Woodworker's Journal 2009-33-1, страница 22

Tricks of the Trade

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Cooking Something Up in the Shop

Drive-through Shop Towels

How many times have you gone through a fast food drive-through and been given a bigger wad of napkins than you need? I would use two or three and throw the rest away. Not anymore. Now, I collect the extras and bring them into the shop to use for glue-ups instead of expensive paper towels. These napkins are virtually free, they work fine for clean-ups and help me do my part for the environment.

Craig Highsmith Annandale, New Jersey

Give Casters the Squeeze

I build my shop carts and tool stands the same height as my workbench and stationary tools, and I put them on casters to keep everything mobile. Measuring the true height of casters used to be a head scratcher until I came up with this simple method: all you do is clamp the caster in your bench vise and measure the distance between the jaws. You'll get the exact height right off the bat.

Serge Duclos Delson, Quebec

Hot Cure for Swollen Biscuits

Like most woodworkers, I buy my plate-jointer biscuits in large quantities. Regardless of how I've tried to keep them dry, they still seem to absorb moisture in my damp shop until they don't fit in biscuit slots. I've got a solution that drives out the moisture and shrinks them back to the compressed size. Just pop them in the microwave. In a 1,500-watt oven, #0 biscuits take about 20 to 25 seconds on high heat. Size #10 takes 25 to 35 seconds, and I warm #20 biscuits for 40 seconds. Nuke them right before use for best results.

Vincent Nocito Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

ready for joinery

Fabric softener sheets clean and reduce static electricity.

Anti-static Shield Wipes

My face shield is a regular companion in the shop, but the plastic builds a static charge that attracts dust. Here's an easy way I've found to clean it and reduce the static cling. Wipe the shield with a fabric softener sheet. You can use them over and over again, then grab a fresh one from the laundry room whenever you need it.

Jerry Holbrook Syracuse, New York

22 February 2009 Woodworker's Journal