Lean Thinking Tip #1: Handle Plywood Once

In the past some of the various strategies I’ve used for handling sheet goods in a small shop included cutting in half lengthwise and stacking on shelves, piling vertically against a wall, inserting in a “vertical file,” etc.  No matter, a stored sheet is a thief of time, a hog of space.  Now I schedule all the cuts and piece sizes before the plywood arrives.  When it comes off the truck it goes directly onto the tablesaw and is cut before the next sheet comes off the truck.  A roller stand is located between the truck bed and tablesaw to make this aspect of materials handling even easier. 

Tool Tip #2: Nuts over Tangs

Turned wooden handles are fine for large files and rasps or for those used frequently, but they are quite bulky and what about protecting the tangs of all the other myriad files in your collection?  Wire connectors (wire nuts) make perfect sheaths to save your palm or tool bag from the sharply cut edges.  Wire connectors come in several color-coded sizes.  So it's easy to find one that will tighten snugly over the end of most any file or rasp.

Medicine Cabinet & Shelf Unit

Tool Tip #1: Block Tenderizing

Did you ever rubberize a raw egg back in elementary school science by soaking it in vinegar?  Vinegar works well to rubberize rubber too.  So if you have some quarter-sheet sanding blocks with stiff upper lips that refuse to open enough to admit and latch the paper easily onto the nails, try this:  completely immerse the block(s) in fresh vinegar for ten days or so.  Unless the block is really more plastic than rubber it should emerge fresh and flexible as the day you bought it.  The bottom now might even flex to concave during paper installation, insuring a nice taut sanding surface.

Historic Louvre Reproductions at Grand Canyon National Park (in the 4 gables)

Historic Louvre Reproductions for Grand Canyon National Park

Finishing Tip #2: Fly Paper

Double-stick tape makes a great "fly paper" to prevent small parts from taking off when spraying, especially in the stronger slipstream of a spray gun.  Pictured here are the fillets used in both the shoe rail and railing of the Feb. 1, 2009 Stairwell posting.  The double-stick tape is most helpful when spraying the smallest of items such as buttons, plugs, washers, knobs, etc.

Flying Hint #3: Pocket Board

Probably an APP exists for putting the local ATIS on the screen of your cell, but my little pocket board is the next best thing.  Just a small pad secured with binder clips, the pocket board provides a compact, tear-off surface to write down the ATIS, and the other side has two looseleaf binder sleeves to insert local and destination frequencies.  Clipboards, knee boards, yoke boards always seemed distracting, cumbersome and now obviated by glass panels, but for short-hop flying the pocket board works great. And remember:  after listening to the Automatic Terminal Information Service, don't tell the controller that you "have numbers."

Finishing Tip #1: No-Clean Paint "Tray"

Not unusually doing a job right requires more time.   Such is the case with paint finishes where rolling inevitably produces a superior surface texture to brushing, but yet for small jobs setting up and cleaning a roller tray seems daunting.  Instead, just spread out a section of waxed paper, dip the roller slightly into the paint can, and roll out the paint on the waxed paper, adding more as needed.  There you go, a uniformly coated roller ready to use, no tray to clean up and, if you use a foam roller, a tool easier to clean than a brush.

Residential Spiral Staircase (Construction Phase)

Woodworking Tip #2: Corner Cut Outs

The corner cut outs in the floor and ceiling of the recently posted Illuminated Display/Trophy Case had to be identical and precise.  This was achieved by vertically clamping the piece to the back of a single-slot sled, moving away from the fence with a spacer block (to clear the waste piece), and passing through the blade, which was set at the required height.  Thus both the height and the width of the cut out were accomplished simultaneously.  The photo does, however, have a minor error.  What is it?

Tambour Light Valence

Craftsman Computer Desk

Craftsman Computer Desk (Detail)

Atlas, Dictionary or Bible Stand

Atlas, Dictionary or Bible Stand

Woodworking Tip #1: Precision Chops

Attaining knife trimmer precision and removing just a hairline of wood is possible with most any chop saw barring floppy bearings.  Just pull the blade down and lock it.  Move the piece of wood over to contact the blade fully and clamp the wood firmly.  Now raise the blade, start the motor and let the blade reach full r.p.m, to preclude deflection, before making the cut.  Theoretically the amount of this cut is equal to one half the difference between the blade kerf and the thickness of the blade plate.  A 96-tooth blade aids greatly in this matter, Freud’s cutoff blade being one of my favorites.

Illuminated Trophy/Display Case

Illuminated Trophy/Display Case (Detail)

Cafe Tables (Set of Six)

Cafe Table (Apron Detail)

Hungarian Shelves

For some details on the wedges used for Hungarian shelves click below 

 

Wedges for Hungarian Shelves

Flagstaff Desk -- Style 1

Solid Cherry Wall System (library ladder not shown)

Solid Cherry Wall System (library ladder not shown)

Solid Cherry Wall System (library ladder not shown)

Dining Set for Eight (4 chairs not shown)

Dining Set for Eight (4 chairs not shown)

Indirect Lighting Frame

Indirect Lighting Frame

Forest Spirit Outdoor Sculpture

Chess Table with Store Game Shelf

Chess Table with Store Game Shelf

6-Piece Office Suite

6-Piece Office Suite

Panelless Wainscoting with Light Shelf

Panelless Wainscoting with Light Shelf

Illuminated Hutch

Illuminated Hutch

Flying Hint #2: Headset Static

So why in the world am I hearing static in my Telex Echelon headset with electronic noise reduction circuitry? Easy to blame the radios, but it finally dawned on me that my penchant for fresh air was overwhelming the headset's noise reduction capacity. By directing the draft from the overhead adjustable ventilator toward my face I had been funneling the blast right into the microphone. Just a small change in the ventilator angle solved the static noise problem.

Triple Level Reception Center

Triple Level Reception Center

Apronless Shipping Tables with Pegboard Legs

Apronless Shipping Tables with Pegboard Legs

Stairwell

Stairwell

Rolling Kitchen Island with Drawers, Cubby, Towel Racks

Flying Hint #1: Displaced Threshold

Taking off on runway 21 at the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport I couldn't help but admire the lovely paving job on the 1800' runway extension which includes its own taxiway access. Less impressed was I by the pilots skipping this fine pavement (no back taxiing necessary) for their takeoff roll. For myself I could see finding that extra 1800' quite sweet in the face of an aborted takeoff. I myself enjoy being in airplanes, a minute's more taxi time is not a problem.

Retail Display and Storage

Case for Wooden Type with Typesetting Desktop