A few inexpensive accessories can make your workshop easier to use. From checking a CNC layout before cutting to keeping cleanup supplies within reach, these four Woodsmith reader-submitted tips offer practical ways to save time and make the most of materials you already have.
1. Use a Pencil to Mark CNC Axis Limits and Project Layouts
Before starting a CNC project, it helps to know exactly where your machine can travel and whether all your parts will fit on the material.
Shane Burk of Lubbock, Texas, uses a pencil to make that layout easier.
He installs a pencil in the chuck on his CNC head. By moving the CNC through a programmed layout, he can draw the machine's axis limits and mark part locations directly on the work surface.
This gives Shane a visual preview of where the parts will be cut. He can check their placement, make adjustments, and arrange them to maximize the material before running the cutting program.
It's a simple way to catch layout problems before committing to a cut.
Woodsmith Tip: Use a secure pencil holder suited to your machine, keep the spindle motor off, and verify that the pencil has sufficient clearance throughout the programmed movement. A pencil layout is a useful check, but it doesn't replace verifying your toolpaths, work offsets, and cutting clearances.
Shop tip submitted by Shane Burk, Lubbock, Texas.
2. Make an Inexpensive Shop Cleanup Brush from a Door Sweep
Keeping sawdust and chips off your workbench and stationary tools is easier when a cleanup brush is always close at hand.
Steve Schroeder of Waukesha, Wisconsin, discovered that an inexpensive door sweep works well for the job.
Door sweeps are available in long lengths, so Steve cuts one into several shorter sections. Each piece becomes a compact brush that he can keep near a different machine.
With a brush at each workstation, there's no need to search for one whenever it's time to clean up.
Woodsmith Tip: Use the brush only after the machine has stopped completely. For fine woodworking dust, pair regular cleanup with appropriate dust collection or a vacuum equipped for the material you're working with.
Shop tip submitted by Steve Schroeder, Waukesha, Wisconsin.
3. Repurpose a Pump Dispenser for Shop Solvents
When cleaning up during a project, pouring solvent directly from a larger container can dispense more than you need.
Bob Zimmerman of Des Moines, Iowa, found a convenient alternative: a self-dispensing makeup container with a pump top.
He uses the dispenser to hold shop solvent. When he needs a little, he presses a towel against the pump lid to dispense a small amount directly onto it.
The pump makes it easy to wet a towel without repeatedly opening and pouring from a larger container.
Woodsmith Tip: Not every cosmetic dispenser is suitable for solvents. Before repurposing one, verify that the container, seals, and pump are compatible with the specific product. Keep solvents properly labeled and follow the manufacturer's storage, ventilation, and fire-safety instructions. Do not use an unapproved dispenser for flammable solvents.
Shop tip submitted by Bob Zimmerman, Des Moines, Iowa.
4. Turn a Spare Paint Roller into a Paper Towel Holder
Paper towels are useful for wiping up glue, cleaning tools, and handling many everyday workshop tasks. Keeping a roll near your workbench makes them much more convenient.
Joe Kern of Atkins, Iowa, found that a spare paint roller frame makes a simple paper towel holder.
He slips a roll of paper towels onto the roller and hangs it near his workbench. The roller keeps the towels in one place, where they're easy to grab whenever he needs one.
It's a quick way to put an extra painting accessory to work in the woodshop.
Woodsmith Tip: Position the holder away from sparks, heat, and moving machinery. Dispose of towels containing finishes or solvents according to the product's safety instructions, particularly when using oil-based finishes that can generate heat as they cure.
Shop tip submitted by Joe Kern, Atkins, Iowa.
Simple Ideas for a More Efficient Woodshop
These four reader-submitted tips show how everyday materials can solve common workshop problems. A pencil helps preview CNC layouts, a door sweep becomes a convenient cleanup brush, a compatible pump dispenser simplifies solvent application, and a spare paint roller keeps paper towels close at hand.
Try adapting these ideas to your own tools and workstations.
