Put several magnets on the message board for hanging project plans, supply lists and even small metal tools such as a paint can opener or scissors. Above the workbench is a perfect place for mounting a magnet board. — Bill Jones
I used to keep screws in a coffee can, but when I reached in with my hand, the screw points pricked my fingers. The can was also a dust and dirt depot. I bought a clear water bottle with a pop-up lid and poured screws into the bottle with a funnel. The screws stay clean, and I can shake them out of the bottle one at a time. — Bruce Burley.
Working on your latest project is easiest when you can work at a comfortable height. These ABC boxes, so called because they’re made with sides of three different dimensions, allow you to change up the height of your work surface depending on your current need. By rotating the boxes or standing them on end, you’ll get three different heights.
I do a lot of power sanding at my workbench, and all the sawdust kept getting into the outlet strip and interfering with the electrical contact. Now I put a strip of masking tape over outlets I’m not using and replace it as needed. The outlet strips last a lot longer! — Helene Lesel
Here’s an easy way to keep your air hose and fittings in one place and out of the way. Screw a coffee can onto a scrap piece of plywood. Attach a 2-1/2 in. riser block to the edge of the plywood and hang the entire contraption from a wall or work-bench. Drape your air hose over the coffee can, and store your fittings inside. It also works great for hanging extension cords. — Walter Barndt. Need an air compressor?
My husband is always hounding me about wearing eye protection whenever I use power tools. (Admittedly, I could be more diligent about it.) So, he recently glued some small magnets to several pairs of safety glasses and stuck them on all the power tools in our garage that have metal housings. Now it’s fast and easy for me to grab the glasses when I need them, and I’m reminded that my husband loves me. — Lisa Yanda. Here’s the other must-have safety gear every DIYer should own.
I find the best way to protect my cast-iron table saw top is to occasionally rub on a coat of paste wax. This gives me a nice, slick top for easier material feeding, and if I drip glue on the surface, it won’t stick. It also helps prevent surface rust when the air is humid. — Jack Linden
Are your table saw accessories where you need them — when you need them? Follow reader D. E. Warner’s advice: Attach pegboard panels to the stand to hold the wandering herd of push sticks, blades, throat plates, wrenches and jigs. On an open metal stand with angle-iron legs, drill holes in the legs and bolt the pegboard in place. Here’s another super storage project using pegboard.
Instead of permanently mounting my 6-in. vise to a workbench, I attached it to scrap plywood so I can clamp it wherever I need it. Stack two pieces of 3/4-in. plywood and screw them together with 1-1/4 in. drywall screws. Mark the vise-mounting holes on the plywood and drill 3/4-in. guide holes through both pieces. Recess the nut by drilling through the bottom sheet with a 1-in. spade bit using the 3/4-in. hole as a guide. Fasten the vise to the plywood with bolts sized to match the vise-mounting holes. If the bolt shafts are too long, cut them off with a hacksaw. — LuAnn Aiu. Plus: Learn how to use vise grips to pull nails.
When I change blades on my band saw, I usually need to adjust the thrust bearings and guides with an Allen wrench. I was tired of hunting around for the wrench, so I decided to stick it to the steel housing with a rare earth magnet (neodymium) about the size of a jacket button. Now it’s always handy! — Bill Wells. You can also use a magnet on your ladder.
As a carpenter, I need to bring certain items with me every day. I bought a cheap plastic tote in the tool storage area at a home center and modified it for my needs. I made a small plywood deck, drilled a couple of 3-in. holes for coffee cups or glue bottles and then fastened it to the tote. Another piece of plywood has holes to keep pencils upright and organized. My tote sits nicely on my bench seat, but it could also be attached to the floor with hook-and-loop fasteners. You could easily customize these totes for plumbing, garden or painting tools, or electrical supplies. — Don Simms. Check out this DIY jumbo tote for fasteners.
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