Some of the most useful woodworking accessories are the ones you make yourself. A wire connector can become a custom thumbscrew, a scrap of cardboard can keep your pencil in place, and a spring clamp can make setting up a honing guide much easier.
In this collection of Woodsmith Quick Tips, three readers share simple solutions for common workshop frustrations. Each one takes only a few materials and a little time to put together.
1. Make Custom Thumbscrews with Wire Connectors and Epoxy
Thumbscrews are handy for shop-made jigs and fixtures because you can tighten or loosen them without reaching for a wrench. But finding one with the exact thread size and length you need isn't always easy.
Philip Jacobs of Saint Paul, Minnesota, has a clever solution: He makes his own thumbscrews using bolts and wire connectors.
The process is straightforward. Start with a bolt that has the thread size and length you need. Thread the bolt into the wire connector as far as it will go, then fill the remaining space inside the connector with epoxy.
Once the epoxy has fully cured, cut off the bolt head. The wire connector becomes the knob, leaving you with a custom thumbscrew that you can tighten by hand.
It's a useful trick when building woodworking jigs, adjustable fences, and other shop-made accessories that need a hand-operated fastener.
Woodsmith Tip: Use a connector that securely accommodates the bolt, and allow the epoxy to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions before cutting off the head. Deburr the cut end as needed. These improvised thumbscrews are intended for light-duty jig adjustments, not structural or safety-critical fastening.
Shop tip submitted by Philip Jacobs, Saint Paul, Minnesota.
2. Keep Your Shop Apron Pencil from Falling Out
A pencil is one of the tools I reach for most often in the shop. But keeping one handy can be frustrating when it repeatedly falls out of an apron pocket every time you bend over.
Mark Manas of Merrick, New York, came up with a simple way to keep his pencil securely in place.
He cuts a thick piece of corrugated cardboard to fit inside his apron pocket. Then he pokes a hole into the edge of the cardboard that's just large enough to grip the pencil snugly.
The cardboard holds the pencil upright inside the pocket, helping prevent it from slipping out when he bends over.
Because the holder is made from scrap cardboard, it's easy to replace if it becomes worn or damaged. You can also customize the size and hole placement to fit your favorite pencil and apron.
It's a quick shop improvement that can save you from constantly searching the floor for your marking pencil.
Shop tip submitted by Mark Manas, Merrick, New York.
3. Use a Spring Clamp to Set Your Honing Guide Angle
A honing guide helps maintain a consistent bevel angle when sharpening chisels and hand plane blades. But setting the guide to the desired angle can be awkward when you're trying to hold a protractor, position the blade, and tighten the guide screws at the same time.
Alejandro Balbis of Longueuil, Quebec, found an easy way to simplify the setup.
He uses a spring clamp to hold his protractor steady while adjusting the honing guide. With the protractor secured, both hands are free to position the blade and tighten the guide screws.
This makes it easier to establish the intended sharpening angle without having the protractor shift during the adjustment.
It's a particularly useful trick when sharpening several blades or returning to a specific bevel angle.
Woodsmith Tip: Check that the protractor is positioned against the appropriate reference surfaces for your honing guide. Once the blade is secured, verify the setting before sharpening. The exact setup depends on the style of honing guide you're using.
Shop tip submitted by Alejandro Balbis, Longueuil, Quebec.
Simple Woodworking Accessories That Solve Everyday Problems
These three reader-submitted tips show how a few inexpensive materials can improve tools you already own. A wire connector becomes a custom thumbscrew, corrugated cardboard keeps a pencil in your apron, and a spring clamp frees up your hands when setting a honing guide.
They're small shop improvements, but each addresses a frustration that can slow you down during a project.
