TWO OF MY FAVORITE and most-used tools in the shop came from my wife’s bathroom cabinet.
I’ve found that ordinary Q-Tip swabs have dozens of uses: getting finish or glue into tight spots (or getting finish drips or glue runs out of tight spots), applying oil or grease to bearings, and cleaning the insides of drill chucks and router collets are just a few. I always have Q-Tips in a sealed container (to keep them dust-free) close at hand.
I also keep a cup of emery boards within easy reach. Thin, flat, strong and with different grits on each side, they can fit inside and sand places not normally accessible. Cleaning out mortises, dovetails and dadoes is a snap, as is sanding into tight corners and crevices.
A whole package of emery boards only costs a few cents, though, so you’ll be far better off buying your own supply than raiding your wife’s stash. Don’t ask me how I know this.
