# the best tips



## raskgle (Dec 10, 2007)

the best tip you received such as my best tip was the wood scraper and table saw sled. carl.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Hard to beat the sled due to how it's so much safer and accurate compared to a miter gage. I almost never us the gage anymore.

A tip I received many years back that I put at the top of the list is using lye to age cherry wood in order to match it with other older pieces built years ago. I use it now on all pieces just to get through the salmon color years. 

Al B

Friends don't let friends use Craftsman.


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## 27207 (Jan 25, 2012)

I would have to say my best tip so far is to cut everything square/accurate, and with enough extra where needed for all of the sanding. Use enough glue for good coverage but not too much or you'll make a mess. Wait for squeeze out to set before scraping it off, so it's solid but not practically indestructible yet. Etc etc

It's usually the small tips that we use on a daily basis that are the best. We just don't realize it because it's second nature, some may think of it as common sense.


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## GoIrish (Jan 29, 2012)

Card scrapers were the best tip I received. Once I learned to sharpen them I have used them on every project since.


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

GoIrish said:


> Card scrapers were the best tip I received. Once I learned to sharpen them I have used them on every project since.


what method did learn to sharpen those ?


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## 27207 (Jan 25, 2012)

I'll share a great tip I just received on accident today. I bought some good sized slabs of walnut, and am trying to figure out what to do with them so I made a post about it. Well woodnthings posted a link to another thread of someone building a bench. And in one of his pictures he was planing the slab down with a hand plane. Well, I never thought of using a hand plane for it lol. I know that's what they're for, but I haven't used 'em much. But what a great idea instead of having to cut them down for the planer, or to sand all of it out lol. 

USE YOUR PLANES! who woulda thought


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## Lostinwoods (Mar 1, 2012)

This book:





I have an older edition. It's what got me interested in wood working after nearly flunking wood shop in high school. This is a bargain price, I'm tempted to get a backup copy. Full of good ideas from the old days of wood working especially the descriptions of how old tools were used.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Perhaps the best tip I learned - 21 years ago, when I first started woodcarving/whittling -is that a sharp knife is much safer than a dull one. Counter-intuitive, perhaps, but very true.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

The best tip I ever got was from an old finish carpenter who worked his magic out of, and on, his tool box/stool/bench/coffee break sitting place. 
He said, "Throw away that blasted tape, boy! Use them sticks, and cut it to fit." 
He was 70 when I met him. I was 30. I'm 71 now and can still smell his pipe smoke and hear his laugh.


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## GoIrish (Jan 29, 2012)

tcleve4911 said:


> what method did learn to sharpen those ?


Use a jig to keep card square to a file and remove the mill marks or the worn our burr. Can be a block of wood with a slot for the file. I bought an aluminum jig and clamp in in my vice. After the file I used a fine diamond sharpener to polish the sides as well as edge. Once well polished lay the cad flat on the bench about two inches from the edge and slide a burnisher or a very polished hardened screwdriver shank edge of the card and the edge of the table and slide back and forth across the edge to draw a burr. Once the burr has been raised clamp the scraper in a vice and hold the burnisher against the edge square or a slight angle and and roll the burr over by pulling across the edge. Be careful not pull it over too far. You will learn to feel the edge is where you like it. I don't think it actually matters but it will lower the angle you hold the scraper against the wood. I like to be more upright so I try not to roll the edge very far. When done well you should see little curls and not saw dust. There are a few good videos on this that I discovered years later that would have been helpful when I was learning. Try the Wood Whisperer.


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## ccrow (Jan 14, 2010)

> "Throw away that blasted tape, boy! Use them sticks, and cut it to fit."


Gene... I would like more of an explanation of this? Story sticks?


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

ccrow said:


> Gene... I would like more of an explanation of this? Story sticks?


Exactly! He had several he used in combinations for inside measurement. 
Often, he would make a couple on site for length/height calculations. Noting the placement of windows and other obstructions on the sticks. 
Unless something changed in the interim, I've never seen him have to alter any cabinet or trim after it had been built or cut. 
His box contained several measuring devices, tapes, squares, etc. But he rarely needed them.
I haven't built custom cabinets for contractors or homeowners for many years. But, I still use "them sticks", on a smaller scale, today.


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## 27207 (Jan 25, 2012)

Gene Howe said:


> Exactly! He had several he used in combinations for inside measurement.
> Often, he would make a couple on site for length/height calculations. Noting the placement of windows and other obstructions on the sticks.
> Unless something changed in the interim, I've never seen him have to alter any cabinet or trim after it had been built or cut.
> His box contained several measuring devices, tapes, squares, etc. But he rarely needed them.
> I haven't built custom cabinets for contractors or homeowners for many years. But, I still use "them sticks", on a smaller scale, today.


Ah, I was thinking tape as in masking tape. But you are referring to tape measure lol


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## TS3660 (Mar 4, 2008)

One of the best tips I ever got was when I went into work on a Monday with terribly blistered palms and fingers. I had been digging ditches and holes all weekend. And old guy told me to rub just a bit of motor oil on my hands before I shoveled next time. I tried it and wow what a difference that made. Of course the better tip is to rent a trencher. :laughing:


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## Lostinwoods (Mar 1, 2012)

I'll try that, we are finally supposed to get some good snow next week, but can't find my gloves. Think mineral oil will work as well as motor oil (I assume that's new motor oil) ?


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Gene Howe said:


> Exactly! He had several he used in combinations for inside measurement.
> Often, he would make a couple on site for length/height calculations. Noting the placement of windows and other obstructions on the sticks.
> Unless something changed in the interim, I've never seen him have to alter any cabinet or trim after it had been built or cut.
> His box contained several measuring devices, tapes, squares, etc. But he rarely needed them.
> I haven't built custom cabinets for contractors or homeowners for many years. But, I still use "them sticks", on a smaller scale, today.


We call 'em tick sticks. You make reference marks on them called ticks.
I use them a lot when I'm running crown molding by myself. 
I can get an exact length of the wall and transfer it to my stock.
It even allows you to "feel" it for the snuggness of the fit you want.

Nice tip Gene


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## dscherm (Mar 10, 2012)

*Sticks for measuring*

I use a couple of 1/8 X 3/4 sticks and use those black bull dog clips as clamps and measure the distance -- works perfectly on inside measurements -- then transfer to the cut piece. Cheap and accurate.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Chaincarver Steve said:


> Perhaps the best tip I learned - 21 years ago, when I first started woodcarving/whittling -is that a sharp knife is much safer than a dull one. Counter-intuitive, perhaps, but very true.


Steve
That is so true and also very true of all tools.

Friends don't let friends use Craftsman.


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