Working with timber is one of life’s great satisfactions. The smell of the freshly sawn timber, the feel of it in your hands and, of course, the satisfaction you get from the finished job. To make your projects that little bit easier, here are 10 simple woodworking hacks…
Contents
- 1 Makeshift Drill Bit
- 2 Sharpen Blades With Your Coffee Mug
- 3 Use Toothpaste To Fill Small Holes
- 4 Make a Pencil Marking Gauge
- 5 We All Need a Tiny Knife!
- 6 A Notched Square Blade Will Help…
- 7 Save Your Thumb By Using a Clothes Pin
- 8 Store Your Nails In Your Comb
- 9 Use a Tennis Ball To Sand Curves
- 10 Dull Nails To Avoid End Splits In Timber
Makeshift Drill Bit
It’s often advisable to pre-drill a nail hole to stop your timber from splitting. But what if you don’t have an appropriately sized bit? Just use a nail! If you are predrilling just part A prior to nailing to part B of the timber, use the same size. If you need to pre-drill both pieces, go to a slightly smaller nail. Clip the head off and you’re ready to go.
Sharpen Blades With Your Coffee Mug
Nothing ruins a job faster than a dull knife (well, apart from a missed hammer blow). If you don’t have a sharpening stone handy, turn your coffee mug upside down. Yep, it really works.
Use Toothpaste To Fill Small Holes
Ever noticed how hard that toothpaste has become where the kids have dropped a lump on the vanity top? If you don’t have any plaster-based filler handy, just reach for the toothpaste. Note that I haven’t tried this with gel-type toothpaste or Stripe đŸ™‚
Make a Pencil Marking Gauge
Marking gauges usually employ a metal pin to mark the timber where it needs to be cut. I much prefer to mark with a pencil and this hack is an easy way to convert any marker gauge.
We All Need a Tiny Knife!
Sometimes you need to trim something that’s in a hard-to-reach spot. A tiny knife might be your answer. Easy to make and safer than trying to get ‘in there’ with a bigger knife.
A Notched Square Blade Will Help…
Here’s a simple way to mark out lines parallel to your board’s edges. I’ve done this with three squares ranging in length from 150mm to 600mm. Works great!
Save Your Thumb By Using a Clothes Pin
If you’ve ever had to drive a nail into a tight spot – or been working with panel pins – you know what I’m talking about here. This clothespin hack is so simple yet so effective!
Store Your Nails In Your Comb
If you don’t have a magnetic wristband, it can be a real pain picking up that next nail or screw. This hack might just make it easier for you to get that job done.
Use a Tennis Ball To Sand Curves
Sanding curves is a tedious task when done by hand. Here’s a hack that makes it quick and easy. It’s also a lot easier on your arms!
Dull Nails To Avoid End Splits In Timber
Most projects with timber require edge nailing or screwing. If you’re using screws, always pre-drill your holes. But if you’re nailing, this hack is much faster than pre-drilling. Just tap the tip of your nails to dull them before driving them. Simple but it works.
If you’re looking for ways to make your woodworking projects simpler and easier to complete, check out these 10 hacks! From using a simple jig to creating your own sanding blocks, these tips and tricks will help you get the job done quickly and efficiently. So why not give them a try the next time you’re working on a woodworking project? Thanks to Crowe Saw Mills Ireland for permission to use the images.
