneously.
Reposition your straightedge and repeat this process at the spaces between each pair of boards.
Since each pair of mating boards is jointed at the same time, they'll fit together perfectly every time...even if your straightedge isn't perfectly straight.


"Shrinking" Dowels or Biscuits That Fit Too Tightly
The next time you're having trouble getting a biscuit or dowel to slip into its intended pocket or hole, don't reach for the sandpaper. Although this method works great if you only have one or two biscuits or dowels, it can be very time-consuming when you have a lot of them.  When you find yourself in this situation, just "cook" your biscuits or dowels in the microwave for a few minutes.  Chances are, they have enough residual moisture in them that the heat will shrink them enough that they'll slip right into place with little or no trouble. 


Eliminating Jointer/Planer Tear-Out

If you're experiencing tear-outs when jointing or planing crossgrained woods, here's a trick worth remembering. Before making your pass over the knives, use a cloth or sponge to apply a light coat of water, raising the wood grain slightly. Let your water soak in for a minute or two, then make a light 1/32" or less pass across the machine.  If you're still getting some tear-out, repeat the process and allow the water to soak in for a little longer before trying again.  

Layout & Measuring

A time-saving tool-maker's trick
Tool & die makers use steel "one-two-three" blocks to save time on layouts and set-ups. These blocks are exactly 1" thick, 2" wide and 3" long.  Woodworkers can also benefit from such blocks.  Just make them out of hardwood such as maple or cherry and keep them nearby for fast tool set-ups (such as setting rip fences) and layout jobs (like marking off even distances for dowel holes, etc.

Marking Large Diameter Curves Or Arcs
Sometimes, it can be difficult to mark a large diameter curve or arc near the long edge a narrow board -- since there's no place (on the same board) where you can center a string or compass.  In those cases, an ordinary sash chain (or other small-linked chain) can be used.  Here's how: Drive a nail or brad into the face of your stock at either end of your desired curve. Slip a chain link over the brads on either end and stand your board on edge so gravity will cause your chain to droop.  Adjust your chain by changing the link on either end, allowing your arc to get larger or smaller.  Once your desired arc is attained, mark a dot on your stock at each link or two.  Remove the chain and your brads, then  connect the dots.

Transferring patterns for spindle turnings, legs, etc.
Attach a sheet of white paper (large enough for the pattern) temporarily to the wall.  Set the spindle you wish to duplicate vertically in front of the paper and very close to it.  Position a bright lamp in line with the spindle so it casts a sharp-edged shadow onto the paper.  Adjust the distance between the lamp and the shadow to achieve the sharpest shadow.  Then, simply trace along the shadow with a pencil to transfer the pattern.

Large capacity caliper for big jobs
Use two "c-clamps" to clamp the legs of two 16" x 24" framing squares together around/across the object to be measured. Following this procedure, you can even use the scales to measure the distance directly.

Making layout marks visible on dark woods
Start by SCRIBING your layout lines instead of marking them with a pencil. Then, dust the scribed lines with white (or colored) chalk to make them more visible.

Improved protection and viewing of project plans
To keep the plans for a project that you're working on in good condition, hang an inexpensive, roll-up window shade from the shop ceiling.  Tape your plans to the shade so you can roll them down for a look when necessary...then back up, out of the way when you're finished.  If your shade is of the translucent variety (not sun-blocking or room-darkening) the light shining through could make your plans easier to read, too.

Transferring same size patterns to your workpieces
Make a full-sized photo copy of your pattern at a local print shop (for
large projects, you may have to tape several sheets together). Lay the
pattern on top of your workpiece, face side down and apply heat with an
ordinary hand-held iron.  The heat from the iron will transfer the
toner from the copies to your workpiece quite nicely.

Removing Stuck Screw Plugs & Buttons
The next time you have difficulty removing a stuck screw-hole plug, drill a
1/8" diameter hole through the center of the plug/button, being careful not
drill into the wood below the plug. File a flat on the tip of a #8 wood screw.
Screw the screw into your pilot hole. When the flattened screw tip hits the
wood below, it should push your plus squarely out of its hole.

Ensuring the precision of tape measures and rules
Often, there are major inconsistencies between the various rulers and
tape measures in your shop. To check for this, lay the graduated edge
of one ruler or tape against another and you will immediately see the
difference. To avoid the serious problems this could cause when working
on projects where dimensions are critical, always use the same rule or
tape measure for every measurement on a given project.

Checking the accuracy of a square.
Lay the head of your square against a straight, jointed edge of a
board. Using an artist's utility (X-Acto-type) knife, scribe a line
along the blade of your square, onto the board. Flip the head of your
square over and align THE SAME BLADE EDGE with the point where your previously scribed line meets the edge of the board. If your square is truly square, these two lines will be exactly parallel. If they're not, the distance between the two lines represents DOUBLE the amount of error in the blade's accuracy.

Handy tape measure "notebook".
How many times have you measured something only to wish that you had a
piece of paper to write that measurement on until you got back to the
shop? Try double-stick taping a small (1-1/2" x 2" pad of Post-It notes
to the side of your tape measure!

Inexpensive, durable project templates
When you need to make tracing templates for projects
you plan to build again at some time in the future,
make them out of aluminum offset printing plates.
You can usually get them for free from local printers,
they roll up easily for storage and they'll last a lifetime

Simple marking gauge modification improves line accuracy.
The round scribe tips on most marking gauges usually create rough,
splintered-out lines on wood that are difficult to follow. To solve
this problem, use a fine file to create a sharp, knife-like edge on
the tips. Just file a flat on a line that's parallel with the guiding
face of your gauge.

Seeing pencil lines on dark wood surfaces
Draw your pencil line first. Then, trace over it with a piece of
blackboard chalk. The chalk will not adhere to the pencil line,
leaving you with an easy-to-see black line between two light-colored
chalk areas. An alternative approach is to use a white pencil,
available at art supply stores.

Lumber Tips

Preventing checking on green turning blanks
Try storing them in a freezer until you're ready to use them.  If they're
going to be there for a long time, put them inside plastic bags or wrap
them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil prior to freezing.

Beautiful Accent Plugs From Scrap Wood
Save your small scraps of exotic and colorful hardwoods like Padauk, Ebony,Rosewood, Wenge, Bocote, Purpleheart, etc. Use your plug cutter to slice decorative plugs out of these scraps for screw holes and accents on those "special" projects.

Preventing tear-out when jointing highly figured woods
Make a long, wooden wedge that's about 4" to 6" wide -- as long as
your jointer's fence -- and tapers from about 2" or so thick on one
end to about 1/2" or so on the other.
Attach this wedge to your fence to force your stock to pass across the
blade at a slightly "skewed" angle, producing a much cleaner cut.

Keeping green wood from drying-out and "checking"
If possible, always store pieces of green wood in a sealed
plastic garbage bag with a few handfuls of damp sawdust.

Miscellaneous Tips

Making wood fillers stick
Filling accidental "dings" in wood surfaces can be tricky.  More often than not, the filler you use to make the repair will come loose, ruining your project.  To prevent this, drill a couple of shallow, angled holes into the surface of your "ding" before using the filler. These should be small diameter holes and your filler should be thinned sufficiently so it will flow into them, giving you a great "grip" that won't pull out.


Magnetic tool/accessory holder
Whether you're working with a Shopsmith MARK V or other brand of tool, it's always handy to have your set-up tools (such as chuck keys, Allen wrenches, etc.) nearby for changing bits, blades and similar set-ups.  One way to do this is to attach a strong magnet to the machine, near the area where these tools will be used. If your tool is made of aluminum or other non-magnetic materials, attach the magnet with double-stick tape.  Old loudspeaker magnets are great for this, as are some of the new "rare Earth" magnets that are available at Radio Shack stores. 

Preventing File Tooth Clogging
If you're filing soft metals (such as aluminum) and resinous woods (such as pine), you may find that the teeth of your file are clogging-up frequently.  To avoid this, rub your file first with a piece or ordinary blackboard chalk.

Another table saw glide aid
Here's another great way to keep work pieces gliding smoothly across table saws and other machine surfaces. Purchase a set of large diameter, aluminum salt/pepper shakers, like the ones "Mom" used near the stove.  Fill them with cornstarch and place them near your machines.  When a workpiece seems to be dragging, give the table surface a quick sprinkle and watch how easily your stock glides

Keeping Your MARK V Allen Wrench Handy
As all Shopsmith MARK V owners know, most tool changeovers and adjustments can be made with a single tool...your 5/32" Allen Wrench. To be sure it's handy when you need it most, wrap a strip of flexible magnetic tape around the front lower way tube of your MARK V.  This will make the perfect "holster" for your Allen Wrench !

Easier apron strings
Tying the strings of a shop apron behind your back can be a tricky proposition.  Instead, cut off your apron strings and replace them with Velcro strips.  They're much easier to fasten than strings.

Cutting foam rubber
Cutting foam rubber can be a tricky proposition.  Here's a neat trick.  Soak the foam rubber piece in water, wring it out a bit and slip it into the freezer.  Once it's hardened completely, remove it from the freezer and cut it quickly with a bandsaw, etc. before it thaws out.

Keeping a nut from working loose
The next time you have trouble with a nut (5/16" or larger) working its way loose from a bolt, try this trick.Tighten the nut on your bolt. Using a hacksaw, cut two perpendicular slots into the end of your protruding bolt. Carefully drive a straight-slot screwdriver tip into each slot to "mushroom" the end of your bolt, locking the nut into position.

Mounting glass in picture frames
Driving retaining brads into the backs of picture frames without breaking the glass can be tricky.  Special, squeeze-type brad drivers are available to do this job...but what if you don't have one of these handy tools? 
Try using a pair of channel-lock-type, slip-joint pliers to do the job.  Their jaws open wide enough to tackle most frames.  Be sure to put a small piece of cardboard or hardboard under the jaw that rests against the outside of your frame while squeezing to avoid marring your frame surface.

A cure for "dancing" machinery
If you have stationary shop machines that vibrate and seem to "dance" around the shop floor when they're in-use, try gluing their legs to your shop floor with paneling or construction adhesive. If you later decide to move the machine, you can easily remove the glue with a chisel.

Removing small scratches from glass surfaces
Just dampen a piece of felt with jeweler's rough and rub the surface lightly until the scratch is gone.

Leaving a crisp, clear brand on your projects
If you use a branding iron to leave your mark on projects, you already know that you often don't get the best brand with the first stroke. If not, it's almost impossible to re-align perfectly over your first effort.
Solve this problem by making a 3/8" thick, two-leg piece with a 90-degree corner and legs about 4" to 5" long. Clamp your wood angle to your project's surface in the desired location. Then, just snug your hot iron into the corner to make your brand.  If you miss the first time, re-alignment won't be a problem.

Holding small dowels in a vise
To grip small diameter dowels tightly with a vise...without marring them...try placing two spring-loaded wooden clothes pins over the dowel, spaced slightly closer together than your vise jaws are wide.  Them insert the dowel (with clothes pins attached) into the jaws of the vise and tighten.

Temporary shims for fitting project components
Try using drill bits.  Since they come in 1/64" increments, you should have no trouble finding EXACTLY the dimension you need for the job at hand.

Checking for mill marks on workpiece edges and surfaces
Tell-tale mill marks can ruin the appearance of a project if you don't catch them and sand them smooth prior to finishing. To check for such marks, hold a bright light (such as a photographer's spotlight or automotive "trouble light" at a low angle, casting a beam of light across the edge or surface of your work piece.  If mill marks exist, the light will create visible shadows that you'll easily see.

Preventing glass "rattle" in picture frames & glass cabinet doors
Sometimes, no mater hard you try, you just can't keep panes of glass from rattling in picture frames and glass cabinet doors. Some of this is caused by the expansion & contraction of wood from season-to-season.  A great way to prevent this is to put small, 1/16 to 1/8" dabs of plumber's putty (stainless putty) between the glass and the inside front of the frame or door. Keep your dabs as small and thin as possible so they're not visible.

Easy shop vac clean-up
Many dust collectors use throwaway plastic bags to collect and dispose of chips and dust. However, most shop vacuums have metal drums that must be dumped into something when full...usually making a mess.  However, if you line your shop vac drum with a heavy gauge plastic bag prior to use, when the drum's full, you can just remove the bag and dispose of it without making a mess !

Smoothing the sharp edges of glass
Use a piece of fine emery paper, wrapped around a sanding block.  Before sanding, coat the paper with WD-40, then sand back-and-forth until your edge is smooth.

Styrofoam Holder For Tools
A piece of styrofoam makes a great holder for all types of tools...most notably, screwdrivers, drill bits, chisels and punches.
Just attach a block of this great stuff to your workbench or a piece of wall-mounted pegboard and stick your tools into it. 

Extending The Life Of Shop Vacuum Filters
The filters in many types of shop vacuums can be expensive. And if you use yours as an in-shop dust collector, they can load-up quickly with find dust and chips...reducing the flow and power of your vacuum substantially.
You can solve this problem (and save on filter replacement costs) by wrapping your filter canister with a pair of discarded nylon stockings or pantyhose. This will prevent a lot of the dust and chips from clogging the filter. Just remember to remove the wrapping occasionally and shake or blow it out before replacing it over your filter.

Repairing Splintered, Veneer Or Plywood Surfaces
Start by peeling a small piece of matching veneer of a scrap piece of matching stock.  Lay the scrap piece over the splintered area and make a triangular shaped cut through BOTH pieces of veneer at the same time. (TIP: a piece of double-stick will help you hold everything together during your cut).
Remove the splintered area and glue the replacement triangle into position.

Avoid Marring Work piece Surfaces
Even in the most well-maintained shops, rough workbench surfaces (and metal filings or shavings) can often create dents, scratches and other blemishes on the underside of work pieces as they're being worked. To avoid this, it's always a good idea to cover your bench surface with sheets of newspaper or brown kraft or butcher's wrapping paper before getting started.  You might even look for an antique paper dispenser/cutter at a flea market and mount it on the side of your bench end so you always have a supply of paper for the job.

Inexpensive beeswax
Woodworking stores and special shops can often charge a fortune for the beeswax you use to lubricate wood screws, drawer glides, etc.  Instead, visit your local home center and purchase a wax toilet bowl seal.  They're usually made of beeswax and a heckuva lot cheaper than the specialty stuff !

Keeping machine pulleys from working loose
Machine pulley setscrews have a tendency to work loose at the most inopportune times.  To prevent this, replace your standard setscrews with two shorter ones approximating the length of your original.  Tighten the first setscrew against the shaft of your machine or motor, then tighten the second setscrew against the first.

Re-gluing edge splinters on projects.
Use a heated clothing iron to set yellow wood glue quickly when repairing splintered areas.  Set the iron on medium heat and touch it to the glued splinter for no more than 30 seconds.  Be careful not to get glue on your spouse's iron.  A piece of brown paper grocery bag or a couple of thicknesses of cloth between the iron and the surface to be glued will help prevent this problem.

Make-it-yourself carrying handle for sheet goods.
Cut a 1" x 1" rabbet along one edge of an 18" long piece of 2" x 2".  Screw & glue your 2" x 2" flush with the bottom (18") edge of an 18" long x 8" wide piece of 1/2" or 3/4" plywood.  The connection of the two pieces of stock should create an "L" and a 1" deep by 1" wide channel near the bottom of your plywood piece. 
Near the opposite edge of your plywood piece, drill two 3/8" diameter holes, down about 1" from its top edge and about 4" in from each end. Slip the two ends of a 30" long piece of clothesline through these two holes and knot the ends to form a carrying handle.
To carry your 4' x 8' sheet goods, simply set the edge of your sheet into the channel formed by your plywood and 2" x 2", reach around and grab your rope handleand carry.   

Invisible tambour canvas
Unfortunately, the un-primed white canvas that's most often recommended for gluing-up tambours (roll-tops) will easily show through between the slats when the tambour is rolled up and down.  This is especially true on projects with dark colored slats.
To solve this problem, use dark brown (or appropriate colored) fabric dies to darken the canvas before assembling the tambours. Be sure it's completely dry and iron the canvas before gluing-up your tambour.

Tennis racquet tool storage
Just cut the handle off and cut a custom mortise to fit it into a small block of wood. Mount your wood block to the wall and drop screwdrivers and similar tools into the racquet holes for storage.


Marking steel tools
Cover the area to be marked with dripped-on candle wax.  Etch your initials through the wax, then pour iodine over the etched area and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Remove the wax and your initials will remain.

Strengthening delicate project components
If you're making small projects with delicate parts or protrusions, you can strengthen these parts by coating them with super-glue (cyanoacrylate).

Two ways to keep sawdust off machine cutting lines
If you use a shop vac to collect sawdust, simply connect one end of a small diameter hose to the OUTFEED port of your vac and attach the other end near your cutting line on your machine (WARNING: Don't try to force ALL of the outfeed air through this small diameter hose).
Another alternative is to use a small, aquarium pump for this job. 

Handy hand-held tool holder
Here's a handy tool that can be made from a wooden file handle and the chuck from a worn-out or discarded portable electric drill. Remove the chuck from the drill and insert a short, threaded bolt into the hole on the back side of the chuck.  Then, secure the opposite end of your threaded bolt into a wooden file handle with epoxy.  Now, you have a drill chuck with a handle that can serve many purposes.

- A hand-held drill
- A hand-operated countersink
- A handle for small files or Allen wrenches
- A handle for 1/4" drive screwdriver bits
- A holder for sharpening small drill bits
- A host of other jobs
 

Make-it-yourself non-skid feet
When you need protective feet on a box or similar project, try using a dollop of silicone sealant on each corner...then turn the box over and place it on a sheet of waxed paper until the silicone dries.

Make-it-yourself magnetic pick-up
If you've ever dropped an arbor nut, screw or other metal object into a pile of sawdust on the shop floor, you know what a hassle it can be to find it.  Solve this problem by screwing a magnetic door latch to the side of a long, narrow stick of lumber.  Then, simply run the magnet end of the stick through the sawdust to grab your nut or metal object.  For a really powerful pick-up, try using a "rare Earth" magnet instead of a door latch.  You can usually find these at a local electronics supply house

When you need a true, flat surface
Often, you need a surface that's perfectly flat for sanding or matching the lengths of table or chair legs.  In these cases, consider using your table saw's table, a piece of laminate-covered particleboard or plywood, or a piece of 1/4" thick plate glass with its edges ground smooth to prevent cutting your hands.  Either of these are usually flat and true.

Thicknessing short boards safely without "sniping"
Cut two guide strips that are the same thickness as your workpiece and
about 16" longer. Glue one to each side of your stock with 8" or so
protruding beyond each end. Allow to dry thoroughly. When you run the
stock through the planer, the guide strips will help support the stock
as it exits the knives, eliminating the snipes. When finished, saw off
the guide strips and clean up your workpiece edges with a jointer.

The right drawer in the right place
As you've probably noticed, when you're making a lot of drawers for a cabinet, you really can't rely on all of them being the same.  For the best fit, each should be fit individually to its space.  Then, when you're finished, you can have the same difficulty knowing which drawer goes into which space.  You can solve this problem by wood-burning or carving matching numbers into the back of each drawer and the inside of your cabinet back in the appropriate position.

Instant Air Cleaner For Dusty Shops
Just use duct tape or large rubber bands to attach an ordinary furnace
filter to the back (infeed) side of a small 20" box fan. Turn on the fan
and watch the air in your shop clear out fast.

Assured box top alignment
If you've ever made a wooden box with a hinged top...only to have the top not align properly following assembly...this tip's for you. After putting your box together and cutting your top to size, temporarily attach the top to your box, using a small amount of quick-set epoxy, hot melt or gap-filling cyanoacrylate glue. 

Inexpensive, Precise Marking Knife
An ordinary "X-Acto"-type artist's knife will give you a far more accurate line on a work piece than a pencil with a fat point. Plus, using a knife instead of a pencil will also eliminate the need for you to erase pencil lines from your work pieces.

Dust Collection Hoods For Machinery
Metal flashings for roof-mounted plumbing vents make great dust-collection
hoods for disc sanders, lathes an similar machines. The rubber seals on some small sized stacks fit dust collector hoses almost perfectly.

Make-it-yourself keyhole saw
Just grind down the back side of an old hacksaw blade and wrap the remainder with friction tape or duct tape to make a "handle".

Make an indexing head from a worn-out saw blade
The next time you need an indexing head for a reeding, fluting or similar operation, just use an old sawblade with evenly spaced teeth. Attach the blade firmly to one end of your workpiece, along with a shop-made pointer of some sort that will touch the edge of a tooth when rotated. Count the number of teeth on your blade and divide that number by 360 to determine how many degrees per tooth.  For example, a 40-tooth blade equals 9 degrees per tooth.

Double The Holding Capacity Of Bar-Type Magnetic Tool Holders
Mount 1/2" to 3/4" spacers behind each end of your Tool Holder and you'll be able to hold tools on BOTH sides of the Holder instead of just one.

Emergency, Throwaway Funnel
The next time you need a funnel in a hurry and don't have one nearby, try using an ordinary mailing envelope. Just snip off one of your envelope's bottom corners with a knife or scissors, place it over the "receiving" container and pour your liquid into the top opening. When you've finished, just throw the envelope away!

Another tool rust inhibitor
Store tools with packages of silica gel. This material is usually packaged in small, sealed paper bags and packed with pharmaceuticals and electronics. To renew its effectiveness, lay the gel package over the top of a 25w to 40w light bulb for about 2 minutes. WARNING: Don't leave the bags unattended, as there's always the possibility of them catching on fire if they get too hot.

Wall-hung tool pouch
Nail an old glove to the wall with the fingers pointing down. For long tools, cut the very tips of the fingers off.

Cutting foam rubber for chair seats and other projects
Soak the rubber in water, ring it out a bit and place it in the freezer for a few hours. Once it's hardened, remove it from the freezer and quickly saw your shape with a bandsaw or other saw before it has a chance to start thawing-out. Don't forget to dry off your saw's blade and table surface when you've finished to prevent the formation of rust.

Workbench tool troughs
Saw lengths of large diameter, plastic PVC pipe in half lengthwise and
screw them to your workbench edges (open side up, of course).

Put an end to clogging of files, abrasive wheels and saw blades
To prevent wood particles, aluminum shavings and similar materials from
clogging these tools, spray the tool with PAM or a similar non-stick
cooking spray prior to use.

Old shower curtains make excellent drop cloths.
Use them when brushing-on or spraying finishes in the shop.
They're durable and just the right size for most jobs.

Covering-up poor-fitting miter joints.
Cut a saw kerf along the joint lines (only part way through the stock, of course). Make thin strips of matching or contrasting wood that are the same width as your saw kerfs. Glue them into position and sand them flush with your stock.  In some cases, the matching strips will blend right in and not be noticeable.

The contrasting strip approach will appear to have been done
intentionally to "accent" your project.


Stable, temporary work surface
Cut two 2 X 4-sized notches, as far apart as possible in the tops of a pair of wooden sawhorses. Make two 2 X 4 "stringers" (you decide their length) and notch each end of these to mate-up with the notches in the tops of your sawhorses. Connect the two sawhorses together with the 2 X 4 stringers, cover with a piece of plywood, MDF or particleboard and you have a temporary, knock-down workbench.

Keeping handscrew jaws free of glue.
Wrap the jaws of your handscrew with plastic cellophane kitchen wrap prior to use.

Replacement caps for tubes of glues & sealants.
The next time you lose the cap off a tube of glue or sealant, replace
it with a common electrical wire nut of the appropriate size.

Dust Get In Your Eyes
The next time you're working along and need to get a better view of
your cutting line, don't risk an eye-full of sawdust or debris by
merely puffing it away. Instead, use a piece of surgical or automotive
fuel or vacuum line hose about 15" to 18" long -- or a squeeze-type
dish soap or catsup bottle.

Leveling table or chair legs.
Place your table or chair on a KNOWN FLAT surface. Laminate
counter top, the top of your table saw, a piece of 3/4" thick
plywood, a bench top, etc. will usually do the job. Tape a
pencil firmly to the top surface of a thin (1/8" to 1/4")
piece of stock. Now, move your mounted pencil tip slowly all
the way around all four (or whatever number) of your legs.
Use a backsaw to follow these lines and trim all the legs off
to the identical length.

Adding weight to bookends and similar small projects.
Bore 1/2" diameter holes into the base pieces (parallel to
the surface), fill them with ordinary lead fishing weights,
tire weights or shot and plug the ends with dowels or screw
hole plugs. To keep any loose weights from shifting around,
add sand or epoxy before plugging.

Steamless wood bending.
Make a bending vat from a large diameter (6" or 8") piece of black
ABS pipe. Seal one end off with a glued-on cap. Place the project
to be bent inside the vat and fill it with a solution of one part
Downey Fabric Softener to 12 parts of water that's been brought to
a boil. Slip (don't glue) a cap on the other end and place it in
the sun (or another warm location) for about an hour or so. Remove
the cap and your workpiece and bend quickly to the shape you desire.

Plastics

Smoothing The Edges Of Cut Plastics
Once you've cut the edges of Plexiglas, Lexan or similar plastics, you'll more than likely discover that they're not as smooth and clear as they were before they were cut. To remedy this problem, clamp your cut piece carefully in a vise with the cut edge facing up. Fire-up your propane torch and pass a flame lightly and quickly back-and-forth over the cut edge several times until your saw marks disappear.  For best results, be sure not to get your flame too close...or to dwell in any single spot for too long.

Thickness Planer / Jointer

Cut leg mortises before turning or shaping
Since it's easier to grasp square-edged stock, it's always best to cut mortises in tapered or turned furniture legs before you turn or taper them.  Your results will be far more accurate.

Form-fitting sanding block for odd shapes and lathe turnings
Make a sanding block from 1/2" to 3/4" thick rubbing felt that's usually available at woodworking stores, paint stores and similar locations. Thin sandpaper sheets, wrapped around the block will usually conform to your shape quite easily.  

Preventing tear-out when jointing or planing highly-figured woods.
Wipe your board with a damp cloth a few minutes prior to planing to
soften the wood fibers.

Thicknessing super-thin stock.
With some planers, the minimum thickness of the stock they're
able to handle could be more than the thickness you need. In
hose cases, be sure your stock is a bit longer and wider than
you'll actually need and attach it to a piece of 3/4" stock
with commercial-grade double-stick tape. The 3/4" stock will
serve as a "carrier" for your workpiece and you should have
no problems.

Power Tool Usage

Washer Depth-Stops
Soft, rubber plumbing washers make excellent depth-stops for use with portable electric drills.

Quick straightedge alignment for hand-held routing operations
Lining up a straightedge for use as a guide when cutting dadoes and grooves can require a lot of time. Instead of measuring this distance for every set-up, make a gauge board by crosscutting a 3/8" to 1/2" thick piece of stock to about 2' long.  Then, rip it to a width equal to the distance from the exact center of your router's collet to the outside edge of the router base (theoretically equal to 1/2 the diameter of your router base).
To set-up for your cut, lay the edge of this gauge board on top of your work piece, at the centerline of your intended cut. Use the gauge board as a guide for positioning your straightedge by sliding the straightedge up against its opposite edge and then clamping the straightedge firmly in position on top of your work piece. Remove the gauge board and guide your router against the straightedge to make your cut. 

Router

With router collets, as with life, "cleanliness is next to Godliness"
Dirty or "pitched" router collets can slip or gall the shanks of
your bits. Keeping the insides of your collets and collet mounts
clean will prevent this. Use mineral spirits or lacquer thinner
with small, brass, gun-cleaning brushes, available at most
sporting goods stores. Use a 25 caliber kit for 1/4" collets
and a 50 caliber kit for 1/2" collets.

Making accurate 90 degree end grain cuts on narrow stock
with a router table
If your router table doesn't offer a miter gauge slot, and you're faced
with this dilemma, here's the solution.

Start by making a back-up board that's the same thickness as your stock,
approximately square, and about the same size as your narrow workpiece is
long. When making this back-up, be certain that two opposing edges form a
precise 90 degree angle.

Then, use this board as a miter gauge...with one of your opposing edges
riding against a fence on your router table and the other pushing your
workpiece through the cut. An additional benefit to this approach --
having a back-up also serves to reduce splintering and tear-outs

Radial arm saw

Proper use of dado chipper blades
Never use a stack-type dado chipper blade without having a
dado saw blade on each side of it.

Routers / Router Tables

Make-it-yourself router bit alignment pin.
Sometimes, setting the centerline of a straight-cut or profiled router
bit at a precise distance from the router table fence can be difficult.
To solve this problem, first set your centerline with a V-Groove bit.
Then, switch to your straight or profiled bit. If you don't have a
V-Groove bit, make a pointed, steel centering pin from a 1-1/2" to 2"
long bolt. Remove the head, mount your bolt in a lathe or drill press
and file or grind one end to a fine point. Make a separate centering
pin for each sized router collet you plan to be using.

Table Saw / Radial Arm Saw

Filling a radial arm blade slot.
The blade slots on radial arm saws have a tendency to keep getting
wider and wider...until eventually, you have to do something about
it to prevent splintering and tear-out on your work pieces. However,
instead of replacing the entire board, just dam-up each end and fill
the slot with a mixture of epoxy glue and sawdust. Allow to dry,
sand off smooth and go to work!

Radial Arm Saw

Setting a Miter Gauge to 90 degrees
Simply turn the Miter Gauge upside-down and place the bar in
the table slot. Loosen the "swing" lock knob and slide the
Gauge forward until its face touches the front edge of your
Saw Table. Tighten the lock knob and "zero" the pointer on
the Gauge.
NOTE: This technique only works when the Miter Gauge bar slot
and the edge of your saw table are perfectly perpendicular
to one another and your Saw Blade is parallel to the Blade slot.

Table / Radial Arm Saws

Non-binding radial arm stop block.
The problem with cut-off stop blocks on radial arm saws is the
danger of a workpiece getting caught between the saw blade and
the stop block, causing a grab or a kick-back. To prevent this
problem, attach your stop block to one side of a large butt hinge.
Clamp the other side of the hinge to your radial arm's guide strip
at the proper location. Flip the hinge down to position your cut...
then hold your stock firmly in position while you flip the stop
block up, out of the way to make your cut.

Keeping Router Bits from dropping too far into the collet
When a Router Bit falls all the way into the collet and makes
contact with its bottom, the head generated during the cutting
process is transferred directly to the shaft of your router
motor, potentially shortening the life of the motor. One way
to prevent this is by wrapping a rubber band (or tiny
orthodontic rubber band or "O-Ring") around the shaft of the
bit prior to insertion. Be sure to remove the band prior to
routing, as any heat build-up could melt it to the bit's shaft.

Router

Keeping router bits from sticking in the router collet
Simply coat the shanks of your Router Bits with paste wax.

Scroll Saw & Jig Saw

Improving the cutting efficiency of sabre saw blades
Since most sabre saw blades are merely stamped out of flat
metal stock and not sharpened, their splinter-free cutting
properties can usually be improved dramatically by taking a
few brief minutes to sharpen their teeth with a small file
prior to use.

Laminate

Heavy-duty, make-it-yourself laminate clamp.
If your shop is in a basement, you can use an ordinary scissors-type
auto jack to clamp veneers or stacked pieces for turning. Just place
your stack of pieces to be glued on the floor and wedge a piece of
scrap 2" x 4" or similar stock between the stack and one of your
overhead floor joists. Tighten the jack to exert the appropriate amount
of pressure.

Lathe

Smooth Sanding Lathe Turnings
Most turners smooth their spindle turnings on the lathe with sandpaper or steel wool. It just makes more sense to do it this way. However, unless you do it properly, you'll still have protruding wood fibers or "whiskers" when you've finished.  The secret is to smooth your turning once in the same direction. Then, turn your spindle around in the lathe, end-for-end (or reverse your lathe) and smooth it again while it's turning in the opposite direction. By following this procedure, these protruding fibers will be eliminated completely. 

Put an end to the burn marks caused by lathe Dead Centers.
To prevent unsightly workpiece burns during turning, apply a heavy
coating of beeswax, paraffin or bar soap to your Dead Center prior
to turning.

Sharper Parting Tool
An ordinary lathe parting tool can be made to cut faster and cleaner by
re-grinding one of the two straight edges to a slightly curved, concave shape.

Quick & easy home-made tenon turning gauge
Using the drill bit you plan to use to bore the holes for your tenons, drill a hole near one end of an 8" long by 2" wide piece of 3/8" to 1" thick (depending on your tenon size) scrap stock. Mark the centerline of your hole (across the narrow, 2" wide direction) before you start drilling.
Once the hole is drilled, use your table saw or bandsaw to saw your hole in half, leaving an open arc at the edge of your gauge. Then, simply check your turning progress by placing this open arc over your tenon.

Eliminating slippage when using a lathe screw center.
It's not unusual for a lathe screw center to slip during turning.To prevent this, glue two small pieces of emery cloth together, back-to-back ... punch a hole in the center and insert them between the screw center and your stock before tightening the screw.

  Practical Lathe Chisel Holder.
Fill up an old five gallon paint or drywall mud bucket with
sawdust and shavings from a table saw, jointer, planer, etc.
Place it on the floor next to your lathe and insert the cutting
edges of your chisels into the sawdust with the handle ends
sticking up. This way, your chisels will always be conveniently
nearby when you need them and their tips will be protected
from damage. Add a little motor oil to your sawdust mixture
as a rust preventative.

Smoothing tight coves on turned spindles
Make a sanding cord by unwrapping a short length of twisted,
multi-strand cord or twine...then re-twisting it around a piece
of steel wool that's been "pulled" to thin it out.

Restoration

Breaking-down glued joints in old chairs & furniture
Soak a couple of rags in water and wrap them around the joint.  Leave
them in position for a while and check them frequently until he joint has
loosened sufficiently to break it apart without damage.

Three ways to tighten loose-fitting dowel joints
1: With through dowels/tenons...remove the dowel or tenon, scrape
off the old glue, apply new glue and re-insert into the
appropriate hole, driving a nail or screw into the end of the
dowel or tenon, causing it to expand in the hole for
a more snug fit.

2: Remove the dowel or tenon and bore out its hole to the
next largest readily-available dowel size. Plug the hole with
the larger-sized dowel and once it's dried, center-drill this
glued-in dowel plug to accept your original dowel or tenon.

3: Glue a well-formed curl from a hand plane around the dowel or
tenon to increase its diameter. Let it dry thoroughly and sand for a
snug fit. In the case of extremely sloppy fits, a build-up of
multiple layers of curls may be required.

Flattening blisters in veneered surfaces.
Using an artist's utility knife (X-Acto Knife), cut a slit down the
length of the blister. Press the veneer down gently on one side of
your cut while you brush in a small amount of glue under the other
side. Press down on the glued side while you repeat the process on
the other side. Once the glue has been applied under both sides of
your cut, lay a piece of waxed paper over the repair, followed by a
small scrap of FLAT wood, just a little larger than the blistered
spot. Now, clamp the wood down tightly onto your blistered surface
and allow to dry overnight. Remove the clamp, scrap and waxed paper.
Scrape or sand, then finish to match.

Finding-out exactly where a troublesome door may be binding
or sticking
On many old cabinet (or other) doors, the edges have already seen
so much wear that virtually all of the finish is rubbed off...
making it difficult to identify exactly where a door may be
binding. To solve this problem, lay a piece of carbon paper
over the edge with the ink side toward the door (not the jamb).
Then, merely open and close the door until a dark mark
appears on the door's edge, telling you where to make your repairs

Router

Super-smooth cutting router bits
The next time you need super-smooth edges on a shallow mortise or cut, try using metalworking end mills.  They usually have four or more flutes and will therefore produce very smooth edges when you're making shallow cuts.  Be aware, however, that their flutes are very shallow and not good for clearing out waste as they cut.  That's why they're best reserved for shallow cuts or final edge smoothing.

How to make varying depth rabbets with a single bit
You can easily adjust the cutting depth of your bearing-piloted rabbeting bit by merely changing the diameter of the bearing pilot. The outside diameters of the bearing pilots on different style bits can vary significantly, while most of these bearings have the same center hole diameter.  Just switch to a larger O.D. bearing for a shallower rabbet....and a smaller O.D. bearing for a deeper rabbet.

Drafting square router guide
"Old-timers" will remember that before CAD computer programs came along, people used to draw plans and designs using pencils and drafting instruments.  One of the most important of these instruments was the "T-Square" or drafting square.  These squares make perfect router guides for use when you need grooves or dadoes that are perpendicular to an edge. 

Go to an art or drafting supply store and buy a T-Square with a WOODEN "T" at the top and a clear plastic edge.  Install a 3/4" straight bit in your router. Lay your square on a piece of scrap plywood, position the edge of your router's base against the plastic edge and use this router set-up to clip off one side of the "T" top.  Change to a 3/8" straight bit and follow the same procedure, clipping-of the opposite side of your "T".  Mark the "T" sides as 3/8" and 3/4".

The next time you need to cut a 3/8" or 3/4" groove or dado with your hand-held router, simply reach for your "clipped" T-Square...line-up the clipped end of the appropriate side with your cut line...and go to work.

Two Reasons NOT To Allow Router Bits To Bottom-Out In The Collet
First, bottomed-out bits will almost always make direct contact with the shaft of your router's motor...transferring the heat created by cutting directly to your motor's shaft. This will tend to shorten the lift of your router motor.
Second, if a bottomed-out bit seizes in the collet (which frequently happens), you'll have to PULL it out with pliers, which can be difficult.  If your bit isn't bottomed-out, you can tap it with a piece of wood, freeing it from the collet much more easily. 

Ensuring the concentricity of a router base
Often, round router bases are not in concentricity with the bit.  Usually, this isn't a problem.  However, when you're going to be guiding your router's base against a straightedge to make a cut, slight variations in this concentricity can create problems.
To solve this problem, drill a 1/4" diameter hole in the center of a 3/4" piece of stock that's as wide as the diameter of your router base and 10" to 12" long. Clamp this scrap piece to the table of your disc sander and tighten a 1/4" diameter pin in your router's collet.  Drop the pin into the hole in your scrap piece and use it as a pivot point for disc sanding the edge of your router's base into perfect concentricity with the bit.

Jointing the edges of stock with a router
For most applications, make a straightedge by attaching a strip of aluminum angle to a guide board made from a 1" or so thick piece of scrap stock. Cut a rabbet in the top of your guide board to accept the aluminum angle so it's flush with the guide board's surface when screwed into position.
Use handscrews or ordinary C-clamps to clamp the guide board and the stock you wish to joint together, with the edge of your work piece protruding out beyond the aluminum angle by about 1/16" to 1/8". Joint your workpiece edge by using a straight, flush-trim bit with a bottom bearing pilot. Position your bit so the bearing pilot rides against the aluminum angle as the cutting flutes joint your protruding work piece edge.

Keeping router bits from falling too far into the collet.
When working with routers mounted upside-down in a router table, it's
important to keep the bit from falling too deep into the collet, lest
it transfer damaging heat directly to the shaft of your router motor.
You can prevent this by laying a strong magnet on the router table
surface, in contact with the side of your bit, during installation.

Safety

Four table saw safety tips
1: Attach your push stick to the wall or the front of your saw with Velcro or sticky-backed magnets so you can grab it quickly when needed.
2: ALWAYS use your saw guards and splitters to keep your hands clear of the blade and prevent the saw kerf from closing up on the blade and causing a kickback.
3: Try to avoid cutting crooked or warped stock, as it is much more likely to twist and bind during cutting.
4: When ripping, always be certain to feed your stock all the way past the blade until the cut is complete to avoid kickbacks. Use a push stick to keep your hands clear of the blade at all times.

Stop safety glass fogging when wearing a dust mask
To deflect your breath downward, away from your glasses, tape your dust mask to your face with a strip of 2" wide surgical tape. Attach 1-5/8" of the tape to the top half of the mask, leaving a 3/8" wide strip to contact your face.

Eliminating the "Sawdust Cling" on plastic goggles or face shields
Before starting work, wipe your lenses or shield gently (be
careful not to scratch them) with a "cling-free" or similar
clothes dryer anti-static sheet -- or a photographic
anti-static sheet from a local photo supply store.

Keeping children from using dangerous power tools.
Just slip a small padlock (Master Lock model 9B, as an example)
through one of the holes in the prongs of the plugs. Remember
though that although this works fine for smaller children, older
kids are much more creative and will have a lot less trouble
defeating this approach.

"Getting a grip" on your workpieces
Having a solid grip on your stock as you move it through saw blades
and other operations is a "must" for preventing injury. Whenever
possible, use push blocks or push sticks to keep your hands out
of harm's way. When this isn't possible and you must use your
fingers to control your stock, begin by first wiping as much
sawdust as possible off all project surfaces with a damp cloth
or tack cloth. Then, lick the tips of your fingers to improve
your grip before grasping the workpiece.

Sanding

Make-it-yourself contour hand sander
A deck (or two) of old playing cards can make a great contour sanding block for moldings and shaped edges. Just wrap a piece of sandpaper around the long edge of your deck (s) and grasp the opposing faces/backs. Press the deck edges into your shaped edge and sand away.  It's important that you use sandpaper with a thin, pliable backing when performing this operation as stiff-backed papers won't conform properly.

A "Non-Skid Parking Lot" For Your Orbital Or Pad Sander
Most power sanders won't come to an instantaneous stop when they're turned off. As a result, when you flip them off and set them down on the bench top, they could easily scoot off the bench and onto the floor.  By keeping a small piece of carpet on your bench top, you'll have a place to set your sander when you turn it off...without fear of it scooting off the bench top.

Attaching Abrasive Paper To Contoured Sanding Blocks
Sometimes, it's necessary to make specially contoured hand sanding blocks for smoothing out the shaped edges of cabinets and furniture projects.  Some examples might be drop-leaf joints, ogees, beaded edges, etc. To do this, we have to make "mirror-image" sanding blocks with coved or rounded-over edges.  Once the block is created, abrasive paper must be attached to it.  Unfortunately, this paper can lose its abrasive properties quickly and could require frequent replacement before the job's done. One way to solve this problem is to mount your abrasives to the blocks with special "feathering disc adhesive" used by auto body repair technicians to hold abrasive discs to air-powered rotary or block-type sanders.  Available at auto paint stores, this special adhesive remains tacky under use, allowing the worn-out sandpaper to be removed and replaced a number of times.

Tumble-style sphere-maker
The next time you have to make a bunch of small wooden balls for a game or similar project...and don't want to take the time to turn them on your lathe, try this trick. 
Make a 4" to 6" high wooden box with an open bottom and top.  Its inside dimensions should be 1/4" or so wider than your belt and about 12" or so long.  Figure a way to attach it to your horizontal, stationery belt sander, suspended about 1/8" or so above the surface of the belt.  Attach a 45-degree wedge of wood across the bottom inside edge of the "outfeed" end of your box. 
If you're making 1" balls, cut a bunch of 1" cubes and toss them into the box.  Lay a weighted piece of wood over the top of the box and turn on your belt sander.  The wedge on the outfeed end will keep your cubes tumbling inside the box, while the sanding belt removes the corners.  The amount of time required to do the job will vary, depending on the sandpaper grit you're using and the length of time you leave the cubes inside the box.
Turn off your sander periodically and open the top to check on your progress.

Another way to clean clogged sandpaper
If you don't have an abrasive cleaning stick...and your sandpaper is not too seriously clogged...you can often clean it by gripping both ends firmly in your hands and rubbing its back (non-abrasive) side briskly back-and-forth over the sharp edge of a board.

Make-it-yourself round sanding block
When you need to hand-sand concave surfaces, use a short length of auto heater or radiator hose.  Just slit the hose down its length on one side, insert the ends of your sandpaper into the slit and go to work.

Quick, easy sanding of multiple small pieces
The next time you have lots of small, identical workpieces to sand for a "production job", think like a manufacturer.  Most manufacturing operations use abrasive tumbling machines to remove burrs from small pieces. Chances are, you have the makings for such a machine in your laundry room...called a "clothes dryer".

Find a soft, plastic container that contained margarine, lard or similar products.  The 5-lb size is a good choice.  Line the inside of your container with sandpaper, double-stick taped or
glued into position. Place your small pieces inside the container and snap the top into position.

Toss the container into the clothes dryer, along with a blanket or several heavy towels. Set the dryer on a "no-heat" setting, turn it on and let it do the work for you.  Remove it frequently to check on your progress.

Extending The Life Of Narrow Sanding Strips Used For Spindle Turnings
Back these narrow strips with duct tape or nylon packaging filament tape for a LOT longer life.


Make-It-Yourself Contoured Sanding Block
To create a sanding block that matches the contour of a piece of molding, start by laying a piece of waxed paper across the contour to be matched. Next, cover the waxed paper with a thick (3/4" or so) coating of auto body filler...pressed firmly into the contour. Allow the filler to dry completely. Then, wrap a piece of fine grip sandpaper around your home-made, contoured block and go to work.

Home-made flap sander gets into contours and tight spots
Cut 8 to 10 sheets of (preferable cloth-backed) sandpaper into small, 2-1/2" x 5" pieces and punch a 1/4" hole in the center of each sheet. Stack the sheets on your bench top with the holes aligned and the sheets alternated with grit side up - grit side down....and fanned out to create the appearance of a disc. Insert a 1/4"-20 bolt through the holes with a large diameter fender washer on each side of your stack and tighten.  Chuck it into your portable electric drill and start by making some practice passes on a piece of scrap stock to get the "feel" of how it works and to soften or "dog-ear" the corners before using it on your actual project pieces.

Two "Hot" ways to remove sanding discs
1: Place the disc in an oven at about 200 degrees for 10 to 20 minutes,
then use an old kitchen knife to peel the sandpaper off the disc,
2: Use a hair dryer set on high to soften the glue by heating the sandpaper
side.  DON'T USE A COMMERCIAL HEAT GUN...They get far too hot and could start a fire.

Holding small project components for sanding
If you have a large number of small project components to sand and you're not looking forward to picking each individual piece up and holding it with your hand while you smooth it with a pad or random orbit sander, here's an option. Try using a non-slip mat like those used for routing operations. Just lay it on your benchtop, lay your workpieces on top and go to work. This approach will even help you avoid the inevitable skinned knuckles that are sure to come with the hand-held method.

Rubber Cleaning Sticks extend the life of abrasives
If you're doing a lot of power sanding,chances are, your abrasives are probably
"loading-up" a lot.  This is especially true if you're sanding resinous woods like
pine...and/or using a lot of fine sandpaper. Instead of replacing your disk, drum or belt when it loses its efficiency, try using an Abrasive Cleaning Stick.  These special rubber sticks are made to clean sawdust, resins and similar materials out of your disks, drums and belts...and will extend the usable life of your abrasive materials by up to 400%.

Stopping sandpaper "loading"
If you're hand sanding a surface that has a light finish on it and notice that your sandpaper keeps loading-up with resins or finish, solve this problem by sprinkling a light coating of pumice-stone powder on the surface and you'll find that your sandpaper will last longer and cut faster.

Make-it-yourself miniature disc sander
Cut the valve stem out of an old inner-tube, leaving a 2" or so
diameter disk of rubber on the end where the stem enters the tube.
Rubber cement a small disk of sandpaper onto it, chuck it into your
drill press or portable electric drill and go to work.  It makes a
nice, small diameter, highly flexible disk sander that's great for
getting into small, concave areas.

Belt sanding concave surfaces
Make a wooden convex curved insert to fit between your sanding belt and
the platen of your sander.  It isn't necessary that it be an exact mirror
image of your intended concave surface, but it should be the same WIDTH as
your belt and platen and as thin as possible, while still doing the job. If
your belt release won't work with the insert in position, your insert's
too thick.  Use your sander or jointer to thin it down a bit and keep
trying until everything fits snugly.

Pencil lines help ensure even sanding
When machine sanding large surface areas, it can often be difficult to
tell which areas have been sanded and which have not.  You can solve this
problem by drawing zig-zag pencil lines across the surface to be
sanded. Draw your lines LIGHTLY.  Don't press too hard.  Then, sand
the surface until all the lines disappear.

Right-angle edge sanding block
If you must hand-sand the edge of a workpiece and want to be certain
your edge is at a 90-degree angle to the surface, make a right angle
sanding block out of two pieces of 3/4" stock....about 6" to 12" long.
Screw your two pieces of stock together, being certain they're at a
right angle. Wrap your sandpaper tightly around one of the pieces
(just once...NOT multiple thicknesses) and hold the other piece tightly
against your workpiece SURFACE.  Your sanded edge should be at a
perfect right angle.

The properties of sanding materials
FLINT:  Inexpensive, medium hard and light tan or off-white in color.
Recommended only for rough work such as paint removal, etc.  Not
recommended for fine finish sanding. Used primarily for soft woods.
 
ALUMINUM OXIDE: Moderately priced, second in hardness to Silicon
carbide and usually brown in color. Recommended for general purpose
sanding of woods and metals.

GARNET: Moderately priced and not as hard as Aluminum Oxide.  Very
brittle, which makes it self-sharpening and fairly long-lasting.
Usually reddish in color.  One of the best choices for woodworking.

SILICON CARBIDE:   Expensive, very hard, most often blue-black in
color. Well suited to working with all types of metals and for smoothing
finishes on woodworking projects.
 
EMERY:  Inexpensive, medium hard, black in color. Recommended primarily
for metal-working.

CROCUS: Moderately priced, very soft, bright red color.  Usually ground
to a fine powder and used primarily for metal-working. 

Easing palm sander sheet replacement.
With some palm sanders, getting the replacement sheets into position would
be lots easier if you only had three hands. Since that's not an option, try
this technique. Place your new sheet on your benchtop, abrasive side down.

Hand or machine sanding parts too small to hold with your fingers
Use a dab of hot-melt glue to temporarily attach your part to a small dowel or wood strip.  When you're finished, just place the entire assembly in a freezer for a few minutes and the piece will easily separate from the dowel or strip.

Belt sanding the edges of narrow boards
Create a wider surface for your portable belt sander to ride on by clamping pieces of scrap stock on each side of your work piece prior to sanding. This will help keep your sander from rocking and rounding-over your edges. To maintain a true edge, be sure your scrap stock is properly aligned with and slightly longer than -- the edge of your workpiece before you start sanding.

"Get A Better Grip" On Hand-Sanding With Two-Sided Sandpaper
Attach two pieces of sandpaper together, back-to-back using double-stick carpet tape. You'll find that it slips a lot less, whether you're holding it in your and or wrapping it around a sanding block.

Quick, Inexpensive Sandpaper Cutter
Attach a (new or used) hacksaw blade to a 14" x 10" board.  Place thin washers under each end of the blade before screwing through the attachment holes. For quick reference and added convenience, scribe (or mark with a pencil) lines on your back-up board that represent standard sized sheet cuts. Slip your sandpaper under the blade, press down on the blade gently and pull up on the sandpaper to cut.

Stop "Crossover" When Sanding Mitered Joints
When sanding mitered corners, it's difficult not to cross over the miter line, causing unsightly cross-grain scratches that can be difficult to remove.
To solve this, stretch a piece of thin brass shim stock (available at commercial tool supply houses, auto parts stores and some home centers) tightly along the diagonal miter line and attach it temporarily with duct tape. Keep the tape off the top surface of the shim stock. Then, just sand up to and over the top of the shim stock, protecting the opposing side. Repeat for each side of your corner.

Double grit sanding drums
When doing a lot of drum sanding that requires both coarse and fine grit papers, try cutting a coarse and a fine sleeve in half (height-wise), then using half on the bottom of your drum and the other half on the top. Change from grit-to-grit by altering your depth-of-cut with your drill press quill feed handle.

Extending the life of pad sander paper
Pad sanders tend to "eat" sandpaper quickly. To minimize this, attach a piece of duct tape or ordinary contact paper to the back side of the sandpaper before attaching it to your sander. This will help keep the paper backing from tearing.

Proper belt sanding speeds
If you have the ability to adjust the speed of your belt sander, it's important to note that as a Rule Of Thumb, coarse grit paper can be operated at higher speeds than finer grit papers without burning or scorching.

Understanding the differences between cloth and paper backings for abrasives
CLOTH BACKINGS are the most durable and are available in two grades..."X" (or "drill") is the heaviest and is recommended for machine sanding. "J" (or "Jeans") is lighter in weight and is ideal for use where more flexibility is needed for reaching into shaped areas.
PAPER BACKINGS come in five weights from "A" (lightest) to "F"(heaviest). In most cases, finer abrasives come with lighter weight backings while coarser materials use heavier backings.

Removing "stuck" sanding drum sleeves
Loosen your drum and place it in the freezer for several minutes. It
will contract, making removal or replacement much easier.

Open versus closed-coat abrasives
CLOSED COAT abrasives offer a solid coat of abrasive materials. As a result, they provide more cutting surface and a faster cutting action than open coat abrasives. This makes them better for hand-sanding operations.and is why they "load-up" rapidly when used for power sanding.

OPEN COAT abrasives have abrasive materials covering 50% to 70% of the
backing surface. This makes them better suited for machine sanding and for working resinous or "gummy" materials, since they're far less likely to "load-up" than their closed-coat counterparts.

Machine sanding resinous woods
Woods such as pine, cypress, fir, hemlock and others often have large
pockets of resin that will quickly clog sandpaper. When sanding these woods,pay close attention to the amount of pressure that's required to remove the stock. The need for excessive pressure usually means the sandpaper is
loading-up ... a problem which could lead to burning and scorching. When
this occurs, it's time to clear your sandpaper with an abrasive cleaning
stick ... or change it.

Increasing the durability of hand-held sandpaper
Sometimes, when working with irregular-shaped pieces, you have to use yourhand as a back-up block during sanding. To keep your sheets from tearing-upso quickly during these operations, cover their back sides with duct tape prior to use.

One more way to make easy work of sanding small parts
Attach a full or half-sheet of sandpaper to a piece of particle board or
plywood with rubber cement. For added sanding versatility, glue an
80-grit and 100-grit sheet on one side -- and a 150-grit and 220-grit
sheet on the opposite side. Be sure to maker your board large enough to
leave at least an inch of border around all four sides so it can be
clamped to your bench top when in use.

Grasp your small workpiece firmly (use rubber office fingertips to get a
better grip on really small pieces) and move it back and forth across
your sanding board. To change worn-out sheets, simply remove the old
sheets with rubber cement thinner (available at art supply stores) and
replace them with new ones.

Sanding accurate coves.
To sand shaped coves on table or cabinet edges, create a "mirror image" of the cove on a block of scrap stock, using a rounding-over shaper cutter or router bit.  Then, just wrap a piece of sandpaper around the block and sand away. Your sandpaper can be glued to the block or not ... it's up to you.

Knife-edged sanding block.
When you need to sand into an extremely narrow, crack-like opening, try wrapping a piece of sandpaper around the thin edge of a hand scraper.
It reaches easily into tight spaces, yet gives you enough surface to get a good grip on things.

A hand-sanding block that "forgives".
When working with work pieces having irregular-shaped edges or surfaces,
use a large, soft, pink rubber eraser as a sanding block. You can even
use steel wool, wrapped around these erasers for fine, finish sanding.

Make your own miniature disc sander.
Use an engine valve from a car or lawn mower. Just grind it down
to the size you need and hot-melt a piece of sandpaper to the
valve head. Pieces of cloth-backed belts make the best, most
durable choice. Chuck the disc into your portable drill or
drill press and go to work.

Pad or palm sanding irregular surfaces
When using a Pad, Palm or Orbital sander to smooth surfaces
that are purposely irregular, add a layer of foam rubber
(such as weather stripping) between the pad and your sandpaper.
This will provide a thick, flexible cushion to help the sole
of your sander conform more closely to the shape of your
workpiece surface during sanding.

Smooth sanding of bandsaw arcs
If you're planning to edge-band the curved edge of a plywood workpiece
with either veneer or a thin strip of hardwood...you may have a tough
time getting a tight-fitting, invisible joint between the two.

Here's the solution. Rubber cement a piece of sandpaper to the mating
edge of the scrap piece that came from your bandsaw arc. Use this as a
contoured sanding block to smooth your arc. Since it should match the arc
in your workpiece perfectly, this approach will do the job quite nicely.

How to make easy work of hand sanding small parts
Just tape a piece of coarse (60 to 80-grit) sandpaper to your
bench top, grit side up. Lay the piece to be sanded on top of it.
Using a sanding block with a finer (100, 150 or 220-grit) paper,
press down firmly and sand in a back-and-forth fashion.
The coarser paper will hold your workpiece in position while
the finer grit paper does its job.

Sliver-free steel wool holder
Cut a tennis ball in half and stuff a wad of steel wool into
the hollowed-out side. This approach works particularly well
for polishing turnings on the lathe, as it also protects your
fingers from heat build-up.

Perform intricate power sanding with your Scrollsaw or Jigsaw
Trim an ordinary fingernail emery board to the approximate
width of your Scrollsaw or Jigsaw blade and glue it to the
side of the blade with epoxy.

Screws

Removing Stubborn Screws
Removing a stuck wood screw without damaging the head or breaking the screw off inside its hole can, at times, be difficult. A well-known "old-timer's" trick for making a simple task out of this otherwise difficult job is to first heat the head of the screw with a soldering iron.  In most cases, it will then back out easily with little or no problem.

Replacing a screw that won't hold
Sometimes, the size of your project won't allow you to simply replace your
existing screw with a larger one.  In those cases, try wrapping the threads
of your screw with wire or cotton twine before re-inserting.  You may have
to try a couple of different sizes before you find one that works just
right.  For added grip, coat the wire or twine with epoxy prior to insertion.

Three Ways To Start Hard-To-Reach Screws
1:Place a small piece of chewing gum on the screw head.
2:Use a dab of rubber cement to hold the screw to the driver.
3:Slip a short piece of plastic or rubber hose over the tip of your screwdriver. Let the hose protrude beyond the tip. Be sure the inside diameter of the hose is small enough to grip the head of the screw firmly while you drive it home.

Avoid screw loss when removing hardware
Using a small, scrap piece of corrugated cardboard, press
the points of your screws into the "end grain" of the
corrugations as you remove them from hinges or other hardware.
This way, they'll all be organized and in one place when you
need them for re-assembly.

Scroll Saws

Convenient Blade Storage
Scroll Saw & Jigsaw blades can be conveniently stored in short lengths of small diameter PVC pipe.  Seal one end with a PVC cap and the other with a removable cork.  Use a marker to write blade sizes, etc. on the outsides of your pipes.

Simple "Drill Fan" keeps dust and chips out of your way.
When you need to drill a lot of "location-critical" holes, your job
will be a lot easier if you can keep your location marks free of dust
and debris so you can position them accurately. Try this.  Mount your
bit in your drill press chuck.  Take a 3" or 4" long piece of 1-1/2"
to 2" wide masking tape and fold it in half across the bit so it sticks
to itself...leaving an inch or so protruding beyond each side of the
bit, propeller-style. Position it so it just touches your workpiece
when the bit is plunged to its final depth. When you turn on your drill
press, your "propeller" will keep your area free of dust ... and if you
accidentally bump it with your finger, you won't get hurt.

Sharpening

Flattening Waterstones
Sharpening stones that are not flat are also not particularly useful. Waterstones, in particular must be flat to work properly. There are several ways to ensure this flatness.
Here are two:
1: Rub the faces of two waterstones (of the same approximate grit) against one another each time you use one of them. When they're flat, you'll be able to "feel" the increased resistance.
2: Lay a piece of Silicon Carbide, wet/dry sandpaper (fine grit) on top of a piece of glass or laminate (countertop or similar) surface. Glass is ALWAYS flat and countertop surfaces are perfectly flat in most cases. Flatten your stone's surface by running it back and forth across this sandpaper.

WD-40 makes a great oilstone cleaner
Just spray it onto the stone's surface to wash away particles and metal shavings then use it as a lubricant instead of ordinary honing oil, if you like.

Inexpensive cabinet scraper edge burnisher
To achieve a correct, "hooked" edge on a cabinet scraper, it should be burnished prior to use.  Most burnishers that are designed for this job are fairly expensive.  However, ordinary kitchen knife sharpening steels will do just as good a job and can usually be bought "for a song" at flea markets and garage sales.

"Sharpening" wire brushes
When the bristles on wire brushes that have been used a lot become dull, they're no longer effective. To solve his problem and renew them to like-new condition, "sharpen" them by running them across the face of a moving grinding wheel.

A flat, fast-cutting sharpening surface
Few surfaces are flatter than a sheet of glass. Cut two pieces of thick,
1/4" glass to about 9" x 12". Use spray adhesive to attach a sheet of
150-grit aluminum oxide or silicon carbide sandpaper to one piece and a
sheet of 320 grit to the other.
Using a wheeled honing guide, set to the proper angle, start with the
150-grit sheet and spray a fine mist of water onto the sandpaper for
lubrication. Roll your edged tool back and forth to "grind" the edge to the
proper angle very quickly...without fear of overheating or ruining the
temper of the edge.

Cleaning sharpening oil stones.
Believe it or not, the oil stones you use to sharpen your tools can
get clogged to the point where they won't work properly. To solve
this problem, soak them in a container of kerosene... or rub their
surfaces firmly with your fingers.

Getting a grip on flat plane irons during sharpening
Flattening the backsides of plane irons or jointer/planer blades
can be difficult since they're seldom thick enough for you to get
a good grip on them during sharpening. Try using a discarded
speaker magnet (or "rare Earth" magnet from an old computer hard
drive). Either should give you enough of a grip to move the
blade back and forth while flattening their backsides

Make-it-yourself Round Slipstone
A piece of 600-grit silicon carbide, wet-dry sandpaper wrapped (or glued)
around an ordinary wooden dowel makes an excellent slipstone for sharpening
curved-edge tools.

Shop set-up

Rust preventative drawer liners
The number one enemy of hand tools is rust. To keep rust to a minimum, line the bottoms of your bench and tool chest drawers with scraps of short-pile carpet. Lightly coat the carpet with 10-weight machine oil or WD-40.  This will help minimize the dangers of rust on your tools.

"Hearing" The Phone Over Running Machinery
It's hard to hear the ring of a phone over the noise of operating woodworking machinery. Your local Radio Shack store has a solution...in the form of a little device they call a "Phone Flasher". Just attach it to any phone line and plug in a light.  When the phone rings, it will flash the light, alerting you to the ring.

Dowel and wood strip storage
Storing dowels, wood strips and moldings can be made easier by using an ordinary galvanized (or plastic) garbage can.  You'll be surprised by how much wood you'll be able to store in a single can when it's standing on end.  For improved organization, separate each type of wood, molding or dowel in a series of cardboard mailing tubes with closed bottoms and string loops attached to their tops. This way, you can pull on the loops to raise the entire tube out of the can for closer inspection without fumbling around.

Storage for small sanding discs
Use a plastic box designed to hold 5-1/4" floppy computer disks. Many even come with dividers you can use to mark different grits.

Sheet goods

Additional auxiliary Table Saw support when cutting large
sheet stock
Even if you own a Shopsmith MARK V Model 510 or 520 with a full
complement of Extension Tables, Telescoping Legs and all, there
may still be times when having a little extra support would come
in handy. For these times, try using an ordinary ironing
board. Just adjust it to match the height of your saw table and
go to work.
IMPORTANT: Don't forget to either remove its protective cover
before use or attach another cover over it before starting...
or you'll be in very hot water with the lady of the house!


Supporting large sheet stock during hand or circular saw cutting.
Use a step ladder, opened-up and laid on its side. Be careful
not to slide into the side supports while making your cuts.

Stop splintering when scroll sawing/jigsawing intricate cuts
in plywood
A light coat of white shellac, thinned 50/50 with alcohol and
allowed to dry for just a few minutes will help prevent
splintering when cutting veneered woods and plywoods.

Stains

Lightening dark stains
Use a mixture of 2 oxalic acid crystals and 1 pint of hot water.  Dissolve the crystals in the water and apply to the surface with a cloth until you achieve the degree of bleaching you desire. When finished, wipe the surface with vinegar and rinse with clear water.  Allow to dry thoroughly before applying your top coat.
CAUTION: Wear eye protection and protective rubber gloves when working with oxalic acid and follow all safety recommendations on the package to avoid injury.

Throwaway brushes for testing stains
Just fold napkins or paper towels into strips about 1" wide x 3" long.  Hold the strips together with paper clips and use them like a conventional brush. When you're through testing, just throw them away.

For a richer finish when staining woods black
Apply a brown stain to your project first to deepen your finish.

Emergency Stain For Dark Woods
When you need a small amount of dark colored stain to repair a blemish in walnut, mahogany or other dark-colored wood, try ordinary household iodine.

Proper Disposal of Solvents
- Wiping cloths, rags, brushes and similar items can usually be air dried safely by hanging them outdoors in a well-ventilated area where small children and animals can't reach them. Most solvent-based products will evaporate very quickly.
- Another approach is to brush left-over finishes and solvents onto barns, sheds, outbuildings or an old piece of plywood or paneling. Again, do this in an outdoor location with plenty of ventilation and away from children and animals.
- NEVER pour solvents, finishes or other chemicals into sink drains, storm sewers or onto the ground. These approaches could easily dump these hazardous substances into the groundwater, which is often returned to us as household drinking water. 

Keeping stains and finishes off your hands
Use throwaway rubber gloves, readily available at most hardware stores and home centers. What if you don't have any gloves? Use ordinary sandwich bags as "gloves" and throw them away when finished.

A great brush-soaker
Use a one-pound coffee can with a plastic lid. Cut a single slit across the lid and insert the handle of the brush through this slit to hold your brush suspended in the cleaner while soaking.

Simple strainer for paints, stains and similar liquids
Use a 1-pound coffee can with a replaceable plastic lid. Cut a large diameter hole in the center of the plastic lid. Stretch a piece of cheesecloth (or pantyhose) over the top of the can, then place the lid over this material to hold it in position. Pour your liquid through the hole in the lid and over the cheesecloth (or pantyhose), into the can.

Preventing paint build-up in the can lid groove
Use an awl or small nail to punch a series of small holes in the bottom edge of the can lid groove. Be sure they're at the very bottom of the groove. Any finish that gets into this groove should drain back into the can.

Throwaway mixing containers for stains or finishes
For small amounts, use the indentation in the bottom of a
soda can. For larger amounts, cut the bottom off a plastic
16oz, 20oz or 2-liter) soda bottle.

Simple paint strainer
Try using an inexpensive, throwaway, paper dust mask.

Minimizing Evaporation and/or gelling of stored varnishes and oil finishes
Add marbles or ball bearings to the can to raise the level of material close
to the top of the can.

Making your own stains from artist's oils
When mixed with turpentine or paint thinner, burnt umber produces oak or
walnut-like brown tones -- raw sienna produces oak or maple-like golden
tones -- and burnt sienna gives the reddish tones of early American
furniture or mahogany. When you're satisfied with the color, mix in some
boiled linseed oil.

Making your own dark pine stain.
Separate a "plug" of (dark-colored) chewing tobacco and soak it
overnight in a pint of common household ammonia. Strain it through
a stocking (or pantyhose) to remove any particles before applying
it to your project. Multiple coats may be required to attain the
color you want. Be sure to allow a minimum of 3 hours' drying
time between coats. Cover with shellac, varnish or polyurethane.

 

Table / Radial Arm Saws

Three Ways To Improve The "Glide" Of Machine Table Surfaces
1:  Coat the table surfaces with paste-type furniture wax
2:  Rub non-medicated talcum power into table surfaces with a cloth
3:  Sprinkle cornstarch on table surfaces with a salt shaker

Stopping Workpiece Slippage When Crosscutting Or Cutting Miters
Making an accurate crosscut or miter cut can be difficult if your workpiece is slipping against the face of your miter gauge during the cut. If you have a clamp-down safety grip, this will solve the problem in most cases.  But, what if your work piece is too thick to be gripped by such a device?
In these cases, it's a good idea to glue or double-stick tape a piece of sandpaper to the face of your gauge to prevent this slippage. In fact, there are even special, non-slip strips that have been made especially for this job. The additional accuracy provided by this simple approach is especially helpful when cutting miters.    

Setting a saw fence parallel to the blade
Setting your rip fence so it's parallel to the blade can be a difficult task.  If you have a Shopsmith MARK V, your owner's manual will tell you how to do this.  If you don't have a MARK V owner's manual...or you're using another type of table saw, you can also make any necessary adjustments by using a set of inside calipers. Lock the calipers in position at approximately 6" apart.  Touch one leg of your calipers to your fence face and the other leg to a selected blade tip where it meets the table surface at the FRONT of your table insert slot. Rotate your blade so the SAME tip is now meeting with the table surface at the BACK of your table insert slot.  Adjust your fence setting or worktable so this distance is identical at both ends of your table insert slot.
Miscellaneous tips

Creating a wider saw kerf
If you're building a project that calls for a saw kerf that's just slightly wider than the standard 1/8" or 9/64" created by an ordinary saw blade, try this approach. Insert a tiny piece of duct tape (or metallic aluminum or "chrome" automotive tape)in one spot between your blade and the arbor washer on one side of the blade, then tighten.  This should create a very slight wobble to make a kerf that would be almost impossible to achieve with a dado set.    

Achieving accurate crosscuts
Crosscutting hard, wide, thick or resinous woods...or forcing your stock through the cut will often cause your blade to "climb" or produce an inaccurate cut. This is especially true with dull blades or thin kerf blades. There are two ways to minimize this problem. The first, of course, is to give your blade all he time it needs to cut without forcing it through your stock. The second is to make your cut in two passes -- the first, leaving a little less than a kerf width of extra stock on the cutoff end -- and he second bringing your cut to final dimension.

Two Ways To Remove Pitch From Saw Blades.
First - Coat the blade with spray-on oven cleaner and set aside for 15
minutes or so. Then, for particularly difficult build-ups, scrub with
a stiff brush or steel wool and rinse with clear water.
Second - For a less expensive option, try mineral spirits or ordinary
household ammonia. With either of these, you'll have to allow the
blades to soak a lot longer prior to scrubbing.
CAUTION: Always wear protective clothing, gloves, eyewear when working
with caustic chemicals such as oven cleaner and ammonia. Use these
materials in a well-ventilated area to avoid prolonged breathing of
their vapors.

Tightening the fit of old Miter Gauges
The miter gauges on old machines have a tendency to get loose and wobbly.  To solve this problem (if you don't have a MARK V Gauge with a bar expansion screw), use a center punch to make 3 or 4 "dimples" on each side of your bar.  This will create an expansion of he metal around the dimples, which is usually sufficient to make the bar fit snugly in the slot.  If you overdo it, use a file or emery paper to sand them down a bit to achieve the proper fit.

Preventing damage to dropped sawblades
Drop your circular saw blade just once on a hard concrete floor during
changeover and KISS IT GOODBYE! This is especially true with expensive
carbide-tipped blades.  To prevent this problem, always place a small
carpet sample on the floor under your blade during changes.  This way,
if you drop the blade, you won't ruin it.

Three Valuable Tips For Preventing Dangerous Table Saw Kick-Backs
1:Make sure your saw is set-up properly. For example, if your rip fence
is out of alignment, the stock could bind between the fence and the blade,
causing a kick-back.

2:Keep your saw blades clean, sharp and "true" at all times. Blades that
are dull or coated with pitch can catch the stock. Blades that are
warped, bent or otherwise out of "true" can also cause kick-backs.

3:NEVER use a Rip Fence as a stop for crosscutting without using a stop
block. Doing so can allow the stock to get caught between the blade and
the fence, causing a kick-back.

Cutting cupped boards on the table saw
Whether ripping or crosscutting, when sawing a cupped board (a board with one longitudinal CONCAVE surface and an opposing longitudinal CONVEX surface), always make your cuts with the concave surface down, toward the surface of your saw table. This keeps the board from rocking during the cut, which could cause the stock to bind around the blade, possibly resulting in a dangerous kick-back.

Making adjustable wooden miter gauge bars for your shop-built table saw fixtures.
Make your bars out of fairly hard woods such as oak, cherry or
hard maple. Rip your wooden bar to between 1/64" - 1/32" narrower
than your saw's miter gauge slot. Next, drive very small brass,
flathead screws into a series of 4-6 shallow, countersunk holes along
one (side) edge of your shop-made bar. Use sandpaper or a file to
carefully round-over the sharp edges of your screw heads, ever so
slightly.to prevent them from "catching" on your miter gauge slot
during use.
Now, Adjust the fit of the bar by tightening or loosening the screws
until the heads ride snugly against the side of your miter gauge slot.

Eliminate dangerous table saw kickbacks
Be sure to inspect the anti-kickback fingers on your saw guard frequently and keep them sharp so they will catch (as intended) in the event of a kickback.

Non-binding radial arm stop block.
The problem with cut-off stop blocks on radial arm saws is the
danger of a work piece getting caught between the saw blade and
the stop block, causing a grab or a kick-back. To prevent this
problem, attach your stop block to one side of a large butt hinge.
Clamp the other side of the hinge to your radial arm's guide strip
at the proper location. Flip the hinge down to position your cut...
then hold your stock firmly in position while you flip the stop
block up, out of the way to make your cut.

Protecting the teeth of stored or transported saw blades.
Slit a piece of ordinary car heater hose, small garden hose or air
line hose down its length with a utility knife. Wrap it around the
circumference of your saw blade and cut it to length so no teeth
are exposed. Attach the ends of the hose together with a small piece
of masking or duct tape.

Stop blade binding during long rip cuts
Long rip cuts can frequently lead to binding (and eventually
burning), as the kerf tends to close up on the blade. To prevent
this, cut into your stock about a foot or so -- enough to have 3"
to 4" of your sawn workpiece protruding beyond the edge of the
outfeed side of your saw table. Turn your saw off and jam a
tapered, wooden, framing carpenter's shim into the open saw kerf.
Turn your saw back on and the shim will hold the kerf apart as
you complete your cut.

Toy-Making

Creating Accurate Toy Wheels
Often, toy wheels can be made by simply slicing them off the ends of wooden dowels.  However, this process can sometimes yield wheels that are slightly "wedge-shaped"...being thicker on one side than on another.  This problem can be avoided by making a simple cutting jig out of a block of wood.  For example...if you're making 3/4" diameter wheels, drill a series of 3/4" diameter holes through the edge of a 2" x 6" piece of scrap stock...being certain your holes are perfectly perpendicular to the edge. Insert 6" lengths of your 3/4" dowel rod into the holes, then saw through the 2" x 6" (and your dowel rods simultaneously) with your table saw.  When finished, simply pop the short lengths of dowel from their holes in the jig.  They will be of a consistent thickness from side-to-side -- PLUS -- they will have smooth, splinter-free edges, as well.

Thickness Planer

Renewing the "grip" of rubber planer infeed rollers
Try one of the products used to renew the surfaces of
typewriter plattens. One such product is called "DR. SCAT".
You can find these products at office supply stores.

Thicknessing short boards safely without "sniping"
Cut two guide strips that are the same thickness as your
workpiece and about 16" longer. Glue one to each side of
your stock with 8" or so protruding beyond each end. Allow
to dry thoroughly. When you run the stock through the
planer, the guide strips will help support the stock as
it exits the knives, eliminating the snipes. When finished,
saw off the guide strips and clean up your workpiece edges
with a jointer.

Veneers

Minimize veneer-cutting mistakes
When using a knife (instead of a saw) to cut veneers, position your
straightedge so its full width is resting on top of the piece you intend to
use when cut off.  This way, if your knife slips, your workpiece will be
protected by the straightedge and only your scrap will be damaged.

Patching Damaged Veneers
Start by selecting a piece of veneer with a grain pattern and thickness
that closely match your original piece. It's best if the new veneer is
slightly thicker than the original damaged veneer so you have room for
flush sanding when you've finished.

Position the patch over the top of your damaged area, being careful to
line up the grain patterns on both pieces as closely as possible. Tape
the new veneer firmly into position.

Using a straightedge and a sharp artist's utility knife held at a 90
degree angle, press firmly and slice all the way through BOTH the
patching veneer and the original damaged veneer surface, simultaneously.

Carefully remove the old veneered surface with a small chisel or scraper
and glue the patch into position. Sand flush with surface and finish to
match.

Woodturning

Preventing "Checks" On Green Turnings
If you're creating turnings from green wood, there's always a danger of your project checking or cracking once it's been turned.  The secret to preventing this is to slow down the drying process.  As you're turning your project, save the shavings and wood chips that are created. Periodically, scoop them up off the floor and place them into a lidded, plastic storage container like those used for storing clothing, etc.  When you've finished your turning, place it into the container of shavings, being sure your project is completely covered by two or three inches (minimum) of the damp shavings around all surfaces.  Leave the top of your container off for about a month, allowing both the shavings and your turning to dry.  Before you use your shavings for another turning, sprinkle them with water, stir them thoroughly and replace the lid for about a week to "re-generate" their even dampness for use on your next project.

Three ways to get a grip on thin stock for faceplate turning
If you're planning to turn a small bowl or similar project where the final thickness of the finished bottom is to be so thin that attaching your stock to a faceplate with screws is out of the question, you have three options.
 
(1): Use a lathe chuck that's designed to grasp the outside of your workpiece without the need for screws. Granted, these can be expensive, but they're fast acting and easy to use.
(2): Glue your turning block to a piece of scrap stock that is then screwed to your faceplate. If you slip a piece of paper between the scrap and your workpiece before gluing them together, when you've finished, you can use a chisel or screwdriver to separate the workpiece from your scrap stock.
(3): Attach your workpiece to the faceplate using commercial grade double-stick tape . 

CAUTION:  Be sure your tape has sufficient gripping power.  If your finished turning will have a larger diameter than that of the faceplate, stick it directly to the faceplate.  If it will be smaller than the diameter of the faceplate, tape it to a scrap piece, which is screwed to the faceplate. This latter approach will allow you to cut all the way to the bottom of your turning without cutting into your faceplate.
 

Prevent splintering at the transition point on turned legs and spindles
When turning spindles, legs or other similar objects with round bottoms and square tops, there's always a danger of splintering at the transition point, where the square portion meets the round, turned spindle.
To prevent this, wrap your turning blank with duct tape so the edge of the tape is at the edge of the transition point. It will not only help you see the transition point more clearly during turning, it'll also hold any splinters in position where they belong for re-gluing once you've finished.

Smoothing tight coves on turned spindles
Make a sanding cord by unwrapping a short length of twisted,
multi-strand cord or twine...then re-twisting it around a piece
of steel wool that's been "pulled" to thin it out.