Easy-reach holder:
Make a tool holder out of scrap wire mesh. Form the mesh into a ‘channel shape’, leaving a section at the top and bottom for mounting on a wall or stud. A 1/2″ square mesh holds a variety of tools, especially screwdrivers.
Holding power:
For a convenient spot to store chuck keys, scissors, punches and other [...]
How wide is it?
Boxed in:
If you don’t have a folding rule with a metal extension bar, you can still accurately measure inside a drawer or [...]
Bull’s eye
Making the curve:
Drilling a hole on a curved surface, such as molding, can be tricky because the bit has a tendency to wander. To [...]
Got it straight?
Let your finger do the work:
When scribing a straight line near the edge of a board, use your finger as a guide (but [...]
Chisel it away
Hold it straight:
To create a neat cut when making a stopped housing, mortise or dovetail joint, the chisel must be held precisely perpendicular [...]
Router rules
Which way to go?
When it comes to moving a router, the basic rule is: left to right as you face the cut. When making [...]
Avoiding splinters
Here’s the bad side:
Cutting plywood across the grain can create a splintered edge on one side of the board. This won’t matter as long [...]
Handling the paper
Curling clues:
Abrasive paper will curl up and crack if it’s left lying around. To keep the paper from curling, place a weight on it. Or store the paper in the freezer so that heat and humidity won’t affect the adhesive holding the abrasive to the paper.
Flexing paper:
Abrasive paper is usually stiff and brittle, [...]
The basics
Dos and don’ts:
Here are some pointers to keep in mind when you’re clamping:
1: Don’t rely on clamps to pull together a poorly fitting joint. Glue and pressure may hold things together for a while, but in the long run the joint will fail. Plane or sand the pieces until they fit properly.
2: Before applying [...]
Soft saddle:
The battered, saw-chewed top rails of most sawhorses can scratch finished wood or furniture. To provide a nonmarring surface, cover 12″ (300 mm) or so at one end of the rails with some lengths of scrap carpeting. Even better, make a timber cap for each sawhorse and cover its top with carpet. Then you [...]
