Tricks of the Trade
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CA Glue Helps Line Up Lids
When installing hinges on small box projects, it can be challenging to get the lid perfectly aligned with the box.
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Brad Point Bull’s Eye
Even after having cataract surgery, I find that my tired old eyes don’t see as well as they used to for close-up work.
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Slot-cutting Bevels in V Formation
When I need to cut biscuit slots into the ends of a 45° bevel joint, I clamp the two workpieces together against their inside faces.
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Homemade Saw Tire
I once had a band saw tire come off of its wheel and get damaged by the blade. While I waited for the replacement to arrive, I came up with a temporary fix.
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Straight Lines on Round Pieces
I’ve found that 1-1⁄2″-diameter PVC pipe, split lengthwise on my band saw, makes handy organizers in a shop drawer for my scroll saw blades.
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Scratch Pad Tape
Do you ever forget a tape measurement you just took? Here’s a trick I’ve been using for over 40 years…
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Quick-clamping Panel-raising Fence
You could go to the trouble of making a fence with a brace that wraps around the fence beam, but my approach is faster and easier.
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Ball Field Blast Gate
The position of my radial arm saw and dust chute doesn’t leave room for a blast gate.
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Securing Vac Hoses with Shelf Pins
I was just about to order one of those fancy (and expensive!) quick-connect fittings to solve the problem of my vacuum hoses always pulling apart at the most inopportune moments.
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Clearing the Air
The exhaust air from my ceiling air filtration unit used to just blow dust around the shop, defeating its purpose.