Smart Shop tips!

[pmsmechanic]

Ya I keep old tips too. It's really handy when you go to use a previously used can of spray paint and the tip is plugged.

 

[dragoneggs]

Okay here's another one... if you haven't played around with CA glue with spray accelerator, give it a try. I use it frequently as such temporarily holding something until I get a couple screws or brads in (picture frames, building simple jigs for woodworking, etc. Instant bond. Much faster than just using CA glue. But place the piece exactly where you want it as there is no moving it once it comes in contact.

No wait for glue to dry, no worries about hitting a nail/brad while cutting or drilling, and you can usually snap the wood pieces off with sharp blow if you need to tweak it or salvage the wood for another use. When it fails the wood tends to be intact.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Here's a tip!
Harbor Freight vibratory tumblers aren't expensive, the smaller one. Get one and toss the plastic round top. Replace it with a locking style shoebox size plastic box from the dollar store. Drill, mount it on platform. Inside box use an empty (of course ) pickle jar. Put media and tools, etc in jar) locking box. As it runs you can see jar slowly turning.
Two advantages: no dust and it holds much larger things than the small round tumbler. Does a fantastic job.

 

[Aussiebushman]

Hoping a bunch of us will chime in here with their tips. I have a bunch...

Get in the habit of putting your tools away when finished for the day. I rarely have a cluttered workspace and I never search for the tool I am looking for. Except for a tape measure. Got four or five laying around but never where I need one.
:confused3:

The only problem I have in finding tools is that the possums borrow them and don't put them back where they found them.

 

[gsganzer]

It may have already been posted, but I saw a nifty way to store battery powered drills and drivers using PVC pipe with a slot cut in it, like this...

 

[downsizingnow48]

This the best rag solution I have come across so far.

 

[dragoneggs]

For those of you that cut up 4 by 8 ft plywood using a circular saw and straight edge. Buy a piece of 1in Pink hard foam board insulation. Comes in 4 by 8ft panels. Just throw it on a table or flat ground. Set your blade 1/8in or so deeper than your plywood thickness and cut away on your sacrificial backer board. Once you are done, it is nice and light and you can throw it anywhere to store it.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Grandad thought of this years ago (50s). Instead of throwing one gallon metal cans away he cut as shown by the black line, straight down about 5", up at angle across, down other side to match, removing the spout area. Pliers he'd bend sharp edge inside 1/4". Then lined up on a shelf. Each one different sized nails, screws, etc.
You saw what it was then it had a handle to pick it up by, contents went to bottom.

 

[bigtiller]

I've shown this before but here it is again.

My drill bit holder in 1 inch thick hard wood. Drill each hole a 64th inch oversized to allow for wood movement and about 1/2 inch between bits to have room for getting the bit you want. Identify the sizes with garage sale price stickers and cover the stickers with clear tape to keep them on the board and clean.

 

[dragoneggs]

I've shown this before but here it is again.

My drill bit holder in 1 inch thick hard wood. Drill each hole a 64th inch oversized to allow for wood movement and about 1/2 inch between bits to have room for getting the bit you want. Identify the sizes with garage sale price stickers and cover the stickers with clear tape to keep them on the board and clean.

View attachment 659732

Nice! I need a misc bit rack like this. So many are laying down mixed up that I have no clue what I have.

BUT what do you do to make your largest drill size hole 1/64th oversized? :laughing:

 

[Big Barn]

Nice! I need a misc bit rack like this. So many are laying down mixed up that I have no clue what I have.

BUT what do you do to make your largest drill size hole 1/64th oversized? :laughing:

You buy a drill bit that size, drill the hole and then throw the bit away.

 

[dragoneggs]

You buy a drill bit that size, drill the hole and then throw the bit away.

Another smart shop tip!

:mur: ...Why did I not think of that?

 

[two_bit_score]

Grandad thought of this years ago (50s). Instead of throwing one gallon metal cans away he cut as shown by the black line, straight down about 5", up at angle across, down other side to match, removing the spout area. Pliers he'd bend sharp edge inside 1/4". Then lined up on a shelf. Each one different sized nails, screws, etc.
You saw what it was then it had a handle to pick it up by, contents went to bottom.View attachment 659723

That’s a good idea. I use an old can opener and just cut the top off.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Perhaps not shop per se'..... but when I open a bottle (gallon) of bar oil for my chainsaws, I take the cap off but instead of taking the seal under it off, I punch a hole in it with a Phillips so now I have a much more controlled flow of oil into the saw.

Good idea. Another idea that I've found useful regarding chainsaw oil bottles, replace the cap with the lid off of a mustard bottle. The flip top saves me a lot of time when overfilling my chainsaw :laughing:

 

[TheFarmerInAdell]

Perhaps not shop per se'..... but when I open a bottle (gallon) of bar oil for my chainsaws, I take the cap off but instead of taking the seal under it off, I punch a hole in it with a Phillips so now I have a much more controlled flow of oil into the saw.

I use the 2-in-1 gas cans. One side is 1.5 gal of fuel, the other is 1/2 gal of oil. The spouts it came with are horrendous. I've just been too occupied (or lazy?) to find alternatives that work better.


In searching for an image I discovered they make a saddle pack for this type of can. This is now on my shopping list.

 

[PILOON]

When re building a carburetor I smear the gasket with grease, it makes for a good seal and can be reused a few times.

 

[PILOON]

In my shop I made a long swinging overhead arm from which I hang an extension cord.
I hate tripping over a gaggle of extension cords!
I hang a trouble light and a splitter for power tools.

 

[two_bit_score]

Good idea. Another idea that I've found useful regarding chainsaw oil bottles, replace the cap with the lid off of a mustard bottle. The flip top saves me a lot of time when overfilling my chainsaw :laughing:

I don’t go through a gallon of oil when I use my saws so I rarely am filling the saws in the field from a gallon jug. A quart bottle is usually fine for field pours but I may try changing the cap to a mustard top.

 

[Wagtail]

I use the 2-in-1 gas cans. One side is 1.5 gal of fuel, the other is 1/2 gal of oil. The spouts it came with are horrendous. I've just been too occupied (or lazy?) to find alternatives that work better.
View attachment 659768

In searching for an image I discovered they make a saddle pack for this type of can. This is now on my shopping list.
View attachment 659769

Easy-peasy solution as I have a similar can for 2-stroke/chain oil... I replaced the both of the spouts with the cut-off tops of 1.5 ltr (or whatever equivalent size in Imperial) plastic drink bottles.

Cut across at the 'flare' so that when you screw down the lock-collar, with the ring gasket, you get a good seal. Now you have a short spout with a screw-cap that's a heck of a lot easier to manage and fill the smaller tanks of you chainsaw, whipper-snipper, etc...

 

[pmsmechanic]

Easy-peasy solution as I have a similar can for 2-stroke/chain oil... I replaced the both of the spouts with the cut-off tops of 1.5 ltr (or whatever equivalent size in Imperial) plastic drink bottles.

Cut across at the 'flare' so that when you screw down the lock-collar, with the ring gasket, you get a good seal. Now you have a short spout with a screw-cap that's a heck of a lot easier to manage and fill the smaller tanks of you chainsaw, whipper-snipper, etc...

I had to read twice to picture what you said. Good idea!