A few small shop-made accessories can solve some surprisingly frustrating woodworking problems. A stack of tongue depressors can help a bench vise clamp evenly, while a few biscuits and a plywood scrap can provide support when finishing cabinet doors.
In this collection of Woodsmith Quick Tips, four readers share ideas for improving workholding, supporting projects during finishing, keeping track of stain colors, and fine-tuning joinery.
1. Prevent Bench Vise Racking with a Self-Adjusting Spacer
Clamping a workpiece at one end of a bench vise can cause the jaws to close unevenly. This is known as vise racking, and it can reduce clamping pressure on the workpiece while putting unnecessary strain on the vise.
Scott Johnson of Pacific Grove, California, came up with a simple, self-adjusting spacer to solve the problem.
He drills a hole near one end of several tongue depressors and joins them with a long bolt. The sticks can pivot independently, allowing him to vary the thickness of the spacer.
When clamping a workpiece, Scott positions the spacer at the opposite end of the vise. As he opens the jaws, the appropriate number of sticks drop into place.
The spacer helps balance the jaw opening so the vise can apply pressure more evenly.
Woodsmith Tip: Place the spacer opposite the workpiece and check that both are firmly seated before tightening the vise. The spacer should be approximately the same thickness as the material being clamped.
Shop tip submitted by Scott Johnson, Pacific Grove, California.
2. Make Painter’s Points from Biscuits and Scrap Plywood
Finishing a batch of cabinet doors is easier when you can raise each door above the bench. Supporting the workpiece on small contact points provides clearance for finishing the edges and helps keep them from sticking to the worksurface.
When I needed stand-off blocks for a stack of cabinet doors, I made my own using scrap plywood and woodworking biscuits.
I started with a long strip of plywood and cut a series of biscuit slots along its length. After gluing biscuits into the slots, I used the miter saw to cut the strip into individual blocks.
Each block has a biscuit projecting from it to provide a narrow contact point beneath the workpiece.
Making the supports from a longer strip also allowed me to produce several matching blocks quickly.
Woodsmith Tip: Arrange enough blocks to support the workpiece without tipping. As with any painter’s points, test the supports with your finish and allow adequate drying time before placing a freshly coated surface on them.
Shop tip submitted by John Doyle, Ankeny, Iowa.
3. Record Your Stain Color on the Project
Matching an existing stain can be difficult, especially years after a project is completed. Even if you remember the general color, finding the exact product or combination of finishes may take some trial and error.
Becky Kralicek of Des Moines, Iowa, has a simple way to eliminate the guesswork.
When she finishes a project, she records the finishing information in a hidden location, such as the underside of a drawer.
If she needs to repair the finish or build a matching piece later, the original details are right there on the project.
Woodsmith Tip: Record the stain manufacturer, product name, and color. If you used multiple products, note the sequence of stains and topcoats, too. Keep the information in a concealed spot where it won’t interfere with the appearance or operation of the project.
Shop tip submitted by Becky Kralicek, Des Moines, Iowa.
4. Turn an Old Chisel into a Miniature Wood Scraper
A cabinet scraper is useful for smoothing wood and refining surfaces, but its wide blade can make it difficult to work in corners or other confined areas.
Thomas Roessler of Appleton, Wisconsin, turned an old chisel into a miniature scraper for these situations.
He started by sharpening the chisel. Then, using a steel rod, he formed a burr on the edge in the same manner as he would on a conventional scraper.
The resulting tool gives him a narrow scraping edge that can reach areas where a full-size scraper would be awkward.
It’s especially useful for making small adjustments while fitting joinery.
Woodsmith Tip: Use an old or spare chisel for this modification, since forming a scraper burr changes how its edge is prepared. Secure the workpiece and take light cuts to avoid removing more material than intended.
Shop tip submitted by Thomas Roessler, Appleton, Wisconsin.
Simple Shop Solutions for Better Woodworking
These four reader-submitted tips show how a few inexpensive materials and small modifications can make familiar woodworking tasks easier. A tongue-depressor spacer helps prevent vise racking, biscuit supports raise projects during finishing, a hidden stain record simplifies future color matching, and an old chisel becomes a tool for precise scraping.
