Tricks of the Trade

Screw Eyes

Many of my small projects involve inserting a lot of screw eyes. Instead of cranking each one in by hand, I drill pilot holes, insert the short leg of an Allen wrench in the eye, and chuck the other end in a variable-speed drill. Set the clutch at its lowest torque and use a slow speed. - Andrew Garza; Corpus Christi, Texas

Gluing Panels

When gluing large panels, you have to keep them from bowing. My solution is to buy aluminum square tubing (I use 1-1⁄2" for panels up to 3 feet wide) and cut it to length according to the width of panels. Simple wing nuts at the ends of each pair prevent overtightening. Drill holes at one end, then a series of evenly spaced holes along the length, as shown. Substitute threaded rod for the bolts if making very thick panels. - Daniel Kingsberry; Gatineau, Quebec

Transferring Patterns

Patterns made on a laser printer or copy machine can be quickly transferred to the workpiece with the heat of a household iron. Use the iron at a high setting (disable the steam function), and remember that you will get a mirror image of the original.  - Mike Burton; Ogden, Utah