Ergonomic bandsaw push block
I do a lot of resawing to save on lumber costs when I need thinner stock. To make this process safer, I devised a U-shaped push block with a nonslip pad on one side, a hook on the other, and integral handles in the center. In use, the block rides flat on the table with the nonslip side against the workpiece, as I grip the nearest handle in my right hand. Having my hand in this position allows me to twist my wrist subtly to apply pressure as needed. Near the end of the cut, I turn the block around to engage the hooked side to safely push the piece past the blade. I made my block from 3/4” plywood, pocket-screwed together with two jumbo Shaker pegs serving as the handles because that’s what I had on hand. You could use dowels or even square sticks with rounded corners.
Dwayne Smythe
West Springfield, Massachusetts
Cord stress relief
A while ago, I noticed the cord on my miter saw was starting to show signs of wear near where it is plugged into the wall. In thinking about it, it’s not that surprising; the power cord is pulled with each cut and with each swing from square to 45 degrees and back. To help mitigate the stress on the plug, I made a cord holder from a block of scrap which I then attached to the back of the saw’s cabinet. The process is simple: drill two 3/8” holes through the scrap and lightly chamfer the edges with a countersink bit. Then bandsaw slots to open up the holes. To install the cord, loop it down through one hole and up through the other. Wrap electric tape around the cord to adjust the fit. For a tight hold, pull the wrapped part of the cord into the slot; for a looser grip just wrap the cord above (or below) the block.
David DePauw
Cincinnati, Ohio
Perfect routed dados
In theory, routing a dado for a piece of stock to fit into should be a straightforward operation. But in reality, it can be pretty tricky as the stock thickness rarely matches the exact diameter of the bit at hand. So rather than relying on this dubious wood-to-tool relationship, I made a parallelogram fence system that accommodates any thickness of stock from 1/2” on up. To make the rig, saw 3/4”-thick plywood 4” wide and 8” longer than your dadoes. Make the arms and fasten them to the two primary fences with carriage bolts and star knobs as shown. For alignment, attach a secondary fence perpendicular to one of the primary fences. In use, sandwich the piece you want to fit in the dado on end between the two primary fences and tighten the knobs. Ease the captured piece loose then clamp both fences to the piece you intend to dado, positioning the fences on either side of the dado’s location. Chuck a 1/2” pattern bit in your router and cut the dado to depth guiding the bearing up one fence and back along the other.
Juanita Domingo
Bakersfield, California
Cleaning up inside corners
When gluing up drawers and cabinets there is inevitably a little glue squeeze out in the inside corners that can be a nuisance to clean up. I find the best way to tackle this is with a putty knife. I wait for the glue to become rubbery and remove the worst of it with the knife. Then I wrap some fine sandpaper around the end of the knife and secure it with duct tape. Now I can sand away any residual glue by working the knife right into the corner.
Dan Martin
Galena, Ohio
