Shop Must-Have: Chop Sticks?
A couple of years back, my wife and I hosted a holiday party. The catered Chinese food left me with great leftovers and hundreds of sets of chopsticks. I shoved them into my shop drawer, thinking I would come up with a use for them, and boy have I.
Not only do the chopsticks make perfect stir sticks for quart sized finish cans, but they’re also a handy tool to mix epoxy with. The square end (where the pair is connected) allows you to really mix it up. Plus, it’s an ideal tool to spread the epoxy as well. Logan Wittmer Runnells, Iowa
Ratchet Koozies
I discovered a quick tip that keeps my ratchet straps organized for whenever I need them. The rolled straps fit perfectly inside of a can koozie. It keeps them tangle free and organized for my next trip to the lumber yard.
Becky Kralicek Des Moines, Iowa
Flag Small Parts.
Charles Vogan of Grottoes, VA discovered an easy way to keep track of small parts while he’s cutting them. By wrapping the part with a small flag of painter’s tape, it’s easy to keep track of that small brass pin or dowel when it rolls off onto the floor and under the workbench.
Secure Your Plugs.
Ken Marciniak of Rolling Prairie, IN found a great solution to a common problem — extension cords coming unplugged. By wrapping the plug with a couple of twists of a large, rubber twist tie (available at most hardware stores), the plugs stay connected so he can keep working.
