Useful, Out-of-the-Ordinary Shop Items.

[Russell Neyman]

What unusual tools and supplies do you use on an everyday basis that might surprise the rest of us, and why? Here are a few in min

• Steak Knife -- This is extremely useful to complete the process of parting off a piece, avoiding that annoying nub that sometimes remains with an ordinary parting tool. I cut until I have a quarter inch (or less) remaining, then finish with the knife.
• Dixie Cups -- Obviously, they're good for mixing glue, but I also use them to help sub-organize nails, screws, and other small parts.
• Q-Tips -- These are perfect for applying CA glue finishes on small objects.

[Terry Vaughan]

Another promising thread!

I use bits of the textured non-slip plastic stuff that is sold for gripping and opening jars in the kitchen (and also as router mat). Indispensable for getting things off a screw chuck.

[Don Orr]

I rest an old towel on my lathe bed to put tools on so they don't roll off. Easy to move around as needed or wipe your hands, etc.

[Olaf Vogel]

Cheap nylon pot spoon, for scooping shavings out of a hollow form.
I usually keep the lathe running. get the right angle and it sprays out nicely.
Use a cheap one, so if it catches, it breaks.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

+1 on the towel on the lathe ways. Although not an "unusual" tool. I also fasten one on my cage, (we ALL turn with the cage don't we?) with clothes pins. I allow it to droop in the back. This does a few things. Keeps the water from wet wood from making that nice racing stripe on your wall, (or truck, that's what's behind my lathe), keeps the chips from flying all over the place, and keeps CA off your wall or truck. Now if I could figure a way to keep CA off my faceshield....

I tried a thin piece of clear plastic on the front of the cage, to prevent the CA from hitting me, but that gets super dirty real fast.

[Mark Greenbaum]

Cheap Magnetic parts dish from HF rests onto of the Lathe gearbox to hold jacobs keys, index pins, etc.

Old Mouse pad sponge to put between jam chuck (wood) and inside of Bowls and platters to keep from scratching finished surfaces.

Old mill file to periodically clean off the top of the tool rest.

The towel idea is fine, just hold them down with old magnets from wherever you can find them.

Perhaps Saran Wrap over the face shield when applying glue, or even stains and finish. I will have to test that.

[James Combs]

Actually have all the ones previously mentioned except the spoon and don't use the towel as posted but will be looking into doing that. Something I have that may be unusual is several roll type window shades. One I have mounted on the side of my cabinet makers bench and when I am doing a glue-up on the bench I un-roll it over the table to keep glue from dripping on the table. When done I give it a little yank and it rolls itself back-up to its storage position. Another one is hung between my lathe cell and my miter saw. When running the lathe it is down keeping debris off of my miter saw. If I cut something long on the miter saw it goes up out of the way and by coincidence the board being cut(if not more then 1.5" thick) will slip under my lathe bed if it is longer then the miter saw cutoff point to the edge of the lathe bed.

[Tony De Masi]

A penny, while using the Wolverine Jig to sharpen.

Not my idea here. I remember seeing it several years ago. You put your gouge into the jig, then use a block of wood to measure the correct off set right? 1 3/4" or 2". Then after a bit of use you are continually looking for a "clean" section of the block of wood to put the tip of the gouge on. If you go into a previous "hole" the you are going a bit more that the offset you want thus removing more steel than necessary.

The solution, or "a" solution, drill a 3/4" hole with a forstner bit but not very deep. Just the depth of a penny. Then epoxy or CA glue the penny into the hole. All done and you never have to look for a "clean" place to put the tip of your gouge.

[John Grace]

I use magnetic knife 'bars' in my shop for quick easy access to certain tools. I also lose cheap plastic hose reels for my shop extension cords.

[Tom Wilson66]

One of those grabber things where you squeeze one end and it closes fingers on the other end. Just the thing when something is just out of reach. Also, a back scratcher with the bent end will scoop out small parts from under the work bench.

[robert baccus]

A chinese bamboo back scratcher for empting out shavings.

[Bob Bergstrom]

1" earth magnet and keeper on a broom stick can pick up a gouge that has fallen between the lathe and the wall. A barrel fan above my head to blow dust down and away from my face.

[Tim Tibbetts]

An old leather belt to loosen up "overtightened" blanks from the screw chuck.

Scraps of felt pad underlayment material for jam chucks.

+1 on magnets and magnetic trays

Got to try the windowshade idea!

[Marvin Hasenak]

12 gauge shotgun bore mops and 50 caliber gun cleaning patches, I add handles to the mops, I can dip them in my oil finish and finish the inside of anything pretty quick. The cleaning patches are what I use to apply finish to the outside of my projects.

[Brice Rogers]

I have a good supply of Starbucks stirrers that I use for stirring up epoxy (and also use it when "troweling" sawdust that I've wetted with CA.). I usually mix the epoxy on a square of HDPE from a milk bottle.

Not my own idea, but one I read about in the finishing section of SMC. I've started using the cosmetic sponges (dollar store) and wedges (Rite-Aid) for applying wipe-on Poly. They apply only a very sparing amount of poly which tends to reduce runs.

Semi-worn out 320 grit sand paper - - I use it with a felt-tip marker to remove the wire-edge on my bowl gouge after sharpening (yeah, I know....I need to get a round stone).

I took apart a couple of car radio speakers that had developed a "buzz". I saved the big magnet and snapped it onto my lathe. It holds the chuck key, an allen wrench, etc.

A six to 10 inch diameter ring of stiff steel wire (shaped like an almost closed "C"). I have one with a 1" gap and another with 1/2 inch gap. I use it to figure out the wall thickness of a hollow form. Because the ring is steel, I snap it to the car speaker magnet stuck to my lathe.