15 Classic Handy Tool Tips... What's yours?

[dbhost]

So browsing Facebook today I came across a great article from Family Handman showing "15 Classic Handy Tool Tips" that are things I hadn't though of, and had never been taught. These really look useful!

So what tips do you have / can you share?

[leehljp]

That was interesting. I have used about half of the tips before. But the others were new to me and great tips. I have use clamps for all kinds of uses, but not the first one on the list. And I have used a screw clamp to push in a nail before also. Not that I'm brilliant, just lazy and always looking for short cuts!

[cwsmith]

I've never used a clamp to drive a nail, just never the need I guess. I did think the first suggestion with the wood block clamp was pretty neat though. Most of the others I've used.

The suggestion about the quick work bench I've sort of got beat though. Several years ago I found several pieces of fresh maple hardwood flooring which had spilled from some previous truck onto a street near our home. Several pieces were damaged and there wasn't enough to do much of anything with, but I figured it would be good for something. I managed to savage enough to make a cross-cut guide for my circular saw and also to make a couple of bench boards. All glued up, I have two sections, one about 12 inches wide and one about 10", both are six feet long. Together they make a great work table for almost anything. Split, I can position them as close or as wide as needed. I can saw down the middle of sheet stock without chewing up a solid table, I can place them wide enough to service the lawn mower at a nice working height, and they're stiff enough to even work as ramps to load the snowblower, lawn mower, or similar objects in or out of my van.

The other day (I mentioned this in another thread a couple of days ago), I was trying to remove an old chain link fence that separated the driveway from the backyard. Problem proved to be the poles which were concreted in after they were driven into the ground. I dug the concrete loose, but couldn't lift them out because the pipes had apparently bent. After some frustration, I finally used the hydraulic floor jack I have for the cars. Dug down enough to get the jack under the concrete and then managed to jack them right out of their stuck position. I had to re-position the jack a couple of times and used rocks to add more lift distance, but it sure saved my back.

CWS

[mpc]

I've never used a clamp to drive a nail like that; I have used channel-lock style pliers to squeeze a nail into position when there wasn't room for a hammer. Just a couple weeks ago I emailed pics of wood clamps as a vise to a friend of mine that wants to start woodworking/carving with his kids. He has next-to-nothing right now so I'm trying to show him simple & basic things to get him started. Gotta have clamps so why not use them as a vise as well? The drill bit guide idea was good; I'll pass that along to him. As well as the "T" blocks since he does have a (cheapo) chop-saw that isn't mounted to a dedicated cart.

mpc

[dbhost]

I've done the channel lock squeeze thing to drive a nail, but never a hand clamp. I have done much worse to C clamps, one of which now needs to be replaced after using it to hold a metal work piece I was welding a wee bit too close to...