Tricks of the Trade

Store Lock Out Keys in Back of Drawer

Several of my power tools have lockable power switches, but keeping the keys away from kids (and being able to find them again myself) posed a problem. I finally decided to tape a manilla envelope to the back of one of my workbench drawers and store all of the keys in it. Now, I know where the keys are, yet they're out of sight of curious youngsters.

-Howard Moody, Upper Jay, New York

Handy, Inexpensive Sawdust Collector

After purchasing my new scroll saw, it became apparent that I needed some sort of collection device to stop the constant rain of dust on my feet and shop floor. I made my collector out of scrap pine and clamped it to the front of my saw. Now, I have a handy receptacle for sawdust, scraps, paper, and other shop trash. I suggest that others modify the recycler to fit their particular saw. For mine, slightly longer arms spaced wider apart would be ideal.

-Jim Penkala, Calistoga, California

Expanding Your Shop Space

My shop was getting too crowded, so I put my stationary tools on casters in order to push them against a a wall when not in use. I devised a system fro using swivel casters on a hinged arm. When the arm is in the lower position the workbench legs contact the floor and the casters rise out of the way. When the arm is raised into its upper position the casters swing to the floor and lift the legs off the ground. Once I worked out the glitches I used this system on my large tools.

I used 100 lb. Capacity casters, and 2x4 lumber for the arms and caster supports. The supports are secured to the bench legs with heavyweight strap hinges. To hold the arms in the raised position I drilled a hole through each arm and the lower bench rails to accept pole barn nails. There's no mystery about the bench except that one side of each leg is tapered at the bottom to provide a tight fit for the caster.
 
-Don Foster, Paonia, Colorado