Tool Review-Tool Band-it Magnetic Tool Holder

One of the problems of working up on a ladder, is you have no place to set the small tools and fasteners were you can retrieve them. The Tool Band-It is a handy solution to this problem. Just velcro it on your arm and the those small tools and fasteners go where ever you do.-Read More

Workshop Renovation Part XIII-Hardware Supply Cabinet

Part of the work shop renovation project required the removal of my fastener bins from the garage wall. Now that they were removed, I had to come up with a solution for long term storage. My neighbor is also a woodworker and had built a "rolling wall" of open parts bins he had acquired. It was a lot larger than I needed, but the concept had possibilities. Taking this idea, I modified it to my own needs and designed a rolling parts cabinet that fit into my modular workshop program.-Read More

V-Clamp Support Jig

The V-Clamp Vacuum Clamp is basically designed to hold objects for routing, etc. However, it can also be used as a "third hand" for supporting projects while you work on them. I used three of the mountable V-Clamps to create a multi-position jig. -Read More

Shop Tip-Don't Throw Away that Old Compressor

XXXXxxxYour old "little compressor" has finally pumped its last PSI and you have to go out and buy another BIGGER one with MORE capacity. Naturally you'd like one of those huge commercial versions, that are as big a door, but cost and sheer size make you settle for a smaller more portable version. Once you get your new "Toy" back home, you look at your trusty old compressor and try to decide if you want to scavenge any parts off it, or just dump at the curb and salute it as the garbage truck rolls off into the sunset. Don't Throw Away that Old Compressor!, the extra tank volume of your old compressor can augment the capacity of your new portable compressor and give you an increased air storage volume nearly as large as the commercial version "you really wanted". -Read More

Tool Review-V Clamp Vacuum Clamps

V-Clamps are a handy way to hold parts from the bottom side so you can rout, sand, saw, carve or assemble with no obstructions on the face of your work piece . These little industrial-strength workhorses use a tiny amount of compressed air to generate a huge amount of clamping force, up to 330 pounds. The two different models allow for use in a variety of applications, both vertically or horizontally.-Read More

Workshop Renovation Part XII-Shop Compressed Air Extensions

We've already discussed equipping your shop with a central compressed air line. This technique made it inexpensive to not only plumb air connections, as required, but add connections easily. When I finished my work bench I added a cross garage extension of my shop air line. I did this by a "T" off a convenient connection on the main line. -Read More

Shop Tip- Splicing Plywood Sheets

XXXNothing is more aggravating than running out of plywood late on a Sunday afternoon, with your project nearing completion. Short of waiting to the next day to buy an entire sheet of plywood, what can you do? Naturally "Necessity is the Mother of Invention", so when faced with this problem I decided to splice some plywood sheeting.-Read More

Workshop Renovation Part XII-Wall Cabinets

As the garage renovation continued I found the loss of shelving space was not entirely replaced with my modular cabinet system. I still had wall space so the obvious answer was to build some wall mounted cabinets similar to the above built ins. -Read More

Tool Review-Bosch PS50-2B Multi-X Carpenter Kit

The Bosch Multi-X Carpenter Kit, is a cordless version of the Fein Multi-Master. It too is a "Must Have" for every Do-it-Yourselfer and tradesman. The capability to get in an trim materials easily in tight spaces is unmatched by any other tool I have ever used. Not only does it make precise cuts, but the danger of a spinning blade causing personal or material damage is minimized. The advantage of a cordless version, makes it handy for many home repairs-Read More

Workshop Renovation Part XI-Tilting Assembly Table

One of the things I have always needed in my shop, was a table large enough to assemble large projects, such as cabinets, etc. The only problem was a lack of floor space for a fixed or even moveable table. It dawned on me that a table that could tilt vertically or fold up like a card table would be the way to go. The table had to be even with the bench top and could not interfere with opening the cabinet drawers.-Read More

Workshop Renovation Part X-Central Dust Collection System

Years ago when I set up my garage shop, I spent hours removing the accumulated dust and grime. Unfortunately that pristine condition only lasted until my first sanding job. Clearly a more organized set up was required to handle machine and hand sanding jobs, while eliminating the numerous hoses on the shop floor, one can trip on.

My plan was developed to utilize all the vacuums and hoses I had, but to integrate them into a system that could work with any of may dust producing hand or bench power tools. A easily disassembled central system was necessary to couple with the modular bench cabinets I had already built.

The first step was to calculate the capacity of the system I would need. -Read More

Workshop Renovation Part IX-Media Cabinets

No self respecting "man cave" is complete without a media center. There's nothing like a TV or radio in the shop during football season and a cabinet keeps the saw dust out when not in use. -Read More

Tool Review-Bosch PS40-2A Impact Driver

The PS-40 Pocket Impact-Driver is a small and lighter version of a cordless drill that is designed with a hammering function that spins fast, to produce about three times the torque of a drill. This means an impact driver will put in screws, bolts, and other fasteners much faster than a drill would. It can drill holes, up to 1/2 inch and so handle just about any job a homeowner or contractor would do around the house. If you are looking for that all around tool for your tool shop, this is it.-Read More

BLUETOOTH YOUR HEARING PROTECTORS

Hearing protection is always a must when operating power tools, but makes listening to a radio or iPod difficult. Peltor solved part of this problem by offering a hearing protector with an AM/FM radio. Naturally, soon after I bought one of these headsets, they came out with a version that included an iPod hookup integral to the sound protection. This was a huge improvement to my "listening pleasure", but it soon became obvious that the iPod chord was going to be problematic, constantly getting caught on things around the shop. The final straw was when I snagged the chord so hard, I broke one of the internal wires. There had to be a better way.

Bluetooth headsets are rapidly coming on the market (I even have one built into my ski helmet), but no one has taken the "hint" on sound protection headphones. However, the solution was as simple by adding a Bluetooth receiver to the hearing protectors. -Read More

Weatherproofing the Rolling Wood Rack

The rolling wood rack I built must sit in my driveway to allow me to work in the garage, so eventually it was going to get rained on. At first I just threw a tarp over it which worked fine for several months, but this wasn't a perfect solution as had to be fastened all the time making access difficult. The rack sat outside for several months, while I was renovating the garage, and eventually the plastic tarp started to deteriorate from the sun and get pin holes from the wind abrading it on the corners of the wood. Naturally the day before I was going to do this project, a storm went through ripped holes in the tarp's weak areas and some of the wood got wet, leaving food for the fireplace.

I got a new tarp and decided to build and upper frame to secure the tarp in place and keep it away from the sharp wood corners. -Read More

Securing Lumber Loads

Carting all that lumber home can sometimes be a challenge, if not secured properly. Nothing ruins a day, like leaving your expensive lumber all over the highway and calling your auto insurance company. A few commercially available tools have come on the market that are designed to keep your load from sliding out the back of your pickup truck bed. They take advantage of the gap between the bed and tailgate. Even though these are made just down the road from me, I could not find a retailer that carried them. The other problem I noticed was that the "Load Latch" bowed the plywood sheets and could damage pre-finished plywood. Not to be deterred I came up with my own version, that was a lot cheaper too. -Read More