Tips to make your work go more smoothly

[Chris Knight]

When vacuuming up a metalworking lathe - with its fixed tools- that has been used for turning a bit of wood into vast piles of sawdust, remember one of the following:-

1. lathe tools are sharp, or:-
2. Wear gloves, or:-
3. use an extension on the nozzle, or:
4. Remove tools from quick change tool holder before vacuuming, or:-
5. Get someone else to do it, or:-
6. Blow the sawdust onto the floor with your airline and pick it up from there, or:-
7. Don't bother, just leave it messy as usual.

 

[cambournepete]

The first method ensures a clean smooth cut. The second gives a more lumpy finish, not unlike you might expect from planing balsa wood with a spoon.

Please don't write such funny things - makes other people in the office wonder what you're up to ...

 

[Midnight]

it's always best to empty your DC before it gets to overflowing..... not after...

 

[Shady]

I've now proved that a Bosch half sheet belt sander doesn't work any better if you wrap the power cable into the mechanism at high speed and sand through it - although it's more exciting and cheaper than a day out at legoland... :shock:

In similar vein, (learned being lazy because a bandsaw is 'safe'), if you want to test how strong your heart is, try feeding a square piece of stock into it freehand, tilted at 45 degrees (so as to produce an octagonal blank). Any weakness in the stock will allow your powerful bandsaw motor to snap the waste clean off with a thrilling 'bang' as it smashes into the table, and your fingers are ripped towards the blade.... Very lucky and very chastened little boy had to go and drink a small beer or two while considering that one... :roll:

Finally, make absolutely sure you don't (lazy again!) hold a small workpiece freehand and go at it with your razor honed block/apron plane - without first checking where the holding hand is in relation to the 'projected blade path'... Yikes! sharp planes can cut straight through a finger nail, and plane the pad of your index finger before you even know it...

 

[Anonymous]

Measure once, cut twice...

 

[Midnight]

spend an hour or three backtracking through every room in the house trying to find yer safety glasses.....to find em where ya left em.... parked on top o yer heid....

 

[Jaco]

While crosscutting on a RAS, remember which side of the pencil line goes on which side of the blade.

Remember to SECURELY CLAMP the piece of wood in the drill press. :x

ALWAYS keep a roll of toilet paper handy next to the work bench. It helps clean up the blood, and dry the tears!

 

[devonwoody]

You lot are giving me a TINGLE

 

[frank]

did devonwoody mean you lot make me want to tinkle. :? :? :wink:

 

[aldel]

When powernailing, always remember to make sure your finger is not on the other side of the wood---just in case that bit of wood is thinner than all the other nailed pieces.

Ouch-ow -aaah-ow-ow- aaaaah aldel

 

[Guest]

It's always better to remove the chuck key before switching on the lathe.

 

[Philly]

Ouch!
Philly

 

[DaveL]

It's always better to remove the chuck key before switching on the lathe.

Same on the drill press

 

[Jaco]

Just remeber how sharp that Stanley blade really is!!!!!

 

[trevtheturner]

So it seems to me that if you only use hand tools :shock: and keep all your bits behind the cutting edge, you've cracked it! :roll: :wink:

Cheers,

Trev.
(Official U.K. Beer Can Quality Inspector)

 

[devonwoody]

did devonwoody mean you lot make me want to tinkle. :? :? :wink:

No Frank I meant TINGLE, mine is obviously more sensitive than yours :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Alf]

It's always better to remove the chuck key before switching on the lathe.

Same on the drill press

<looks smug> Keyless chuck here...

If the side of your Japanese chisel was sharp enough to cut your hand last time you used it, it still will be the next time if you don't do anything about it in the meantime... D'oh!

Cheers, Alf

 

[Jaco]

When joining some very expensive timber, for re-sawing, with biscuits - remember to mark where the are if you are going to re-trim!
Just demolished some very good African Rosewood - drowned my sorrows in beer. Will look at it again next weekend.
Needless to say the air was a darker shade of BLUE. :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the keeping body parts out of the way posts.
Im always fitting new Ballastrades for people and one day i was standing on a Newel post with my left leg, outside this house, about to drill a hole through the bottom to accept a bit of dowel (broom handle) , when all of a sudden as i started the drill, the 1 inch auger bit jumped grabbed my sock and was about to bore into my ankle when my lightning reflexes pulled it away.After which i was wide awake and finished in no time

23yrs as a carpenter and still learning

Cheers Steve

 

[Alf]

I have found that my sander works better if I put a sheet of abrasive on the bottom :roll:

Guess what?

I was onto the second board before I even realised what's more; that velcro doesn't leave too bad a finish...

Cheers, Alf