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, [...]
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 similar workpiece by using a retractable tape measure and a combination square. Place the square against one corner. Starting at the opposite corner, measure the remaining distance with [...]
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 keep the bit centred, first use an awl or nail to punch a hole where you plan to drill. Then start drilling the hole with the bit perpendicular [...]
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 only if the edge of the board is straight). Hold the pencil between your thumb and first finger, and rest the tip of your middle finger on the [...]
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 to the wood. One way to guide the chisel is to hold a square block tight up against the blade. Or try clamping a board with a straight [...]
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 an interior cut, move the router clockwise. For perimeters, move it anticlockwise. If you’re using a router table (in which case the router is mounted upside down), move [...]
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 as you have a good side and a bad side on the workpiece. The trick is to cut on the correct side. Here are the rules: good side [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
