Woodworker's Journal 2008-32-5, страница 18

Quick Curves with Sockets

Sockets not only keep your machine bolts tight, they also make handy templates for drawing small arcs and circles. If you need an exact radius, be sure to measure the socket's outside diameter with a caliper first. It's also important to hold the pencil at a consistent angle while tracing around the socket; otherwise the curve you draw won't be a perfect arc.

Bob Kelland St. John's, Newfoundland

Years ago, I bought a roll of pink rosin underlayment paper from a home center. You'll find it in the flooring section. It's quite water-resistant and provides a good barrier to glue, paint, stain and varnish. I lay two short pieces side by side and tape them down to the bench. If the paper is still in good shape when I'm through, I save it for the next messy job. A roll of rosin paper is cheap, and it seems to last forever.

Serge Duclos Delson, Quebec

Re-use Household Items in the Shop

Rosin Up that Workbench

A good workbench should last a lifetime, so it's worth the effort to keep it clean. Here's how I protect mine during finishing and glue-ups.

Soft-touch Finishing Board

Here's a good way to elevate small panels or projects while applying finish. I drill a grid of 3/8"-diameter holes in a piece of scrap plywood and stick pencil erasers in the holes. The erasers suspend your workpiece so you can finish around the edges, and the soft rubber tips won't scratch the wood or newly applied finish. Reposition the erasers as needed to suit the shape of the part you're finishing.

Leland Keller Chattaroy, Washington

Oblique Drawings in a Flash

I'm not a whiz at the drafting table, but here's my secret for making oblique perspective drawings without a T-square and triangles. Take several digital photos of your project from different angles until you get one that matches the degree of perspective you want. Print out the photo. Now, lay a piece of vellum or thin office paper over the photo and trace the project to create a master drawing. Add your construction notes and dimension lines, and you're all set.

William Kennedy Mumford, New York

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October 2008 Woodworker's Journal