# Hints and Tips



## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Finding nails in re-used wood*










[Legebla ankaŭ en Esperanto]

When I first started collecting free wood from along the street, it occurred to me to protect my power tools by making sure as possible that all the nails were out of the boards. If memory serves, Norm Abram placed this idea in my head. I bought a down and dirty wand style metal detector to check out the wood as I clean it up. The one pictured cost less than $20, maybe about $10 really. I'm not sure. I bought it several years ago from that auction website. I will say it's not flawless. Small staples escape its detection capability. There's no substitute for an additional look-see with they eyes.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Finding nails in re-used wood*
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Bet that has saved you many a blade, Dave. I didn't realize they were so inexpensive.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Finding nails in re-used wood*
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*Candy*, It does when you use it. During that stair tread shelf project, I thought I had removed all the staples and nails. Didn't bother with the detector because 'I knew what I was doing'. I cut one end off and discovered an 8 penny nail shank, nicely polished in the wood. The bright side is that it didn't seem to wreck my blade, nor did it fling out and hit me. I dug it out and carried on.


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## donbee (Feb 7, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Finding nails in re-used wood*
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I too use a metal detector, but, as you say, they aren't perfect, so I have a backup.
After I have finished with the instrument and extracted all the metal it finds I go over the wood again with a rare earth magnet. Not a wimpy one, but one taken from a discarded hard drive.
When passing over any metal it will let you know with a tug on your hand. if the metal is heavier than a staple it will stick to the wood firmly.
I also use it to locate wall studs. Believe me, it will find metal under sheet rock.

Don


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## nomercadies (Dec 31, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Finding nails in re-used wood*
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What brand is your detector? Seems like something I should put on the wish list for those that wish to buy something for Christmas for … me.

Thanks for the magnet idea too Don.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Finding nails in re-used wood*
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*nomercadies*, The only markings on my metal detector are 'metal detector md-300' If you google that and choose 'shopping' they will pop up, or you can just go to eBay. It's definitely low end, but mine works.


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## nomercadies (Dec 31, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Finding nails in re-used wood*
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Found it. Thank you.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Let Your Jigsaw Blow the Dust!*










[*Above*] Behold a common jigsaw. This is actually *MY *jigsaw. I have 3, but one was my Dad's, one I got from a friend. None of them are the good kind with a bearing supporting the back of the blade, but that's OK. It works. I sometimes grab it for down and dirty work. What annoyed me was the way the sawdust would always obscure any line I was trying to follow. This meant that I'd have to play the Big Bad Wolf and keep blowing the dust away from the blade. Then I got an idea…










[*Above*] The motors on these saws blow air out as they run to help cool the motor. The area circled in red is only a small portion of the air outlet vent which is actually on both sides of the saw. I thought that if I could direct a little of that expelled air in the right direction, the saw would blow its own dust away.

[*Three Photos Below*] I took a piece of copper tubing, bent it a bit and shaped one end as best I could to fit on the saw to divert a little of the air flow. This could perhaps also be done with plastic tubing, but I didn't have anything appropriate aside from copper tubing. It's the bendable kind, not rigid pipe.




























[*Three Photos Below*] I attached the copper tube with hot melt glue as shown. Before attaching it, I cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol (It was handy). You can use the poison of your choice.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Let Your Jigsaw Blow the Dust!*
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Brilliant!!!

That gives me an idea….
That can be a dangerous thing!!!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Let Your Jigsaw Blow the Dust!*
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Ideas are what it's all about!


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Let Your Jigsaw Blow the Dust!*
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That's using your noggin, Dave! And your motor!


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## greg48 (Nov 7, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *Let Your Jigsaw Blow the Dust!*
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You need to insert a reed into the tube so that you can whistle while you work, or I guess you can now do that on your own


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Paint 'Pyramids'*










I can't claim this as my original idea. I saw it somewhere sometime in the past.

[EDIT] I found where I got this idea. It was in *this video tip by Chad Stanton*.

It's a great idea though and uses up some small scraps of plywood. You can buy paint pyramids, but I like the free option. All I did was take pieces of 1/2 inch plywood and cut them into approximately 2×2 inch squares. Then I drilled a pilot hole and made a countersink for a deck screw so they would sit level. Make sure you use the same length screws for them so they match.

You can see I made a mess of them.










Here are the commercially produced variety in case I'm speaking gibberish:


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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I like your idea for the free ones too.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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> I like your idea for the free ones too.
> 
> - JoeinGa


Like most of us, I hate throwing stuff out before it's absolutely useless.


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## Will50 (Oct 2, 2014)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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I bought some of the plastic ones and they work okay but are lightweight and want to slide or tip over. Seeing your homemade ones gives me the idea to attach them to some scrap wood to give them more weight and a better base.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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> I bought some of the plastic ones and they work okay but are lightweight and want to slide or tip over. Seeing your homemade ones gives me the idea to attach them to some scrap wood to give them more weight and a better base.
> 
> - Will50


Glad I was of help.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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I did the same with scrap MDF. Store them in a Foldgers coffee tub, works great. Highly recommended.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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Saw a guy on youtube that used the larger wire nuts. Talk about tippy. I'd knock them over in a heartbeat.
Your screws through square scrap is a much better idea, and Thanks.


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## handsawgeek (Jul 31, 2014)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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Darn you, Dave !!!! You've just shown me an intriguing new line item to add to my already overloaded project dance card!!

Thanks for posting this, though.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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Now I REALLY wish I remembered where I got this from.


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## cebfish (Jan 15, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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just don't drop one and then step on it


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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I just looked around and found where I got this tip. It was at the end of this video by Chad Stanton. [link]


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## BritBoxmaker (Feb 1, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *Paint 'Pyramids'*
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Now I know what to do with all those scrap corner pieces from my EZ Mitre boxes. Thanks for that, I hate waste.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*

[*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]

*WARNING: SELF-PLAYING VIDEOS BELOW!*

A lot of us have had trouble embedding our videos into our blogs on Lumberjocks. After putting out a call for help, I was told how to do it. This method works now. I can't guarantee it will always work since YouTube tends to give us more features as time goes on.





View on YouTube

Here's how to do it:

*Method 1*

*Step 1*: Find the YouTube video you want to imbed.

*Step 2*: Go up to the URL bar in your browser and Copy the last part only. It should be the part after '?v='

*Step 3*: Open this link in a new tab or window: [link]

*Step 4*: Paste the YouTube code or the URL into the URL box.

*Step 5*: Click the 'Generate' button and copy the code from the top box. You can experiment with the other boxes if you wish. I haven't bothered at this point.

*Step 6*: Open a blog post on Lumberjocks, or even a reply box and paste the contents from that large box. Hit Preview. It should look good to go.

Once you get the hang of this and have the bookmark handy this won't add more than a few seconds to the process of embedding your video here on Lumberjocks.

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*Method 2* This method creates self-playing videos

*Step 1*: Find the YouTube video you want to imbed.

*Step 2*: Go up to the URL bar in your browser and Copy the last part only. It should be the part after '?v='

*Step 3*: Open this link in a new tab or window: [http://youtubeembedcode.com/?page_id=2&lang=en]

*Step 4*: Paste the YouTube code or the URL into the URL box. *You will need to tick the box for 'Old Embed Code'*

*Step 5*: Click the 'Generate My Code' button and click the Copy to Clipboard button right below it. You can experiment with the other boxes if you wish. I haven't bothered at this point.

*Step 6*: Open a blog post on Lumberjocks, or even a reply box and paste the contents from that large box. Hit Preview. It should look good to go.

Once you get the hang of this and have the bookmark handy this won't add more than a few seconds to the process of embedding your video here on Lumberjocks.

*If this stops working, let me know and I'll try to find a new solution. The one constant in this world is that change is inevitable. Hopefully we can all just keep coping with it!*


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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This is another site, that generates an "embed code", that can be used….

http://www.vtubetools.com/


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
> 
> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> This is another site, that generates an "embed code", that can be used….
> 
> http://www.vtubetools.com/
> 
> - DIYaholic


Cool! Thanks! Always good to have alternatives.


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## woodshaver (Mar 21, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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I got it! Thanks Dave and Randy





View on YouTube


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> I got it! Thanks Dave and Randy
> 
> View on YouTube
> 
> - woodshaver


Glad to be of help. It must be my karma du jour.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Thanks… finally we can do this again.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Thank you Dave. I figured there was a workaround but I don't post videos often enough to go looking.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> Thank you Dave. I figured there was a workaround but I don t post videos often enough to go looking.
> 
> - Rick M.


I'm not a frequent video poster either, but occasionally something bothers me enough that I try to solve it.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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You can also just use a screenshot of the video fingernail and link the simple share code to it.
It is easy and has been working for me but I'll check out the links .

Thanks

Of course the real answer would be for LJ to enable the new codes…....


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> You can also just use a screenshot of the video fingernail and link the simple share code to it.
> It is easy and has been working for me but I ll check out the links .
> 
> Thanks
> ...


Until LJ upgrades we'll just use our workarounds. Thanks for the read.


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Dave, I mentioned this blog idea on the Steve Ramsey blog, not knowing it was already here-oops…........!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> Dave, I mentioned this blog idea on the Steve Ramsey blog, not knowing it was already here-oops…........!
> 
> - Mean_Dean


That's OK. The more the merrier!


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## CharlieK (Jan 6, 2008)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Thanks Dave,

It worked perfectly and it was easy, too!

Charlie


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## Daruc (Apr 20, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Test


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## woodify (Sep 22, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Thanks for explaining how to embed a video




View on YouTube

Awesome it's still working!!!!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Glad to help.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
> 
> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Link in the OP is dead but here is a good replacement

http://youtubeembedcode.com/?page_id=2&lang=en

Test:


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
> 
> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> Link in the OP is dead but here is a good replacement
> 
> http://youtubeembedcode.com/?page_id=2&lang=en
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Thank you for letting me know AND for giving us the new solution. I've edited the original post so that the instructions work again. Thanks Rick!


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## MichiganJim (Nov 6, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Test.

youtubeembedcode.comdating sider


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## MichiganJim (Nov 6, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Hmm, doesn't seem to be working


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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> Hmm, doesn t seem to be working
> 
> - Jim


The original one is back up. [link] Does that help? I should put the instructions up for both links maybe.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
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> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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I think the answer is that you need to tick the box on the website for the old code.


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## dbhost (Jul 20, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *How To Embed a YouTube Video into Your Blog on Lumberjocks (Jan 2014)*
> 
> [*UPDATED 2 November 2015*]
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Thanks for the tip, it's working!





View on YouTube


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*










I'm always trying to figure out how to use the many things we throw out in our day to day lives. In no way can I be considered a fanatic about this, but I try to consider any containers we put out for recycling. I use our Nestle Quick canisters to store the standard screws and finish nails in my shop. They are a good size, they are sturdy plastic and they are oblong, which allows the smaller of the two available sizes to be carried in a normal cloth nail apron!

Originally the canisters had wraparound labels which were easily removed, but now they have painted-on labeling. So to mark the canisters easily I just slap on a piece of duct tape and write the contents description with a Sharpie marker. Non permanent markers will rub off. Alternatively you could spray paint the canisters, but I took the simpler/shorter route.

You can see I use gray/silver tape for deck screws and white tape for finish nails. That way I have an easy reference for what I'm reaching for. Other colors are possible for more organization.










[*Above*] I keep my often used nails and screws in the canisters on a few shelves I put between the studs in my shop. The top shelf has some hardware items in the larger canisters.


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## greg48 (Nov 7, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*
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Better method than mine, I've two 5 gal. buckets. One for nails, and one for screws. Each time I need one or the other, I've got to go through the entire collection.

BTW, thinking of making an investment in the market. Looks like Nestle has a strong market presence.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*
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That's a neat way to store that hardware. Unfortunately, we wouldn't accumulate that many Nestle's cans in two lifetimes. You must have an alternative source.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*
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> That s a neat way to store that hardware. Unfortunately, we wouldn t accumulate that many Nestle s cans in two lifetimes. You must have an alternative source.
> 
> - Gene Howe


15 years of having a child in the house.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*
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Those are a nice size and shape, Dave. I save everything from margarine tubs to spice jars. Since I am visual, I tape a sample of the contents to the top of the container (they are stored in drawers). Thanks for sharing.


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*
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I always keep a clean, empty parmesan cheese tub or two on hand for mixing up Danish oil or wiping varnish. The tubs are mostly clear, and come with a sealable lid. I can see what's inside without having to open it, and the lid is easy-on/easy-off.

When I've finished with them, the little remainder of finish just dries in the tub, and then I just pop out the hardened remains into the trash, and the container goes into the recycling.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *A 'Quick' Way to Store Nails, Screws, Etc.*
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Here's how I keep my nuts-n-bolts-n-stuff organized. 
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/77873


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*A Place for my Pencil!*










I thought it was a great idea to keep a handy shop pencil in the miter slot of my router table or table saw, but it would often threaten to roll away, or just got in the way of one activity or another and I'd end up moving it around. I finally came up with a simple solution that works for me.










I took a hunk of 2×3 and drilled 1/2 inch holes in it, nearly all the way through. I then cut the 2×3 to give me a 1-1/2 in x 1-1/2 in block with a hole in it. These I attached in several places in my shop, one by the tablesaw, one by the router station, two on my mobile work bench and one on my drill press stand.




























I realize I could still take the pencil far from its home, but at least it will have a home which is better than on top of my workbench.


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## George_SA (May 4, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *A Place for my Pencil!*
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Good idea, thanks for sharing


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## WoodNSawdust (Mar 7, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *A Place for my Pencil!*
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Good solution for keeping pencils handy.


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## CincyRW (Nov 18, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *A Place for my Pencil!*
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What a great, simple idea. I'm constantly hunting for my pencil.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *A Place for my Pencil!*
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Works great, Dave! Put magnets on them and they will stick to the machines, well, if they are steel…
thanks for sharing.


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## cebfish (Jan 15, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *A Place for my Pencil!*
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thats why the good lord gave you an ear to put your pencil behind


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *A Place for my Pencil!*
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> thats why the good lord gave you an ear to put your pencil behind
> 
> - cebfish


I think I have substandard ears.

I put a pencil there, put on my safety glasses and it falls out. Then it won't fit well. Then when I take the safety wear off to see a measurement it falls out again (the pencil, that is). Plus, my pencil of choice is a stub kept in a copper pencil extender, so it's end-heavy to boot.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Jointing on my Table Saw*










I'm making a project that involves edge gluing some 2×4's. They were rescued from a pallet and needed smoothing before I could glue them together. At first I tried my trusty jointing/tapering jig (above), but apparently either my saw blade is too dull, the clamps don't hold well enough or the runner slops in the miter slot.
I kept seeing light between the edges.

So I gave it some thought. I have an old metal level that was left behind when we had our driveway paved. It's straight. So I attached it to the wood with double sided carpet tape and ran it along the TS fence to skim off the edge. It worked and the piece is now glued up.


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## greg48 (Nov 7, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *Jointing on my Table Saw*
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No, no no, that is way to simple. It needs a bell, perhaps a whistle to.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Jointing on my Table Saw*
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> No, no no, that is way to simple. It needs a bell, perhaps a whistle to.
> 
> - greg48


;-) My problem is that I rarely have funding for bells or whistles. I end up spending time and brains (and shoe strings)


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Jointing on my Table Saw*
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"Necessity is the mother of invention". Looks like it worked well.


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## TheGreatJon (Jan 9, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Jointing on my Table Saw*
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Hmmm… I think I need a nicer level.


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Jointing on my Table Saw*
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Nice way to joint on the tablesaw-I'll file this away for future reference!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Jointing on my Table Saw*
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Wow. At first I hesitated to post this as a tip, but now I'm glad I did. Thanks for the comments.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Pencil Extender*

In a YouTube video by Phillip Stephens I noticed he had a short pencil stuck into a small length of wood in order to make it longer.










Phillip Stephens is from New Zealand, but the video was made while he was living in Columbia in South America. Based on his videos there, he has to make do and mend as a matter of course. Even though we have plenty of pencils around the house and in my shop, I liked the idea of this simple little widget.

I liked the idea of an extender, but wanted to make something out of metal and in a brass-like color. Copper pipe sprang to mind immediately.










[*Below*] The parts consist of a length of copper tube about 3 in. long, big enough to fit your pencils. Mine fit a bit snug, which is fine. The tubing has a cap glued to one end. A long deck screw reaches to the pencil and (maybe) keeps it from pulling out. It might work as well to put a dowel in the tubing to keep the pencil from pushing in too far.










[*Below*] This gives you a pencil that is about 8 inches instead of 3. The tubing is a little heavy, but it's working for me. I made 2 of these and they stay in my shop.


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## rweitz (Dec 22, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Pencil Extender*
> 
> In a YouTube video by Phillip Stephens I noticed he had a short pencil stuck into a small length of wood in order to make it longer.
> 
> ...


I wonder if you could not make the screw act as an advancing mech when the pencil gets even shorter or if you have a shorter or longer pencil


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Pencil Extender*
> 
> In a YouTube video by Phillip Stephens I noticed he had a short pencil stuck into a small length of wood in order to make it longer.
> 
> ...





> I wonder if you could not make the screw act as an advancing mech when the pencil gets even shorter or if you have a shorter or longer pencil
> 
> - rweitz


Now you've got my brain working again. Eventually I'll come back with something.


----------



## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Occasional Pocket Hole Joinery*

While I cannot be called a die hard fan of pocket hole joinery, I'll admit it has some uses. Such a use came about today as I was completing a project (to be posted in a day or two). This method of making pocket holes without an expensive jig I saw in a video by Steve Carmichael. (the link starts the video right at the part I'm talking about).










[*Above*] These are the tools I used to do this procedure. Your choices may vary. I'm using a 3/8 inch spade bit, 1/8 in. twist drill and 2 in. bugle head deck screws. [*Below*] Even though I used bugle headed deck screws, I put a small washer on each one so that they wouldn't just crank on through and split the wood. It worked.










[*Below*] Having marked a spot about 1-1/2 in. from the edge of my board, I drilled in with a 3/8 in. spade bit. As you go in (slowly) start angling the drill towards the piece you want to attach to. Drill in until the hole is 'deep enough to take the screw head and the washer', about 1/2 inch.



















[*Below*] Now switch to the twist drill and drill a pilot hole along the same angle.










[*Below*] As you might expect, now you screw in the screw. I did mine by hand so that I could feel when it was tight enough. I didn't plug the holes, but that is an option.


----------



## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Occasional Pocket Hole Joinery*
> 
> While I cannot be called a die hard fan of pocket hole joinery, I'll admit it has some uses. Such a use came about today as I was completing a project (to be posted in a day or two). This method of making pocket holes without an expensive jig I saw in a video by Steve Carmichael. (the link starts the video right at the part I'm talking about).
> 
> ...


Agreed, not a fan of pocket hole joinery, but there is a place for each method of work. I have a book on the furniture of Pleasant Hill village, where pocket holes were used by the Shakers over a century ago, to make furniture. To each his own.


----------



## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Occasional Pocket Hole Joinery*
> 
> While I cannot be called a die hard fan of pocket hole joinery, I'll admit it has some uses. Such a use came about today as I was completing a project (to be posted in a day or two). This method of making pocket holes without an expensive jig I saw in a video by Steve Carmichael. (the link starts the video right at the part I'm talking about).
> 
> ...


One of the reasons (or perhaps the only reason) I'm using these is that it's reversible. I highly doubt the reversibility will be needed, but I wanted the option. The reason will be clear in the project, which I hope to post tomorrow before Lunch. Basically I'm adding on to a purchased unit, but trying to be as invisible as possible about it.

As far as the Shakers go, many folks think they were quaint traditionalists, but actual they forged right into the 20th century. Efficiency was the name of the game for them. Isn't a shaker credited with the invention of the circular saw? Hmm. [I found this article]


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Occasional Pocket Hole Joinery*
> 
> While I cannot be called a die hard fan of pocket hole joinery, I'll admit it has some uses. Such a use came about today as I was completing a project (to be posted in a day or two). This method of making pocket holes without an expensive jig I saw in a video by Steve Carmichael. (the link starts the video right at the part I'm talking about).
> 
> ...


Hmm interesting stuff all round Dave.

A very quick way to strip out pocket screws is to use a power drill or rattle gun to fix them, nothing like the feel of a hand applied torque with a screwdriver.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Template Sawing on the Table Saw*

If you remember my Tip #7, I showed how I jointed one edge of a board by taping a straight edge to a board and running it along the fence of a table saw.

Well, sometimes I think I'm just stupid! There's an easier way to do this and I already had the jig for it made. My wife asked me for a piece of wood to shore up one side of an electronic keyboard at her school. I had a piece in mind, but wanted to square it up and paint it black. After I did all of this, using the method described in Tip #7, She informed me that she actually needed a thicker piece.

I had a piece of scrap which would work, but again it needed squaring up. These two pieces were scrap from cutting out for an air conditioner. So It occurred to me that I could just attach the old piece to the thicker piece and use my template jig instead of doing it the hard way. Here's some pictures to really drive it home. Maybe I won't forget next time!

[*Below*] Here you can see the old, too-thin piece attached to the rough, thicker piece. I used two finishing nails to put them together, leaving the heads proud for easy removal.










[*Below*] This is the jig I'm talking about. It's basically a right angle which clamps to the fence and 'floats' just above the surface of the wood you need to cut and barely touching the blade, (adjust blade height to suit).



















[*Below*] With the two pieces attached, I'm running the old piece, or template along the edge of the jig. If you have things set up correctly the piece you cut will end up exactly the same size as your template.



















[*Below*] Here's what the first cut looks like. Without changing anything aside from the position of the piece, you can just run all four sides through the saw.










[*Below*] Then I just remove the two nails, sand the edges and put the paint on before handing it over to my wife.



















This method should also work for jointing the edge of a board. You just need a straight edge as long as the board you're jointing to run along the jig.


----------



## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Template Sawing on the Table Saw*
> 
> If you remember my Tip #7, I showed how I jointed one edge of a board by taping a straight edge to a board and running it along the fence of a table saw.
> 
> ...


Dave,
Both this method and your previous Tip #7 have a place in the wood shop, especially when the table saw is the smaller table-top type. Both work well, but this method described here in Tip #10 provides a good solution when the boards to be cut are wider than the blade to fence measurment permits.
This is one of the main reasons why I like woodworking, always a problem to figure out, which keeps the mind sharp.


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Template Sawing on the Table Saw*
> 
> If you remember my Tip #7, I showed how I jointed one edge of a board by taping a straight edge to a board and running it along the fence of a table saw.
> 
> ...


I've seen these "L" fences before, but it's a good reminder of how useful they are!


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## CharlieK (Jan 6, 2008)

Dave10 said:


> *Template Sawing on the Table Saw*
> 
> If you remember my Tip #7, I showed how I jointed one edge of a board by taping a straight edge to a board and running it along the fence of a table saw.
> 
> ...


Good thinking Dave. That's a good way to copy pieces on the table saw, and you could use double stick tape when nails are not an option.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Template Sawing on the Table Saw*
> 
> If you remember my Tip #7, I showed how I jointed one edge of a board by taping a straight edge to a board and running it along the fence of a table saw.
> 
> ...


Even though the manual that came with my TS showed me how to make the L-fence, I first saw it used this way on a short Tommy Mac video on YouTube.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Get a Grip on Your Spray Cans!*

Some of us use spray cans of finishing products to protect our projects. Using a spray can while holding down the button with an achy finger was challenging at best. Then I saw these grips for spray cans in the paint section and bought one. I can't describe what a difference the grip makes. It makes a can of spray behave like a spray gun. You get great control over aiming and starting/stopping the spray. There seem to be grips made by many spray paint brands as well as a few generic tool brands. Just google it to see.










[*Below*] The grip fits on the top rim of the can, allowing a trigger/lever to activate the spray. You only need to take care that the nozzle is pointing out through the gap, otherwise the inside becomes a pretty color!










[*Below*] The grip also fits the short cans that are usually made for model builders.










[*Below*] And if you're into pyrotechnics in the shop, the grip also fits aerosol fire extingishers!










(Disclaimer: the grip shown is the cheap Rustoleum one. They offer a fancier one. I have no official association with Rustoleum aside from being a purchaser of their products.)


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Get a Grip on Your Spray Cans!*
> 
> Some of us use spray cans of finishing products to protect our projects. Using a spray can while holding down the button with an achy finger was challenging at best. Then I saw these grips for spray cans in the paint section and bought one. I can't describe what a difference the grip makes. It makes a can of spray behave like a spray gun. You get great control over aiming and starting/stopping the spray. There seem to be grips made by many spray paint brands as well as a few generic tool brands. Just google it to see.
> 
> ...


We use these too, Dave. They are really helpful.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*DIY Bench Cookies*










Somewhere recently I was watching a video where Bench Cookies were mentioned. I then ran down into my shop and poured out the contents of my 'wood wheels' which are mainly the plugs I save from my hole saw. I had 4 plugs about 2 inches in diameter and close to 1 inch thick. I pulled out a place mat that I saved from the trash. It's made from shelf liner material. I glued the plugs onto the placemat with contact cement and trimmed them out. Now I have 4 bench cookies to use for something!

Anyone know what the generic term for these Bench Cookies is? I'm pretty sure Bench Cookies is a trademark or some such legal term.

(I think the really sad thing is that I can't remember what I cut holes in to get these plugs.)


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## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think the name was coined by Rockler, when they released these originally. I could be wrong though, seems to be my expertise as of late. As far as a generic name, whatever you assign will work.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dave's cookies, or dookies for short!


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice, Dave! A use for the cut outs from my scarf hanger project!


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you Google "bench cookies" your will find Bench Dog bench cookies which are rebranded Rocklers.
Lee Valley has a bench puck which is a bare puck and gripper adhesive material.

*Bench cake*, *Dave's* solution looks like a frosted version!
It looks like an Oreo with the filling on the outside the cookie.

I always felt that these "Bench Cookies" were way to thick to be a cookie may *muffin* or *bisquit* (spelled *biskit*) would be more appropiate!


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A name ?

Simple take a bits out of one of the cookies and I am sure you will come up with a name!!

No reason you cannot call them Dave disks or Rutan Pucks!

Did you hold your tongue in the correct position as you cut around the outsides?


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thats is correctly: "Simple take a bite"


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hmm. It's interesting that there isn't much of a generic word for these. They are called bench cookies, hockey pucks or bench grippers. None of which are exactly descriptive. Somewhere I saw them called a 'stand off'.

This wasn't the point of my asking, but 'stand off' led me to a word for these in Esperanto! They'd be stabletoj, which means 'a small supports to hold a small work piece.' (more or less.)


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


And for us non-Esperanto speaking/readers, that is enunciated…?


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> And for us non-Esperanto speaking/readers, that is enunciated…?
> 
> - CFrye


Pronounced 'stah-BLEH-toy'

(if that helps)


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Bench Cookies*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yes, thank you (still no gaurentee, but helps).


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Spalted Log Breakdown*










This is a 2 foot section of a 12 foot long branch which I dragged off our bank this week. I speculated that if it wasn't too rotten that it would have some spalted wood in it. After cutting it in half on my band saw, I discovered I was right.










[*Below*] I screwed the half log onto a board with an edge overhanging the board. More imortantly one edge of the board was clear of the log as well. This is so that the board will be flat to the table saw and the edge of the board will run along the fence. Be careful to not put your screws in line with the blade.




























[*Below*] I did this progressively until I had a flat edge on the log. Then I screwed the board onto that newly flattened face and repeated the procedure until I had 2 perpendicular flat faces. I started the blade low and raised it up with each pass at the same fence setting. Either way this is not for the feint at heart.



















[*Below*] Once that was done, I just re-sawed the piece until i had nothing left. I made these rips at a little more than 1/4 inch thick. I have a project in mind for them and they don't need to be that strong.



















[Fun Fact] 'Spalted' is not recognized by my spell checker.

[Fun Fact II] The Esperanto word for 'spalted' is 'belputra' (behl-POO-trah) which means 'beauty-rotted'.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


There is something very satisfying about making things from your own milled lumber.


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## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Always a interesting surprize when cutting one of these apart and it looks like you got some nice spalting in this one .


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


*Dave*, nice breakdown. Do you have a project in mind?

I was wondering, don't you have wear some kind of breathing protection when cutting spalted wood.
Or am I all wet?

"Spalted" is in my tablets dictionary!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> *Dave*, nice breakdown. Do you have a project in mind?
> 
> I was wondering, don t you have wear some kind of breathing protection when cutting spalted wood.
> Or am I all wet?
> ...


I wore a dust mask during this. I's the best thing I have other than a T-shirt over the nose. I also have a jerry rigged dust collector going .

I do have a project in mind, a small lidded box for my daughter for Christmas. (Shh. secret!)


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think a spalted maple top would make a gorgeous box.

By the way, what is your daughters email as I have a secret?


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> I think a spalted maple top would make a gorgeous box.
> 
> By the way, what is your daughters email as I have a secret?
> 
> - oldnovice


Too bad it's spalted elm. ;-) There is an old maple tree that someone took down across the road, but I doubt it's spalted. It stood dead for about 2-3 years. Spalted wood is usually on the ground covered with leaves.


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## ForestGrl (Jun 5, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> *Dave*, nice breakdown. Do you have a project in mind?
> 
> I was wondering, don t you have wear some kind of breathing protection when cutting spalted wood.
> Or am I all wet?
> ...


Always a good idea to wear a dust mask or respirator. Also, some people's skin may be sensitive to the spalting organisms. For example -tonight, the skin on either side of my neck was hot and itchy. I remember now, I was wearing a fleece vest zipped up to my chin-said vest having fine sawdust in it from when I forgot to take it off while turning a spalted maple bowl last week. Ooooops!!


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## ForestGrl (Jun 5, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Dave, I like the way you cut that down to flat sides. I'm only doing turning these days, but can really use that approach with the branches and small trunks that fall into my lap (so to speak). Especially when I want to spindle-turn them, they need to be square. Love spalted wood! Nice find!


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Spalted Log Breakdown*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Spalted elm finishes beautifully, Dave. Hubby used it for the handle on this 'saw'.

Esperanto translation is spot on! Thanks for sharing.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*KISS System Dust Collector*










I don't like the idea of breathing in dust while running my machinery any more than the next guy (er, woodworker.) A few years ago, when we finally stopped using our last box fan, I hid it away, having an idea to re-purpose it down the road. So a few weeks ago, I decided to take another step towards a safer shop. I dug out the fan and cleaned it up. After checking that it still ran OK, I went out and bought one of those filters for forced hot air heating systems and installed it on the 'sucking' side of the box fan. This particular filter, 20×20 inch in my case is disposable, but I plan on investing in one that can be cleaned and reused (up to ten years according to the product info!)

The filter is simply taped onto the frame of the fan with duct tape. When upgrade, I might make a proper wooden frame to ease the removal of the filter for cleaning. In any case, I have noticed a difference in the air quality of my shop after doing dust-making operations. I've also noticed less need to dust things off that aren't even my tools.


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## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *KISS System Dust Collector*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice repurposing of the fan, should serve you well in the new application.


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## CharlieK (Jan 6, 2008)

Dave10 said:


> *KISS System Dust Collector*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Way to go, Dave. None of us want to have COPD later in life.


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## NDakota (Mar 2, 2014)

Dave10 said:


> *KISS System Dust Collector*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I made one like that a few years ago. What i found was that a filter on the outflow side catches a lot of dust also.I offset the filters top and bottom about 3inches so the motor didnt have to work as hard, dont know if that is neccesary!? I also found that a old cheap filter works better than expensive one,I just vacume when dirty


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *KISS System Dust Collector*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'll say this, I was breaking down a few small logs this morning. I was wearing a dust mask because I'm getting cautious. When I took off the dust mask it was covered with dust. I'll take any help I can g


> I made one like that a few years ago. What i found was that a filter on the outflow side catches a lot of dust also.I offset the filters top and bottom about 3inches so the motor didnt have to work as hard, dont know if that is neccesary!? I also found that a old cheap filter works better than expensive one,I just vacume when dirty
> 
> - NDakota


I was going to try vacuuming the filter first. I'm glad that it should work. Low budget make us all inventive.


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *KISS System Dust Collector*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hey Dave,

Dont vacuum the filter it will possibly then just block up the wifes vac, take it outside and gently tap it on a bin or the likes, as the dust will be very fine, it dosent all need to come out of the filter as its a filter and needs a certain amount of dust to work really well.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *KISS System Dust Collector*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was figuring on that or just brushing it with my generous shop brush. I would think vacuuming mine would just suck the baffles out of the frame.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Another Way to Break Down a Log*










[*Above*] This was my last log of elm in which I hoped to find some more spalted wood. The first thing I did was to grab my Australian Bowie knife and strip off the bark. It came off very easily as the log (2 feet long, 4 inch diameter ) had been sitting on the ground under leaves for several years.










[*Above*] Then I put the log in its most stable position on its side and attached a 1×4 to each flank, making sure it was fairly stable and trying to have the boards parallel to the bottom surface. If you're lucky, about an inch will be above the boards.










[*Above*] Now I set my table saw fence so that the blade will cut off about 1 inch or so on one side of the log. I run the board along my rip fence. This may need to be done in several passes, raising the blade higher with each pass.










[*Above*] At it's highest, my 10 inch blade did not quite cut all the way through the log, so I use a coarse tooth 'toolbox' saw to finish the cut.










[*Above*] I used my block plane (!) to take the roughness off of the cut I made with my handsaw. I could get to like hand planes!










[*Above*] Now using the board still attached to the log and the freshly cut edge, I squared up the log with a last flank cut.










[*Above*] Here I squared up the log before starting to slice it up. I treated it like any other piece of wood after this, slicing it up in approximately 1/2 inch thick slices.

*Epilogue*: After I got it all slices, I discovered that this particular log was too far gone. The half inch slices snapped in my hands more easily than toothpicks. The wood also wasn't very figured, just colored dark gray. At least the one I processed just before was Okay. This also smelled up my basement very badly. I wore a dusk mask during the work and vacuumed things up afterward, but the smell persisted for a while.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Another Way to Break Down a Log*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


About 3 month ago I went through the same process cutting up some Russian Olive logs. 
The shop still smells funky…..


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## rock_run_bushcraft (Jun 25, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Another Way to Break Down a Log*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Very nice. I love the use of the bowie knife in a wood working project.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Another Way to Break Down a Log*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Very nice. I love the use of the bowie knife in a wood working project.
> 
> - Garret D. Level Timber Co.


I figured I should use it for something. Usually I just cut down the corn stalks in the garden with it.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Flattening a Box*










I've been making a few boxes lately and have at least one more to go. I saw this technique for fine tuning the bottom or top edges of a box on a YouTube video about guitar making. In the video the luthier had a large sheet of sandpaper glued to a piece of plywood. After creating the sides of the guitar body, he would rub the edges of the body (sans bottom or top) on the sandpaper to even out the edges completely.

Since my joinery is far from perfect, I've been using this method on a smaller scale to even off the top and bottom edges of my boxes. I use a piece of 60 or 80 grit sandpaper, holding it firmly with my left hand while I use my right to scrape the box body away from me until the joints even off.

It's perhaps not exactly craftsman-like, but the results are what I'm after. I've been usng the same system to even out my mitered corners, by running the sides on the sandpaper as well. Final sanding on the sides is done with a random orbit sander.


----------



## dyfhid (Jun 4, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Flattening a Box*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Once upon a time I worked at an aircraft engine facility and I can tell you that's just about exactly how we flattened the top edges of the oil pans so they would seat to the engines properly. We just used a granite surface plate as opposed to a piece of plywood, but same principle. If you want really flat, move the piece in figure-8's.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Flattening a Box*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Once upon a time I worked at an aircraft engine facility and I can tell you that s just about exactly how we flattened the top edges of the oil pans so they would seat to the engines properly. We just used a granite surface plate as opposed to a piece of plywood, but same principle. If you want really flat, move the piece in figure-8 s.
> 
> - dyfhid


It occurs to me that we have two granite cutting boards up in our attic, aging. I should bring them down for such uses. I could also start making my chisels and plane blades scary sharp I suppose.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *Flattening a Box*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I use this method for sharpening and I have been know to use it o sand. Great idea for the boxes


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Flattening a Box*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've been using the same method to flatten piece for glue ups for all my Christmas trees. I got my big piece of sand paper from a friend who has a cabinet shop. He has a 24" Powermatic wide belt sander. I stopped by one morning for no reason out of the world. He let me have a bunch of scrap wood. I asked him why that sander belt was standing in the corner. He told me they had just put it on the machine this morning and it ripped off a couple of inches on one side. Whatcha going to do with it? I asked. Throw it out he says. Can I have it. Yeah get it out of here he says. Looking at it really ticked him off. So now I clamp it to the top of my table saw extension and use it to flatten boards and boxes. works like a charm and I get a pretty decent workout!


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## SenecaWoodArt (Dec 19, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Flattening a Box*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Andy did a blog on his artbox and I discovered a little gem hidden inside the blog. He doesn't give a lot of detail, but I built one anyway and have used the heck out of it. It gives you a larger work surface than just a large sheet of sand paper and is extremely versatile. I made mine from MDF and it is extremely flat.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Flattening a Box*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good thing to learn. I use a sanding plate to get my lids and box bodies perfectly mated and also to perfectly level the box bottom after glue-up. I don't use it on the sides, front and back though as I plane and sand those before glue-up. I use my sanding plate for a lot of other things too. They are very useful.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*DIY Small Sanding Spindle*










I needed a small sanding spindle to sand the small corners of a project I'm working on. My store bought sanding spindle is too big and I didn't want to go out and buy one, plus even the smallest one in the store is too big.










[*Above*] I found a 4 inch long piece of aluminum rod. It's a little bigger in diameter than 1/4 inch. I used a hack saw to cut a slot down its lengthy about 1-1/2 inches long.










[*Above*] I cut a piece of sandpaper about 2 inches long to fit in the slot. You may need to fold over the edge that fits in the slot. Make sure it's facing the right direction for the rotation of your drill.










[*Above*] I used it in my drill press. Even though I'm pressing on it, I'm not seeing the aluminum shaft bend. You'll likely need to change the sand paper often, but this is a good use for the small scraps that some of us accumulate.










[*Above*] The sandpaper will stand out from the shaft when at rest, but the pressure of what you're sanding will keep it tight.


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## WoodNSawdust (Mar 7, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice idea. I will remember this for the next time I need to sand something small.


----------



## abie (Jan 28, 2008)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I do this same thing with small wood dowels to sand into small corners by hand
I have several handy , each one larger than the other.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice job!


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great idea, Dave-I'll definitely keep it mind!


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks Dave another use to justify buy a drill press. If only SWMBO will loosen her grip on the checkbook!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Thanks Dave another use to justify buy a drill press. If only SWMBO will loosen her grip on the checkbook!
> 
> - BurlyBob


It might not work as well, but this would probably work with a handheld drill.

I'll give you a tip on getting equipment: Patience and a change jar. All three of my 'big' tools were bought by putting a little away each week. Change adds up.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *DIY Small Sanding Spindle*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great idea, thank you for sharing


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Sanding Small Parts*

Recently i found a need to sand some small parts of a project with my Random Orbit Sander. They were too small to clamp down and my sander would just throw them out from under it. I just clamped the ROS upside down in my leg vise and held the small piece on the rotating pad. This doesn't work as aggressively as usual because your hand cannot hold the piece as firmly as it would be if it were clamped or had more mass.


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## 3woodworkers4life (May 27, 2014)

Dave10 said:


> *Sanding Small Parts*
> 
> Recently i found a need to sand some small parts of a project with my Random Orbit Sander. They were too small to clamp down and my sander would just throw them out from under it. I just clamped the ROS upside down in my leg vise and held the small piece on the rotating pad. This doesn't work as aggressively as usual because your hand cannot hold the piece as firmly as it would be if it were clamped or had more mass.


Great idea.


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## JSOvens (Nov 12, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Sanding Small Parts*
> 
> Recently i found a need to sand some small parts of a project with my Random Orbit Sander. They were too small to clamp down and my sander would just throw them out from under it. I just clamped the ROS upside down in my leg vise and held the small piece on the rotating pad. This doesn't work as aggressively as usual because your hand cannot hold the piece as firmly as it would be if it were clamped or had more mass.


What a coincidence, I just used this idea a few days ago. I found the key was little, if any downward pressure, I only needed to hold the sides to stabilize the piece. It works great doesn't it?


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Sanding Small Parts*
> 
> Recently i found a need to sand some small parts of a project with my Random Orbit Sander. They were too small to clamp down and my sander would just throw them out from under it. I just clamped the ROS upside down in my leg vise and held the small piece on the rotating pad. This doesn't work as aggressively as usual because your hand cannot hold the piece as firmly as it would be if it were clamped or had more mass.


Send pictures of your finger nails !!

Otherwise very clever Dave


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Sanding Small Parts*
> 
> Recently i found a need to sand some small parts of a project with my Random Orbit Sander. They were too small to clamp down and my sander would just throw them out from under it. I just clamped the ROS upside down in my leg vise and held the small piece on the rotating pad. This doesn't work as aggressively as usual because your hand cannot hold the piece as firmly as it would be if it were clamped or had more mass.





> Send pictures of your finger nails !!
> 
> Otherwise very clever Dave
> 
> - robscastle


Yeah, that photo is with the sander off. In actual use I was really holding the piece more with my palm with my fingers just guiding the piece. Like an above poster said: light pressure.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Specialized Tiny Sander*










While making some bottle openers, I needed a way to get into a small area and sand, so I cut a piece of thick dowel, cut a neck into it to help me get past an installed and glued-on washer, glued on a piece of sandpaper with contact cement, trimmed it and sanded away. It was a simple fix to an odd problem, but I'm not positive everyone would have considered such a low tech approach.


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *Specialized Tiny Sander*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ahah ! THAT'S what it's for ! Thinking inside the curve Dave, good idea.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Specialized Tiny Sander*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Ahah ! THAT S what it s for ! Thinking inside the curve Dave, good idea.
> 
> - racerglen


Glad I got folks wondering about things.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*










Painting pyramids work well for larger projects, but when you have smaller items to spray, something on a smaller scale is needed. I took a piece of corrugated cardboard and inserted tacks in it from the bottom. I spaced them about an inch apart and covered the flat sides with tape to help hold them in. The item you want to spray is held up by the points of the 'thumb' tacks so that it won't stick to whatever it's resting on.



















[EDIT] I just found a few more pictures from earlier in the process:


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## Reaperwoodworks (Nov 4, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great idea!


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Excellent idea, Dave!


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


THAT's what I can do with those thumb tacks! Thanks, Dave.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm glad this tip is being well received. I had it in mind for quite a while before actually doing it. Then I used it for a while before sharing it.


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## robscastle (May 13, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like a very smart and practical idea, you could also have a snooze on it

Nice band saw box too!


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## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A very welcoming idea. Will use this idea right now as I just found a container of thumb tacks yesterday and was going to throw them out.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I just found a few more pictures from earlier in the process. I've added them above.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Card of Tacks for Spraying Smaller Items*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Nice band saw box too!
> 
> - robscastle


Thanks. I've been trying to sneak a peek of other finished projects in some of these recent tips. Glad you noticed.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Cork Feet*

Have you ever had a project the needs little feet to get it off the table, but you only have wine corks? This happened to me recently, so I cut the corks into about 1/2 inch slices with my mini miter box and glued one in each corner of the project. To be sure they were level I rubbed the installed feet on a sheet of course sandpaper fixed to my flat work bench. Instant cork feet.


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## DIYaholic (Jan 28, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *Cork Feet*
> 
> Have you ever had a project the needs little feet to get it off the table, but you only have wine corks? This happened to me recently, so I cut the corks into about 1/2 inch slices with my mini miter box and glued one in each corner of the project. To be sure they were level I rubbed the installed feet on a sheet of course sandpaper fixed to my flat work bench. Instant cork feet.


I too have used cork feet….

I did this for an end grain cutting board.
I recessed and epoxied the feet into 1/4" deep holes.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Wandering Bandsaw*

The last time I used my band saw it started acting up. I had a hard time steering the cut, but I got through it. It was just a band saw box.

Today I discovered what the problem was. For whatever reason, perhaps my wheel tilting adjustment is loose, the blade was not between the guide blocks. It's just a, 1/8 inch blade, so there's not much fudge room. It wasn't the saw, it was my set up!

So if your band saw blade is wandering around, check your guide blocks!

[Fun Fact: The Esperanto word for band saw is bendosegilo.]


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Uses for Those Plastic Cards*










We seem to get a lot of those plastic cards that just get thrown away after they've been used. Whether it's old gift cards or those 'fake' credit cards that American Express sends out, I've been looking for ways to at least use them for something before chucking them in the trash. With 3 of us using tracfones, we get a steady diet of the refill cards as well.

[*Below*] Mainly I use mine to mix epoxy on or to hold a small pool of wood glue for those surgical applications on small projects. Some of the cards are actually cardboard, but the plastic ones can be reused. The dried glue will often fall off if the card is flexed several times










[*Below*] I also use them to spread glue on larger surfaces. If you cut the edge of the card with pinking shears, you can make a metering edge as well. I just use the smooth edge as a spreader.










[*Below*] The larger ones, like the refill cards from tracfone can be used as zero clearance inserts for your band saw. I haven't tried yet, but I suppose it would work similarly for the scroll saw.










Two uses that are not pictured are that you can use them as 'gentle' scrapers for removing labels on plywood sheets. Just wet the label with some kind of solvents, wait a minute and scrape away. Plastic won't scratch most woods.

The last thing I use these cards for is to scrape light frost off the windows of my car. The flexibility of the card conforms better to the curved glass of a car better than a hard plastic ice scraper.


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## Pimzedd (Jan 22, 2007)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good blog. I traveled some up until last year. I kept the magnetic strip room keys. Some say they have some of your information encoded on them and that you should keep them. Didn't make any difference to me. I just wanted them for glue spreaders!


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


What a great idea, so many uses for these items in the shop, thank you


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Oh so timely, Dave! I broke a scroll project today because of the too big clearance hole! Fortunately, it was only one letter that I can easily redo tomorrow, AFTER I make a ZCI!
Thanks for sharing!


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## Oldtool (May 27, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I much agree with you on this Dave, I have a small box of these cards, used mainly as shims. They are just the right thickness for installing inset doors, and one of these cut to about 1" wide makes a good tool for cleaning out the shavings in hand planes without effecting the blade's edge. The uses are many, and as you say - they're free.


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## kepy (Mar 5, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They also work to check that your scrollsaw blade is square to the table.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Oh so timely, Dave! I broke a scroll project today because of the too big clearance hole! Fortunately, it was only one letter that I can easily redo tomorrow, AFTER I make a ZCI!
> Thanks for sharing!
> 
> - CFrye


I broke my first official scroll saw blade recently. I'm still trying to turn too quickly. Glad to have helped.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> They also work to check that your scrollsaw blade is square to the table.
> 
> - kepy


I never would have thought to use one as a square! Thanks!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Good blog. I traveled some up until last year. I kept the magnetic strip room keys. Some say they have some of your information encoded on them and that you should keep them. Didn t make any difference to me. I just wanted them for glue spreaders!
> 
> - Pimzedd


My main source is gift cards to our grocery store. Our church sells them at a 5% profit. (it's a arrangement with the store. We pay face value, but the church gets them at a 5% discount.) Easy fundraiser.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Uses for Those Plastic Cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The ZCI is a great idea.
For a glue spreader, borrow your wife's pinking shears and cut the card.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Another use for those plastic cards*










Ever need a square and you don't have one? If you don't need extreme precision, this will at least allow you to strike a line straighter than freehand.

I was doing a project and being intentionally minimalist. I wanted to strike lines across a 1×2 to guide my eye for hand sawing. I grabbed one of my glue cards, folded in in half and presto, I had something like a square.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Dave10 said:


> *Another use for those plastic cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hmmm, I guess that works!


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## htl (Mar 24, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Another use for those plastic cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It works great for dowels too!!!
Wrap it around a dowel or anything round and match up the edges and there you go.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Another use for those plastic cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> It works great for dowels too!!!
> 
> - htl


I'll have to admit, I'm not sure what you mean by that.


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## vcooney (Jan 4, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Another use for those plastic cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I was in a similar predicament where I needed a long strait edge to draw a line but didn't have one at hand and my friend told me to use a tape measure turn it upside down, the bow in the tape keeps it strait to make a nice strait edge to draw a line.


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## kepy (Mar 5, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Another use for those plastic cards*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I always keep an old credit card in the drawer under my scroll saw as it works great to ensure that the blade is aligned true.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*Old trick for an open miter*

[*Below*] Ever have one miter that doesn't quite close? Here's a trick I got from somewhere at some time.










[*Below*] Dab some wood glue on the open miter and work it in to the joint. Wipe off any excess, but don't use water.










[*Below*] Go over the joint with your sander. A random orbit sander works best. The saw dust from the sanding fills the joint. Note: this won't work on wide gaps unless you're painting the piece.


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## htl (Mar 24, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *Old trick for an open miter*
> 
> [*Below*] Ever have one miter that doesn't quite close? Here's a trick I got from somewhere at some time.
> 
> ...


Have used that trick many a time.
One other trick I like to use is stain and finish the frame in my case face frame and then before the finish coat put some colored putty to fill the joint, don't do it before you put your first coat of stain and finish the putty can seal the wood around it and won't let the stain soak in.
Just my $.02


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## Mean_Dean (Oct 13, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *Old trick for an open miter*
> 
> [*Below*] Ever have one miter that doesn't quite close? Here's a trick I got from somewhere at some time.
> 
> ...


Good tip, Dave! I've heard this one before, but it's good to be reminded.


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## HillbillyShooter (Feb 15, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *Old trick for an open miter*
> 
> [*Below*] Ever have one miter that doesn't quite close? Here's a trick I got from somewhere at some time.
> 
> ...


Good tip. Thanks for posting.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*To the last drop*

This is a tip that I got from the pooroldchap YouTube channel [link]. He posts what he terms Workshop Waffles where he talks about things in his workshop.

If you use WD-40 or a similar aerosol propelled lubrication oil this may help you save a few cents. I took an old metal oil can that once contained sewing machine oil. I'm not sure if anything like this can still be purchased or if they've all gone over to plastic. A plastic bottle may be usable, but you'll need a tiny funnel or somesuch to fill it.










The rim of my oil can is raised, so I poked a hole in it with an awl, but not on the very edge. With the can of WD-40 flat on my bench I aimed the plastic tube downwards into a container and sprayed every last bit I could until there was no more propellant. Then I poked a hole in it on the side and poured out any remaining oil into the container that I had sprayed into.










I carefully poured the oil into the top of my re-used oil can letting the oil drain into the hole. Tnen I took a very short sheet metal screw and sealed the hole with it. I got about a half can's worth of oil to use.


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## papadan (Mar 6, 2009)

Dave10 said:


> *To the last drop*
> 
> This is a tip that I got from the pooroldchap YouTube channel [link]. He posts what he terms Workshop Waffles where he talks about things in his workshop.
> 
> ...


WHY? You sprayed all the oil into a bucket and poured into a can! Squirt cans of household oils are available everywhere.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *To the last drop*
> 
> This is a tip that I got from the pooroldchap YouTube channel [link]. He posts what he terms Workshop Waffles where he talks about things in his workshop.
> 
> ...


WD40 makes terrible cans. I've never had one that didn't run out of propellant with about half the oil left in it. It's the one reason I buy other brands now. I've thought about trying this but I'm half afraid of getting a face full of wd40 because I didn't get all the propellant out.


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## DancingWood (Jan 16, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *To the last drop*
> 
> This is a tip that I got from the pooroldchap YouTube channel [link]. He posts what he terms Workshop Waffles where he talks about things in his workshop.
> 
> ...


I'm glad I came across this. I just threw out a can that ran out of aerosol though it seems to have had quite a bit of lubricant left in it. I pulled it out of the trash poked a couple of holes in the top and recovered a few ounces. Thanks Dave!


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

*One key to file cleaning*










I've seen a few things telling of how to clean out the teeth of a file. One old-timey way, the source of which I cannot find was to hammer the end of a large nail flat and run that over the file groove-wise. The teeth of the file will cut the nail into a sort of rake which will force out any aluminum or other soft metal bits, even sawdust!

This video says pretty much the same thing:





View on YouTube

So I don't yet own a file card brush, but I had a few old keys to a padlock that broke. I ground the head of the key to a wide flat spot and mounted it in a small piece of scrap wood as a handle. The key is held in by friction.










After some use the key gained the grooves that clean out the teeth of the file you are working on. Keys are usually made of brass, so its a good use for old ones.


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## RonAylor1760 (Aug 17, 2016)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good tip, Dave … thanks for posting. Have you ever tried soaking your files in white vinegar overnight? If not, give it a try … your files will be as sharp as the day you bought them. For really rusted ones you may have to soak for two days!


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## Kelster58 (Dec 2, 2016)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow, two really good tips. Thanks for sharing.


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...





> Good tip, Dave … thanks for posting. Have you ever tried soaking your files in white vinegar overnight? If not, give it a try … your files will be as sharp as the day you bought them. For really rusted ones you may have to soak for two days!
> 
> - Ron Aylor


I did the vinagar soak a few years ago. It makes for a neat science experiment.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice tip with the copper Dave.
I never heard of the white vinegar trick. May have to try it. 
Lot less caustic than using the sulfuric acid method.


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## 9x9 (Jan 2, 2015)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Good tips --- will have to try em --- THANKS


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## Dave10 (May 29, 2012)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I'm glad you like them.


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## BigYin (Oct 14, 2011)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


on a new or clean file rub with chalk before using stays clean longer and easier to clean


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## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Dave10 said:


> *One key to file cleaning*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks. I was aware of the file brush. But this is a new technique for me.


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