The Tips and Tricks Thread

[Keith Westfall]

Not sure it has been posted here, ut, when changing the plastic bag on my dust collector, it usually took about 5 hands to get it done, after about 7.5 tries...

Next time you want to do it, get some 1/2" rare earth magnets and start on the back side (of the bag) just above the clamp track. Then work around, folding as required, and adding additional magnets in a few places to hold it in place.

Then EASILY put the clamp around and fasten it in the track. Remove magnets until next time. Made it MUCH EASIER to get the job done.

Hope I didn't duplicate anybody on this, big thread to check!

[Tom Trees]

backwards drillbit for a flat bottomed hole , made from a cheap spade bit.APRON.JPGBackwards drillbit 2.JPGBackwards drillbit 3.JPG
Thread through previously drilled hole backwards and chuck into your drill .

[Ole Anderson]

I needed to cut a dozen small wedges or keys for my pool table base through-tenons. I found some contrasting black walnut and milled it to 5/8" thick to match the size of the mortises in the tails. I knew the easiest way was to cut the 5 degree angle was on my miter saw but I didn't have a safe way to hold them as my walnut stock was only 2" wide. So I ripped the stock to 7/8" and cut it into 3" lengths. I then cut a small scrap piece and ran a sharp pointed Kreg screw through it near the end and ran the screw through the scrap just far enough to catch the work and keep it from being pulled into the blade. It worked so well I am keeping the little piece to act a a finger to hold small pieces for cross cutting. No need to run the screw into the work, just enough for the point of the screw to catch the work. Click on the image to enlarge.
hold down finger 1.JPGhold down finger 2.JPG

[Lee Schierer]

Many of us use zero clearance inserts on our saws to eliminate or at least significantly reduce tear out when cross cutting. However, we still get some tear out where the blade exits the side of the board that is against our cross cut guide's fence. I have found that you can eliminate that tear out by mounting a sacrificial piece of wood to your cross cut guide to create a zero clearance opening against the back edge of the board. Some crosscut sleds do this by nature of their design. With a well tuned saw and most modern carbide tipped blades you can all but eliminate cut line tear out on both sides of your cross cut while getting a burn and tooth mark free cut.

[David Falkner]

I wasn't certain where to post this, I don't see a 'Tips' subforum so moderators please move this if it doesn't need to go here - thanks! David

This certainly isn't anything new but since I dented a piece today I thought it would be a good time to video the little tip for those who may never have tried this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD2_Wrs6YDM (not sure why the video isn't showing up so the link should work)

[richard b miller]

i had resawed some pine with my band saw and when i finished, i had a bunch of pitch all over my blade. i've tried simple green to remove pitch in the past, but that required too much scrubing.
i have a bottle of "purple power" degreaser that i use for removing bugs from my car and truck. i removed the blade and sprayed it with the degreaser and the pitch just dripped off. after letting it sit
for ~10 mins, i dried the blade and it was spotless! ps- i use it at full strength but don't let it sit on anything for more than 15 mins.

[Brian Henderson]

i had resawed some pine with my band saw and when i finished, i had a bunch of pitch all over my blade. i've tried simple green to remove pitch in the past, but that required too much scrubing.
i have a bottle of "purple power" degreaser that i use for removing bugs from my car and truck. i removed the blade and sprayed it with the degreaser and the pitch just dripped off. after letting it sit
for ~10 mins, i dried the blade and it was spotless! ps- i use it at full strength but don't let it sit on anything for more than 15 mins.

Agree with that, Purple Power is amazing stuff. Changed the oil in my wife's car over the weekend in the middle of a windstorm, got oil blown all over the driveway. Put on Purple Power, did a little light scrubbing with a deck brush and it's all gone.

[John TenEyck]

I sometimes use colored wax sticks from Behlen's and others to fill nail holes in trim, etc. Those sticks are almost always too hard for the wax to rub into the holes w/o damaging the wood, especially on softer woods like pine. But if you put it in a cup of really hot water for 10 minutes or so it will soften up nicely and you can easily press it into the nail holes with a small piece of wood or plastic.

Also, if you can't find a wax stick that has the color you need, buy a lighter and darker one. Then make a custom color by melting whatever ratio of the two it takes to give you the color you want. I melt them in a metal spoon over a propane torch (carefully), mix the two together with a nail until the color is uniform and adjust as necessary until I get the color I need.

John

[Ole Anderson]

Helping my son with his bamboo flooring project, we finished up with the stairs. Pulled off the old carpet and went with bamboo flooring. Not wanting any moldings at the edge of the tread we were in need of a stair tread template (or gage). So Jay make an evening run to HD where the website said they had one in stock. Well it was delivered to the store, but not stocked yet. The cheapest was $20, others were up to $100. So I decided to make my own with materials I had in my shop. Turned out quite simple and actually works better than the commercial ones, only 2 knobs, vs 3 or 4. We had to pull up the 2x12 treads and flush cut them to the risers as the bamboo nose only would cover 1/2" of the old treads.

The knobs and bolts were left over from some track project I didn't end up using, the rest was scrap 1/2" plywood, come of it paper resin coated. Fun little project.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I was assembling the carcass of my shop cart, and using those Rockler clamping squares. I had really wanted to use some of the flat bar Festool clamps, but they have a tendency to slip. A 1/2" hole, enlarging the one that is already there, fixed the problem, though I think I am going to file a flat on the bottom side of it to make it fit a bit better.

IMG_3291 (600x435).jpgIMG_3290 (600x450).jpg

[Bill Carey]

When I moved into my new shop, I quickly tired of trying to find the right fastener on the book shelves, trying to read box labels, looking in cans, etc. So I went and got a cartful of small tuperware type containers, dadoed a few boards, assembled it - and now the good part - mounted it with by-pass door hardware from the front of the bookcases. Moves easily to get at stuff on the shelves, and the best part is I can SEE whats in the bins. Much, much cheaper than the storage bin next to it.
20171222_122643.jpg

[Yonak Hawkins]

Bill, that's a great idea. I especially like that it can slide back and forth to expose the shelves.

[Nick Decker]

Excellent, Bill!

[Frederick Skelly]

That's an idea I can makes use of Bill. Thank you!
Fred

[Simon MacGowen]

When I moved into my new shop, the best part is I can SEE whats in the bins. Much, much cheaper than the storage bin next to it. 20171222_122643.jpg

Great storage set-up and good use of space.
The real test is keeping the well-organized system ongoing. I must confess I am not that kind of guy and even if I built it, I would not be able to get everything back in place/designated containers.
Simon